Total Federal Spending
$59.8B
FY2025 obligations
Louisiana Federal Spending
$59.8B in FY2025 federal spending, $12,840 per capita.
$59.8B total · $12,840 per capita · FY2025 · Ranked #28 total, #34 per capita · 17.9% below national avg
In FY2025, Louisiana received $59.8B in federal spending - $12,840 per capita, ranking #34 among 57 states and 17.9% below the national average. The most common award type is direct payments, accounting for 49.9% of tracked awards. The top spending agency is Social Security Administration.
Louisiana · FY2025
Louisiana received $59.8B in federal spending in FY2025 - $12,840 per resident, 17.9% below the national average, with direct payments the largest award category.
- Total federal spending
- $59.8B
- #28 of 57 states
- Per resident
- $12,840
- #34 per capita
- Counties receiving funds
- 64
- place of performance
- Top agency
- Social Security Administration
- $21.7B
According to USASpending.gov, the official federal award-transaction dataset, the federal government directed $59.8B to Louisiana in FY2025, translating to $12,840 per resident across a population of 4,657,757. That per-capita figure is 17.9% below the $15,647 national average and ranks Louisiana #34 of 57 states per capita, while total-dollar rank is #28, illustrating the difference between volume of federal dollars and intensity of federal dependence.
The award-type mix shows how federal awards break down in Louisiana by count: 31,991 contracts, 7,101 grants, 9,322 loans, and 54,942 direct payments. The most common award type is direct payments at 49.9% of tracked awards in the state, with contracts a distant second at 31,991 awards. Social Security Administration is the single largest federal agency operating in Louisiana, with $21.7B in obligations - more than Department of Health and Human Services's $19.9B.
Over the available history, federal spending in Louisiana has grown 4.9% from $57.0B in FY2020 to $59.8B in FY2025. Combined with 64 counties receiving dollars and top recipient Lousiana Department of Health at $14.6B, this snapshot lets readers judge whether Louisiana's federal footprint is expanding, stable, or being scaled back relative to FY2025.
It helps to read state totals through two different lenses. Total dollars measure the raw volume of federal money flowing into a state, which naturally favors larger and more populous states. Per-capita spending measures intensity, how much federal money lands per resident, and it surfaces smaller states whose economies lean heavily on federal installations, contracts, or transfer payments. The two rankings often disagree, which is exactly why both appear above. The award mix matters too: contracts signal procurement of goods and services, grants flow to universities, nonprofits, and local governments, and direct payments include programs such as Social Security and Medicare that scale with population. Every figure comes from USASpending.gov, the federal spending-transparency system the U.S. Treasury has operated since the DATA Act of 2014. Federal outlays exceeded $7.0 trillion in fiscal year 2025 (CBO Monthly Budget Review), and these are official government records rather than estimates, though late-posted and corrected awards can adjust a state's totals after the year closes. Our methodology details the per-capita denominator, the award categories, and the data vintage.
Source: USAspending.gov, Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) + System for Award Management (SAM) Louisiana 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.
Key Statistics
Total Spending
$59.8B
Rank #28
Per Capita
$12,840
Rank #34
Population
4,657,757
Contract Awards
31,991
Grant Awards
7,101
Per Capita
$12,840
Rank #34
Counties Receiving
64
federal dollars
Top Agency Share
$21.7B
Social Security Administration
Louisiana award-type mix by count (FY2025)
Louisiana per-capita federal spending vs. national average 68.4%
National average
Compared against the national average of $15,647 per resident.
Awards by Type
Direct Payments is the most common award type at 49.9% of tracked awards in Louisiana (by count, not dollar value).
Direct Payments 54,942 awards (49.9%)
Contracts 31,991 awards (29.0%)
Loans 9,322 awards (8.5%)
Grants 7,101 awards (6.4%)
Other 6,819 awards (6.2%)
Comparison to National Average
| Metric | Louisiana | National Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per Capita Spending | $12,840 | $15,647 | -17.9% |
| Contracts Share | 0.0% | - | - |
| Grants Share | 0.0% | - | - |
Top Federal Agencies in Louisiana
Federal agencies ranked by total spending in Louisiana during FY2025.
| # | Agency | Spending | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Security Administration | $21.7B | 36.2% |
| 2 | Department of Health and Human Services | $19.9B | 33.3% |
| 3 | Department of Defense | $3.6B | 6.0% |
| 4 | Department of Agriculture | $3.3B | 5.5% |
| 5 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $3.2B | 5.4% |
| 6 | Department of Education | $1.7B | 2.8% |
| 7 | Department of Transportation | $1.5B | 2.6% |
| 8 | Department of Commerce | $1.5B | 2.5% |
| 9 | Department of Homeland Security | $1.3B | 2.1% |
| 10 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | $1.1B | 1.8% |
| 11 | Department of Energy | $969.4M | 1.6% |
Top Recipients in Louisiana
Organizations and entities receiving the most federal funds in Louisiana.
