Total Federal Spending
$214.1B
FY2025 obligations
Virginia Federal Spending
$214.1B in FY2025 federal spending, $24,807 per capita.
$214.1B total · $24,807 per capita · FY2025 · Ranked #7 total, #11 per capita · 58.5% above national avg
In FY2025, Virginia received $214.1B in federal spending - $24,807 per capita, ranking #11 among 57 states and 58.5% above the national average. The most common award type is contracts, accounting for 85.7% of tracked awards. The top spending agency is Department of Defense.
Virginia · FY2025
Virginia received $214.1B in federal spending in FY2025 - $24,807 per resident, 58.5% above the national average, with contracts the largest award category.
- Total federal spending
- $214.1B
- #7 of 57 states
- Per resident
- $24,807
- #11 per capita
- Counties receiving funds
- 133
- place of performance
- Top agency
- Dept. of Defense
- $53.4B
According to USASpending.gov, the official federal award-transaction dataset, the federal government directed $214.1B to Virginia in FY2025, translating to $24,807 per resident across a population of 8,631,393. That per-capita figure is 58.5% above the $15,647 national average and ranks Virginia #11 of 57 states per capita, while total-dollar rank is #7, illustrating the difference between volume of federal dollars and intensity of federal dependence.
The award-type mix shows how federal awards break down in Virginia by count: 501,390 contracts, 10,721 grants, 15,013 loans, and 52,460 direct payments. The most common award type is contracts at 85.7% of tracked awards in the state, with direct payments a distant second at 52,460 awards. Department of Defense is the single largest federal agency operating in Virginia, with $53.4B in obligations - more than Department of Veterans Affairs's $43.9B.
Over the available history, federal spending in Virginia has grown 43.2% from $149.5B in FY2020 to $214.1B in FY2025. Combined with 133 counties receiving dollars and top recipient Optum Public Sector Solutions, INC. at $21.2B, this snapshot lets readers judge whether Virginia'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) Virginia 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
$214.1B
Rank #7
Per Capita
$24,807
Rank #11
Population
8,631,393
Contract Awards
501,390
Grant Awards
10,721
Per Capita
$24,807
Rank #11
Counties Receiving
133
federal dollars
Top Agency Share
$53.4B
Department of Defense
Virginia award-type mix by count (FY2025)
Virginia per-capita federal spending vs. national average 83.3%
National average
Compared against the national average of $15,647 per resident.
Awards by Type
Contracts is the most common award type at 85.7% of tracked awards in Virginia (by count, not dollar value).
Contracts 501,390 awards (85.7%)
Direct Payments 52,460 awards (9.0%)
Loans 15,013 awards (2.6%)
Grants 10,721 awards (1.8%)
Other 5,776 awards (1.0%)
Comparison to National Average
| Metric | Virginia | National Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per Capita Spending | $24,807 | $15,647 | +58.5% |
| Contracts Share | 0.0% | - | - |
| Grants Share | 0.0% | - | - |
Top Federal Agencies in Virginia
Federal agencies ranked by total spending in Virginia during FY2025.
| # | Agency | Spending | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Defense | $53.4B | 24.9% |
| 2 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $43.9B | 20.5% |
| 3 | Social Security Administration | $41.8B | 19.5% |
| 4 | Department of Health and Human Services | $34.3B | 16.0% |
| 5 | Department of Homeland Security | $7.0B | 3.3% |
| 6 | General Services Administration | $6.0B | 2.8% |
| 7 | Department of Agriculture | $4.1B | 1.9% |
| 8 | Department of Transportation | $3.7B | 1.7% |
| 9 | Department of Education | $3.1B | 1.4% |
| 10 | Department of Justice | $3.0B | 1.4% |
Top Recipients in Virginia
Organizations and entities receiving the most federal funds in Virginia.
| # | Recipient | Total Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Optum Public Sector Solutions, INC. | $21.2B |
| 2 | VA Department of Medical Assistance Service | $17.2B |
| 3 | Triwest Healthcare Alliance CORP | $9.5B |
| 4 | Atlantic Diving Supply, INC. | $5.8B |
| 5 | Huntington Ingalls INC | $4.1B |
| 6 | Lockheed Martin Corporation | $3.5B |
| 7 | Booz Allen Hamilton INC | $2.9B |
| 8 | Social Services, Virginia Department Of | $2.4B |
| 9 | Accenture Federal Services LLC | $2.1B |
| 10 | General Dynamics Information Technology, INC. | $2.1B |
| 11 | Caci, INC. -- Federal | $2.0B |
| 12 | Leidos, INC. | $1.9B |
| 13 | Science Applications International Corporation | $1.9B |
| 14 | Commonwealth of Virginia State Board of Education | $1.8B |
| 15 | Deloitte Consulting LLP | $1.6B |
Spending Trends
Federal spending in Virginia increased 43.2% from FY2020 to FY2025.
