Census Snapshot:
Maine Per-Capita Federal Spending

Staff reports

Copyright © 2001 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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Using population figures from the 2000 census and information supplied to it by federal agencies, the Census Bureau has released figures on federal domestic spending. In other words, how much of the federal pie is on Maine's plate.

Maine ranks 16th in per-capita federal spending. The state is sixth in retirement and disability payments, 31st in other direct payments, 12th in the per-capita amount of grants and 20th in procurement, which are the goods and services purchased by federal agencies. For at least three Maine counties the amount of per capita federal spending depends less on who and more on what is in the county. Federal procurement at Bath Iron Works puts Sagadahoc County in first place. Grants going to the state capitol in Kennebec County and to the University of Maine in Penobscot County inflate the figures for those counties.

The chart below shows federal spending in Maine broken down by category. Retirement and disability payments include Social Security, veterans' benefits and federal retirement payments. Other Direct Payments is a large category that includes such programs as Medicare, food stamps, housing assistance, unemployment insurance payments and crop insurance indemnity payments. The grants category includes both formula and project grants.

	Staff art; Source: US Census

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