PlainSpending

Delaware Federal Spending

$12.2B in FY2025 - a thin absolute book (rank #50 of 57).

$12.2B total · $12,366 per capita · FY2025 · Ranked #50 total, #39 per capita · 21.0% below national avg

In FY2025, Delaware received $12.2B in federal spending - $12,366 per capita, ranking #39 among 57 states and 21.0% below the national average. The most common award type is contracts, accounting for 41.0% of tracked awards. The top spending agency is Social Security Administration.

Delaware · FY2025

Delaware received $12.2B in federal spending in FY2025 - $12,366 per resident, 21.0% below the national average, with contracts the largest award category.

Total federal spending
$12.2B
#50 of 57 states
Per resident
$12,366
#39 per capita
Latest annual change
+$1.1B
FY2024 to FY2025 (+9.5%)
Top agency
Social Security Administration
$6.5B

Thin absolute federal book

Delaware is a light absolute book: #49 of 56 with $12.2B.

According to USASpending.gov, Delaware carried a thin absolute federal book of $12.2B in FY2025 ($12,366 per resident; population 989,948). Total-dollar rank #50 is a light absolute footprint; per-capita rank #39 sits 21.0% below the national average.

Low per-resident intensity still shows a full award-count mix: 5,192 contracts, 2,426 grants, 982 loans, and 3,467 direct payments. The most common award type is contracts at 41.0% of tracked awards in the state, with direct payments a distant second at 3,467 awards. Social Security Administration is the single largest federal agency operating in Delaware, with $6.5B in obligations - more than Department of Health and Human Services's $2.8B.

Over the available history, federal spending in Delaware has grown 2.2% from $12.0B in FY2020 to $12.2B in FY2025 - from a below-average intensity baseline. Combined with 3 counties and top recipient Health and Social Services, Delaware Dept Of at $2.3B, the trail shows whether the light intensity is closing the gap.

Figures are award-transaction data from USASpending.gov (U.S. Department of the Treasury). See our methodology for per-capita denominators and award categories.

Source: USAspending.gov, Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) + System for Award Management (SAM) Delaware federal awards (contracts, grants, loans, direct payments) for FY2025 · 2025 USAspending.gov publishes award-level data within ~30 days of obligation; categories follow OMB Object Class Codes. Per-capita metrics use Census ACS population estimates as the denominator.

Where this thin absolute book sits

Total Spending

$12.2B

Rank #50

Per Capita

$12,366

Rank #39

Population

989,948

Contract Awards

5,192

Grant Awards

2,426

Total Federal Spending

$12.2B

FY2025 obligations

Per Capita

$12,366

Rank #39

Counties Receiving

3

federal dollars

Top Agency Share

$6.5B

Social Security Administration

Delaware award-type mix by count (FY2025)

Awards41%27.4%19.2%ContractsDirect PaymentsGrantsLoansOther
Per-state share of tracked federal awards BY COUNT across major OMB-aligned award types (not a dollar-value breakdown). Mandatory-vs-discretionary marker reflects the entitlement-vs-appropriated split.
Delaware per-capita federal spending vs. national average 65.9%
National average

Compared against the national average of $15,647 per resident.

Awards by Type

Contracts is the most common award type at 41.0% of tracked awards in Delaware (by count, not dollar value).

Contracts 5,192 awards (41.0%)
Direct Payments 3,467 awards (27.4%)
Grants 2,426 awards (19.2%)
Loans 982 awards (7.8%)
Other 593 awards (4.7%)

Comparison to National Average

Metric Delaware National Avg Difference
Per Capita Spending $12,366 $15,647 -21.0%
Contracts Share 0.0% - -
Grants Share 0.0% - -

Top Federal Agencies in Delaware

Federal agencies ranked by total spending in Delaware during FY2025.

