[Sgt_Schultze]

It's not clear what is included in federal spending. Does it include SS and Medicare payments to retirees who have migrated to the warm climate? Does it include operations costs and salaries spent supporting sprawling bases across the south? If so, that doesn't seem to be a reasonable definition of a dependency of the state on the federal government.

I'd also like to see a breakdown of red communities versus blue communities, in both blue and red states, to see if there is a similar correlation in the different dependencies.

[Sherman Logan]

There is information about methodology at the page. I agree that can significantly impact things.

However, it seems intuitive that states with higher incomes will on average pay higher income taxes and states with lower incomes will receive more transfer payments.

If somebody wants to put together what they think is a more fair comparison using better methodology, I’d like to see it.

Me, I don’t have the time or expertise. :)