| Fiscal Year | Total Spending | Per Capita | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $214.1B | $24,807 | 8,631,393 |
| FY2024 | $189.1B | $21,906 | 8,631,393 |
| FY2023 | $183.8B | $21,299 | 8,631,393 |
| FY2022 | $162.5B | $18,824 | 8,631,393 |
| FY2021 | $165.7B | $19,194 | 8,631,393 |
| FY2020 | $149.5B | $17,319 | 8,631,393 |
Counties in Virginia
133 counties ranked by federal spending in FY2025.
| # | County | Total Spending | Per Capita | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax County | $47.8B | $41,553 | 1,150,309 |
| 2 | Spotsylvania County | $31.9B | $227,738 | 140,032 |
| 3 | Arlington County | $22.8B | $95,369 | 238,643 |
| 4 | Virginia Beach City | $11.7B | $25,372 | 459,470 |
| 5 | Newport News City | $6.3B | $33,747 | 186,247 |
| 6 | Prince William County | $5.5B | $11,352 | 482,204 |
| 7 | Loudoun County | $5.3B | $12,636 | 420,959 |
| 8 | Norfolk City | $5.1B | $21,250 | 238,005 |
| 9 | Alexandria City | $3.9B | $24,766 | 159,467 |
| 10 | Richmond City | $2.8B | $12,465 | 226,610 |
| 11 | Henrico County | $2.7B | $8,031 | 334,389 |
| 12 | Chesterfield County | $2.6B | $7,050 | 364,548 |
| 13 | Chesapeake City | $2.5B | $10,154 | 249,422 |
| 14 | Hampton City | $2.1B | $15,549 | 137,148 |
| 15 | Stafford County | $1.8B | $11,248 | 156,927 |
| 16 | Portsmouth City | $1.6B | $15,866 | 97,915 |
| 17 | Suffolk City | $1.2B | $12,761 | 94,324 |
| 18 | Fairfax City | $1.2B | $48,114 | 24,146 |
| 19 | Roanoke City | $942.6M | $9,425 | 100,011 |
| 20 | Roanoke County | $893.2M | $9,215 | 96,929 |
| 21 | Albemarle County | $887.5M | $7,897 | 112,395 |
| 22 | James City County | $884.8M | $11,307 | 78,254 |
| 23 | Hanover County | $875.2M | $7,958 | 109,979 |
| 24 | King George County | $855.8M | $32,026 | 26,723 |
| 25 | Frederick County | $775.7M | $8,485 | 91,419 |
| 26 | Lynchburg City | $755.7M | $9,564 | 79,009 |
| 27 | Montgomery County | $723.1M | $7,251 | 99,721 |
| 28 | Bedford County | $665.6M | $8,377 | 79,462 |
| 29 | Charlottesville City | $661.0M | $14,199 | 46,553 |
| 30 | York County | $660.6M | $9,431 | 70,045 |
| 31 | Accomack County | $617.2M | $18,471 | 33,413 |
| 32 | Augusta County | $581.0M | $7,498 | 77,487 |
| 33 | Rockingham County | $579.1M | $6,914 | 83,757 |
| 34 | Fauquier County | $577.5M | $7,914 | 72,972 |
| 35 | Prince George County | $557.9M | $12,971 | 43,010 |
| 36 | Washington County | $486.8M | $9,026 | 53,935 |
| 37 | Pittsylvania County | $478.4M | $7,907 | 60,501 |
| 38 | Danville City | $470.5M | $11,047 | 42,590 |
| 39 | Franklin County | $448.0M | $8,223 | 54,477 |
| 40 | Wise County | $430.2M | $11,907 | 36,130 |
| 41 | Manassas City | $400.0M | $9,353 | 42,772 |
| 42 | Henry County | $397.8M | $7,809 | 50,948 |
| 43 | Tazewell County | $381.9M | $9,447 | 40,429 |
| 44 | Campbell County | $378.2M | $6,791 | 55,696 |
| 45 | Petersburg City | $364.0M | $10,879 | 33,458 |
| 46 | Botetourt County | $359.3M | $10,696 | 33,596 |
| 47 | Culpeper County | $359.0M | $6,832 | 52,552 |
| 48 | Isle of Wight County | $348.8M | $9,035 | 38,606 |
| 49 | Gloucester County | $345.6M | $8,927 | 38,711 |
| 50 | Shenandoah County | $327.7M | $7,416 | 44,186 |
| 51 | Orange County | $326.5M | $9,005 | 36,254 |
| 52 | Staunton City | $305.9M | $11,881 | 25,750 |