| # | Recipient | Total Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lousiana Department of Health | $14.6B |
| 2 | Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services | $2.2B |
| 3 | LA Dept. of Admin | $1.6B |
| 4 | Administration, Louisiana Division Of | $1.4B |
| 5 | Transportation && Development Louisiana D | $1.1B |
| 6 | Textron Systems CORP | $1.1B |
| 7 | Homeland Security && Emergency | $806.5M |
| 8 | Health, Louisiana Department Of | $346.5M |
| 9 | Vale USA LLC | $282.9M |
| 10 | Housing Authority of New Orleans | $277.9M |
| 11 | State of Louisiana Department of Natural Resources | $263.4M |
| 12 | Coastal Protection && Restoration Authority of Louisiana | $251.3M |
| 13 | Placid Refining Company LLC | $197.1M |
| 14 | Louisiana State University | $178.3M |
| 15 | Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, L.l.c. | $174.9M |
| 16 | Fluor Federal Petroleum Operations, LLC | $170.8M |
Spending Trends
Federal spending in Louisiana increased 4.9% from FY2020 to FY2025.
| Fiscal Year | Total Spending | Per Capita | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $59.8B | $12,840 | 4,657,757 |
| FY2024 | $56.3B | $12,090 | 4,657,757 |
| FY2023 | $59.2B | $12,706 | 4,657,757 |
| FY2022 | $54.0B | $11,595 | 4,657,757 |
| FY2021 | $69.0B | $14,803 | 4,657,757 |
| FY2020 | $57.0B | $12,239 | 4,657,757 |
Counties in Louisiana
64 counties ranked by federal spending in FY2025.
| # | County | Total Spending | Per Capita | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson Parish | $5.9B | $13,470 | 440,781 |
| 2 | East Baton Rouge Parish | $5.5B | $11,976 | 456,781 |
| 3 | Orleans Parish | $4.6B | $11,854 | 383,997 |
| 4 | St. Tammany Parish | $2.1B | $7,885 | 264,570 |
| 5 | Caddo Parish | $1.7B | $7,068 | 237,848 |
| 6 | Lafayette Parish | $1.5B | $6,169 | 241,753 |
| 7 | Calcasieu Parish | $1.3B | $6,131 | 216,785 |
| 8 | Bossier Parish | $1.2B | $9,263 | 128,746 |
| 9 | Ouachita Parish | $1.1B | $6,653 | 160,368 |
| 10 | Rapides Parish | $966.2M | $7,431 | 130,023 |
| 11 | Lafourche Parish | $838.3M | $8,593 | 97,557 |
| 12 | Livingston Parish | $822.4M | $5,780 | 142,282 |
| 13 | Tangipahoa Parish | $811.2M | $6,092 | 133,157 |
| 14 | Ascension Parish | $797.5M | $6,304 | 126,500 |
| 15 | Terrebonne Parish | $772.0M | $7,045 | 109,580 |
| 16 | Vernon Parish | $595.6M | $12,217 | 48,750 |
| 17 | St. Landry Parish | $580.7M | $7,035 | 82,540 |
| 18 | St. Mary Parish | $568.5M | $11,507 | 49,406 |
| 19 | Iberia Parish | $460.4M | $6,584 | 69,929 |
| 20 | St. James Parish | $448.6M | $22,216 | 20,192 |
| 21 | Acadia Parish | $384.4M | $6,676 | 57,576 |
| 22 | West Baton Rouge Parish | $367.6M | $13,514 | 27,199 |
| 23 | St. Charles Parish | $366.8M | $6,979 | 52,549 |
| 24 | Vermilion Parish | $352.8M | $6,151 | 57,359 |
| 25 | St. Martin Parish | $333.6M | $6,445 | 51,767 |
| 26 | Plaquemines Parish | $328.8M | $13,981 | 23,515 |
| 27 | Lincoln Parish | $319.1M | $6,594 | 48,396 |
| 28 | St. John the Baptist Parish | $310.0M | $7,299 | 42,477 |
| 29 | Natchitoches Parish | $282.5M | $7,530 | 37,515 |
| 30 | Washington Parish | $281.6M | $6,194 | 45,463 |
| 31 | Avoyelles Parish | $278.8M | $7,023 | 39,693 |
| 32 | Webster Parish | $273.4M | $7,396 | 36,967 |
| 33 | St. Bernard Parish | $251.6M | $5,750 | 43,764 |
| 34 | Beauregard Parish | $246.9M | $6,756 | 36,549 |
| 35 | Evangeline Parish | $216.9M | $6,706 | 32,350 |
| 36 | Morehouse Parish | $205.0M | $8,001 | 25,629 |
| 37 | Jefferson Davis Parish | $202.8M | $6,288 | 32,250 |
| 38 | Iberville Parish | $194.5M | $6,431 | 30,241 |
| 39 | De Soto Parish | $190.8M | $7,115 | 26,812 |
| 40 | Sabine Parish | $171.2M | $7,727 | 22,155 |
| 41 | Allen Parish | $160.5M | $7,053 | 22,750 |
| 42 | Pointe Coupee Parish | $154.5M | $7,442 | 20,758 |
| 43 | Union Parish | $150.3M | $7,119 | 21,107 |
| 44 | Concordia Parish | $149.4M | $7,996 | 18,687 |
| 45 | East Feliciana Parish | $148.1M | $7,580 | 19,539 |
| 46 | Grant Parish | $138.3M | $6,240 | 22,169 |
| 47 | Assumption Parish | $132.5M | $6,298 | 21,039 |
| 48 | Richland Parish | $131.8M | $6,577 | 20,043 |
| 49 | Franklin Parish | $130.4M | $6,596 | 19,774 |
| 50 | Jackson Parish | $103.1M | $6,860 | 15,031 |
| 51 | Bienville Parish | $101.5M | $7,817 | 12,981 |
| 52 | Lasalle Parish | $93.6M | $6,331 | 14,791 |
| 53 | Claiborne Parish | $89.5M | $6,317 | 14,170 |
| 54 | Winn Parish | $85.7M | $6,234 | 13,755 |
| 55 | Madison Parish | $83.6M | $8,346 | 10,017 |
| 56 | St. Helena Parish | $81.9M | $7,499 | 10,920 |