# Agency Spending % of Total
1 Social Security Administration $6.5B 52.7%
2 Department of Health and Human Services $2.8B 22.6%
3 Department of Veterans Affairs $692.2M 5.7%
4 Department of Agriculture $467.1M 3.8%
5 Department of Transportation $367.7M 3.0%
6 Environmental Protection Agency $291.6M 2.4%
7 Department of Education $270.3M 2.2%
8 Department of Defense $238.4M 1.9%
9 Department of Housing and Urban Development $189.7M 1.5%
10 Department of Energy $119.2M 1.0%

Top Recipients in Delaware

Organizations and entities receiving the most federal funds in Delaware.

# Recipient Total Awards
1 Health and Social Services, Delaware Dept Of $2.3B
2 Transportation, Delaware Department Of $322.2M
3 Department of Education Delaware $240.5M
4 Executive Office of the Governor of Delaware $224.9M
5 University of Delaware $207.4M
6 State of Delaware, Dnrec $143.6M
7 Diamond State Port $127.5M
8 Diamond State Port Corporation $127.5M
9 Delaware Department of Health && Social Services $80.3M
10 Health and Social Services, Department Of $69.9M
11 Delaware Department of Health and Social Services $55.7M
12 Delaware State University $47.6M
13 Wilimington Housing Authority $43.2M
14 Delaware National Guard $37.9M

Spending Trends

The latest annual comparison is +$1.1B (+9.5%) from FY2024 to FY2025; this is a difference in recorded award obligations, not a claim about cause or local benefit. Federal spending in Delaware increased 2.2% from FY2020 to FY2025.

$9B$10B$11B$12B$13B$14B FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025 $12B
Fiscal Year Total Spending Per Capita Population
FY2025 $12.2B $12,366 989,948
FY2024 $11.2B $11,295 989,948
FY2023 $11.1B $11,166 989,948
FY2022 $10.3B $10,359 989,948
FY2021 $13.2B $13,348 989,948
FY2020 $12.0B $12,097 989,948

Counties in Delaware

3 counties ranked by federal spending in FY2025.

# County Total Spending Per Capita Population
1 New Castle County $4.3B $7,519 570,719
2 Sussex County $2.8B $11,718 237,378
3 Kent County $1.8B $10,011 181,851
DOGE impact for Delaware → Per-capita rankings → Why spending varies by state →

States With Similar Per Capita Spending

States with per capita federal spending closest to Delaware's $12,366.

New Hampshire

$12,356 per capita

$17.0B total

North Carolina

$12,400 per capita

$129.4B total

Idaho

$12,406 per capita

$22.8B total

California

$12,283 per capita

$485.6B total

Michigan

$12,538 per capita

$126.3B total

Compare Delaware to another state side-by-side →

States with similar total federal spending

Nearest nationwide peers by total obligation volume ($12.2B here) - a different axis from the per-capita neighbors above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much federal spending did Delaware receive in FY2025?

Delaware received a thin absolute book of $12.2B in FY2025 ($12,366 per capita; population 989,948).

What is the largest category of federal spending in Delaware?

The most common award type is contracts, accounting for 5,192 awards (41.0% of tracked awards). The second-largest is direct payments at 3,467 awards.

How has federal spending in Delaware changed over time?

Federal spending in Delaware increased by 2.2% from FY2020 ($12.0B) to FY2025 ($12.2B).

How does Delaware's federal spending per capita compare to the national average?

Delaware's $12,366 runs 21.0% below the $15,647 national average (rank #39 of 57).

Where does Delaware rank nationally in federal spending?

Delaware ranks #39 of 57 on per-capita intensity ($12,366 - a light band) and #50 on absolute volume ($12.2B) in FY2025.

Which federal agencies spend the most in Delaware?

The top federal agency spending in Delaware is Social Security Administration with $6.5B. Followed by Department of Health and Human Services ($2.8B) and Department of Veterans Affairs ($692.2M).

How many counties in Delaware receive federal spending?

3 counties in Delaware receive federal spending. The county receiving the most is New Castle County with $4.3B.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and presented.

Verify with USASpending.gov → Verify population with U.S. Census Bureau →