| 53 | Louisa County | $299.2M | $7,957 | 37,596 |
| 54 | Warren County | $288.5M | $7,083 | 40,727 |
| 55 | Goochland County | $276.2M | $11,172 | 24,727 |
| 56 | Halifax County | $275.2M | $8,088 | 34,022 |
| 57 | Mecklenburg County | $271.2M | $8,946 | 30,319 |
| 58 | Pulaski County | $269.3M | $7,967 | 33,800 |
| 59 | Smyth County | $263.7M | $8,849 | 29,800 |
| 60 | Amherst County | $256.2M | $8,183 | 31,307 |
| 61 | Page County | $255.0M | $10,755 | 23,709 |
| 62 | Buchanan County | $252.4M | $12,399 | 20,355 |
| 63 | Harrisonburg City | $247.4M | $4,775 | 51,814 |
| 64 | Caroline County | $246.9M | $7,994 | 30,887 |
| 65 | Wythe County | $243.6M | $8,610 | 28,290 |
| 66 | Fredericksburg City | $243.0M | $8,684 | 27,982 |
| 67 | Nottoway County | $242.1M | $15,475 | 15,642 |
| 68 | Salem City | $238.0M | $9,392 | 25,346 |
| 69 | Radford City | $238.0M | $14,812 | 16,070 |
| 70 | Carroll County | $234.9M | $8,056 | 29,155 |
| 71 | Russell County | $229.9M | $8,919 | 25,781 |
| 72 | New Kent County | $229.5M | $10,002 | 22,945 |
| 73 | Powhatan County | $219.8M | $7,246 | 30,333 |
| 74 | Fluvanna County | $205.2M | $7,530 | 27,249 |
| 75 | Dinwiddie County | $202.7M | $7,252 | 27,947 |
| 76 | Lee County | $193.0M | $8,706 | 22,173 |
| 77 | Westmoreland County | $187.4M | $10,141 | 18,477 |
| 78 | Hopewell City | $181.7M | $7,888 | 23,033 |
| 79 | Scott County | $179.0M | $8,295 | 21,576 |
| 80 | Winchester City | $176.4M | $6,275 | 28,120 |
| 81 | Prince Edward County | $164.1M | $7,508 | 21,849 |
| 82 | Williamsburg City | $163.5M | $10,602 | 15,425 |
| 83 | Colonial Heights City | $163.0M | $8,973 | 18,170 |
| 84 | Clarke County | $158.4M | $10,718 | 14,783 |
| 85 | Southampton County | $156.7M | $8,706 | 17,996 |
| 86 | Patrick County | $155.0M | $8,802 | 17,608 |
| 87 | Waynesboro City | $151.7M | $6,833 | 22,196 |
| 88 | Nelson County | $150.5M | $10,184 | 14,775 |
| 89 | Rockbridge County | $149.2M | $6,588 | 22,650 |
| 90 | Northampton County | $148.9M | $12,126 | 12,282 |
| 91 | King William County | $145.7M | $8,181 | 17,810 |
| 92 | Alleghany County | $140.2M | $9,207 | 15,223 |
| 93 | Greene County | $136.7M | $6,650 | 20,552 |
| 94 | Northumberland County | $136.3M | $11,513 | 11,839 |
| 95 | Dickenson County | $133.6M | $9,460 | 14,124 |
| 96 | Bristol City | $132.7M | $7,705 | 17,219 |
| 97 | Giles County | $132.6M | $7,897 | 16,787 |
| 98 | Lancaster County | $132.4M | $12,122 | 10,919 |
| 99 | Grayson County | $129.6M | $8,454 | 15,333 |
| 100 | Brunswick County | $127.5M | $8,046 | 15,849 |
| 101 | Floyd County | $120.1M | $7,759 | 15,476 |
| 102 | Martinsville City | $119.5M | $8,864 | 13,485 |
| 103 | Appomattox County | $118.0M | $7,323 | 16,119 |
| 104 | Middlesex County | $116.5M | $10,965 | 10,625 |
| 105 | Falls Church City | $114.8M | $7,833 | 14,658 |
| 106 | Charlotte County | $114.4M | $9,923 | 11,529 |
| 107 | Buckingham County | $112.3M | $6,676 | 16,824 |
| 108 | Madison County | $105.2M | $7,599 | 13,837 |
| 109 | Amelia County | $103.5M | $7,803 | 13,265 |
| 110 | Poquoson City | $98.9M | $7,935 | 12,460 |
| 111 | Mathews County | $94.4M | $11,059 | 8,533 |
| 112 | Essex County | $91.5M | $8,633 | 10,599 |
| 113 | Lunenburg County | $84.6M | $7,090 | 11,936 |
