Your State's War Bill
The US has spent over $8 trillion on post-9/11 wars. How much came from your state? What did your neighbors sacrifice? And what could that money have built at home?
Find Your State's War Bill
Select your state to see personalized war cost data.
Did You Know?
Virginia receives $3.92 back for every $1 its residents pay in war-related taxes — more than any state besides DC.
California has lost more service members in post-9/11 wars than any other state, with over 800 deaths.
Mississippi has the highest military enlistment rate in the country — nearly 2× the national average.
New York pays significantly more in war taxes than it receives back in military spending — a net loss of billions.
Hawaii's economy is more dependent on military bases than any other state, with bases generating $12.8B annually.
Texas has the second-most military bases of any state and over 125,000 active duty personnel.
Methodology
State war cost shares are calculated proportionally by population using Census Bureau estimates. Military death estimates are based on Department of Defense casualty reports cross-referenced with state-level enlistment rates. Economic data uses Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for teacher salaries, Census median home prices, and College Board tuition figures.
The "war tax return rate" estimates how much each state receives in defense-related economic activity relative to its proportional share of federal war taxes. States with large military bases and defense contractors tend to be net beneficiaries; states without significant military presence are net payers.
All figures are estimates compiled from public data for educational purposes. Total war cost of $8 trillion is from the Brown University Costs of War Project.