| 57 | West Carroll Parish | $79.6M | $8,160 | 9,751 |
| 58 | Caldwell Parish | $74.0M | $7,671 | 9,645 |
| 59 | Cameron Parish | $67.7M | $12,056 | 5,617 |
| 60 | Catahoula Parish | $64.9M | $7,289 | 8,906 |
| 61 | West Feliciana Parish | $63.1M | $4,123 | 15,310 |
| 62 | Red River Parish | $54.2M | $7,109 | 7,620 |
| 63 | Tensas Parish | $45.0M | $10,840 | 4,147 |
| 64 | East Carroll Parish | $42.6M | $5,715 | 7,459 |
Explore Louisiana Federal Spending
Go deeper on Louisiana's federal footprint.
DOGE Impact for Louisiana
Reported federal contract and grant terminations, claimed savings, per-capita impact, and state ranking.
DOGE state impact →
Per-Capita Rankings
Where Louisiana ranks among all states for federal spending per resident.
Top Federal Agencies
The agencies that move the most money nationwide, by obligated amount.
Federal Spending Guides
Learn more about how federal spending works and how to interpret this data.
Understanding Federal Spending
Contracts, grants, loans, and how federal money flows to states and communities.
Why Spending Varies by State
Military bases, federal labs, population, and per capita analysis.
Where Does Federal Money Go?
Mandatory vs. discretionary, top agencies, and biggest programs.
How Federal Contracts Are Awarded
Procurement process, contract types, and small business set-asides.
States With Similar Per Capita Spending
States with per capita federal spending closest to Louisiana's $12,840.
What this means
Louisiana ranks #34 of 57 states by FY2025 per-capita federal spending.
- Per-capita spending is 17.9% below the national average -- a structural signal, not a claim about efficiency or need. Per-capita rankings
- Social Security Administration is the single largest federal agency operating here, obligating 36.2% of every dollar tracked in Louisiana. Agency rankings
- 64 counties in Louisiana receive federal dollars -- the county-level pages break down exactly where. See counties
Per-capita and national-average figures use each state's most recent Census population estimate against the same FY total; they describe HOW money is distributed, not whether that distribution is justified.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much federal spending did Louisiana receive in FY2025?
Louisiana received $59.8B in total federal spending during Fiscal Year 2025. This equates to $12,840 per capita for the state's population of 4,657,757.
How does Louisiana's federal spending per capita compare to the national average?
Louisiana's per capita federal spending of $12,840 is 17.9% below the national average of $15,647. Louisiana ranks #34 out of 57 states by per capita spending.
What is the largest category of federal spending in Louisiana?
The most common award type is direct payments, accounting for 54,942 awards (49.9% of tracked awards). The second-largest is contracts at 31,991 awards.
Which federal agencies spend the most in Louisiana?
The top federal agency spending in Louisiana is Social Security Administration with $21.7B. Followed by Department of Health and Human Services ($19.9B) and Department of Defense ($3.6B).
How many counties in Louisiana receive federal spending?
64 counties in Louisiana receive federal spending. The county receiving the most is Jefferson Parish with $5.9B.
How has federal spending in Louisiana changed over time?
Federal spending in Louisiana increased by 4.9% from FY2020 ($57.0B) to FY2025 ($59.8B).
Where does Louisiana rank nationally in federal spending?
Louisiana ranks #28 out of 57 states in total federal spending and #34 in per capita spending. The state received $59.8B total ($12,840 per person) in FY2025.
Data Sources
- USASpending.gov: Federal spending data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Fiscal Year: FY2025
- Award types: Contracts, grants, loans, direct payments, and other financial assistance
- Population: U.S. Census Bureau estimates used for per capita calculations
- Budget context: Agency totals cross-referenced with OMB Program and Financial Schedules where applicable
Spending figures represent obligated amounts from federal awards. Per capita calculations use Census population estimates. This information is for research and informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and presented.
Every figure on PlainSpending is computed directly from USASpending.gov award-transaction data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates every county-level federal award within the state, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.