| 114 | Franklin City | $82.2M | $10,048 | 8,180 |
| 115 | Greensville County | $78.6M | $6,897 | 11,391 |
| 116 | Sussex County | $76.1M | $7,023 | 10,829 |
| 117 | Richmond County | $73.1M | $8,193 | 8,923 |
| 118 | King and Queen County | $71.5M | $10,818 | 6,608 |
| 119 | Cumberland County | $67.4M | $6,962 | 9,675 |
| 120 | Surry County | $65.7M | $10,016 | 6,561 |
| 121 | Charles City County | $65.4M | $9,656 | 6,773 |
| 122 | Lexington City | $64.9M | $8,868 | 7,320 |
| 123 | Rappahannock County | $62.5M | $8,510 | 7,348 |
| 124 | Galax City | $56.0M | $8,331 | 6,720 |
| 125 | Bland County | $55.9M | $8,912 | 6,270 |
| 126 | Covington City | $52.9M | $9,215 | 5,737 |
| 127 | Emporia City | $45.6M | $7,903 | 5,766 |
| 128 | Craig County | $43.7M | $8,943 | 4,892 |
| 129 | Buena Vista City | $42.1M | $6,332 | 6,641 |
| 130 | Manassas Park City | $39.1M | $2,268 | 17,219 |
| 131 | Norton City | $35.5M | $9,615 | 3,687 |
| 132 | Bath County | $35.2M | $8,360 | 4,209 |
| 133 | Highland County | $27.7M | $12,411 | 2,232 |
Explore Virginia Federal Spending
Go deeper on Virginia's federal footprint.
DOGE Impact for Virginia
Reported federal contract and grant terminations, claimed savings, per-capita impact, and state ranking.
DOGE state impact →
Per-Capita Rankings
Where Virginia 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 Virginia's $24,807.
What this means
Virginia ranks #11 of 57 states by FY2025 per-capita federal spending.
- Per-capita spending is 58.5% above the national average -- a structural signal, not a claim about efficiency or need. Per-capita rankings
- Department of Defense is the single largest federal agency operating here, obligating 24.9% of every dollar tracked in Virginia. Agency rankings
- 133 counties in Virginia 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 Virginia receive in FY2025?
Virginia received $214.1B in total federal spending during Fiscal Year 2025. This equates to $24,807 per capita for the state's population of 8,631,393.
How does Virginia's federal spending per capita compare to the national average?
Virginia's per capita federal spending of $24,807 is 58.5% above the national average of $15,647. Virginia ranks #11 out of 57 states by per capita spending.
What is the largest category of federal spending in Virginia?
The most common award type is contracts, accounting for 501,390 awards (85.7% of tracked awards). The second-largest is direct payments at 52,460 awards.
Which federal agencies spend the most in Virginia?
The top federal agency spending in Virginia is Department of Defense with $53.4B. Followed by Department of Veterans Affairs ($43.9B) and Social Security Administration ($41.8B).
How many counties in Virginia receive federal spending?
133 counties in Virginia receive federal spending. The county receiving the most is Fairfax County with $47.8B.
How has federal spending in Virginia changed over time?
Federal spending in Virginia increased by 43.2% from FY2020 ($149.5B) to FY2025 ($214.1B).
Where does Virginia rank nationally in federal spending?
Virginia ranks #7 out of 57 states in total federal spending and #11 in per capita spending. The state received $214.1B total ($24,807 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.