Which states’ taxpayers get the most in refunds
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Which states’ taxpayers get the most in refunds
1040 tax form with refund check and cash.
Tax season can provoke dread, or it can bring joy. Between Jan. 1 and mid-April, individuals pull together their finances from the previous year and submit them as a tax return to the government.
Tax returns show the tax you must pay to the government and how much you’ve already paid. If you owe more than you’ve paid, you must pay the government the difference.
However, the government will refund the difference if you’ve overpaid your tax obligation. In the U.S., 74% of all tax filings received a refund in 2020, averaging about $3,085 each. While many people look forward to receiving this lump sum every year, a refund is essentially money a taxpayer loaned to the government interest-free.
Stacker examined tax return data from the Internal Revenue Service to see which states’ taxpayers received the highest average refunds in 2020, the latest data available. The share of filers who received a refund has also been included. Individual income tax returns filed between January and December 2021 were used in this analysis—not included are filers who opted to put their refund toward the following year’s tax payments.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#51. Maine
Portland downtown city skyline at dusk.
– Average refund amount: $2,607
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.1%
Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock
#50. Oregon
Sunrise View of Portland, Oregon from Pittock Mansion.
– Average refund amount: $2,684
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 70.9%
f11photo // Shutterstock
#49. Wisconsin
Downtown skyline with Buildings along the Milwaukee River, in Milwaukee.
– Average refund amount: $2,698
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.0%
Derek Hatfield // Shutterstock
#48. Vermont
Close up of cash and refund document.
– Average refund amount: $2,711
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.7%
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock
#47. Montana
Drone view of the Montana State Capitol.
– Average refund amount: $2,719
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 70.5%
f11photo // Shutterstock
#46. Minnesota
Minneapolis downtown skyline.
– Average refund amount: $2,738
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 71.7%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#45. Ohio
Columbus skyline on the Scioto River.
– Average refund amount: $2,789
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.6%
Pormezz // Shutterstock
#44. Iowa
Hands on calculator and pencil with paper.
– Average refund amount: $2,838
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.4%
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
#43. Nebraska
Aerial View of Lincoln, Nebraska in Autumn.
– Average refund amount: $2,840
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.6%
Charles Knowles // Shutterstock
#42. Idaho
Boise street leading to the capital building in fall.
– Average refund amount: $2,854
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.2%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#41. New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire townscape.
– Average refund amount: $2,863
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.8%
Pra Chid // Shutterstock
#40. Rhode Island
Business woman calculating financials and using mobile phone.
– Average refund amount: $2,866
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.4%
RightFramePhotoVideo // Shutterstock
#39. Hawaii
Diamond Head volcanic cone on Oahu, Hawaii.
– Average refund amount: $2,874
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 69.1%
Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock
#38. South Carolina
Drone of the Downtown Greenville skyline.
– Average refund amount: $2,891
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.0%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#37. West Virginia
Charleston downtown skyline on the river at dusk.
– Average refund amount: $2,896
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 81.7%
PTstock // Shutterstock
#36. North Carolina
Tax form, cash and calculator on a wooden bench.
– Average refund amount: $2,909
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.1%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#35. Missouri
St. Louis downtown skyline from above.
– Average refund amount: $2,912
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.4%
Mike Flippo // Shutterstock
#34. Kansas
Welcome to Kansas highway sign.
– Average refund amount: $2,919
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.0%
4kclips // Shutterstock
#33. Kentucky
Street view in Louisville downtown.
– Average refund amount: $2,920
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 79.3%
Pra Chid // Shutterstock
#32. Delaware
Accountant using smartphone calculating return tax.
– Average refund amount: $2,925
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.2%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#31. Michigan
Detroit downtown skyline from above at dusk.
– Average refund amount: $2,935
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.3%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#30. Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh downtown skyline and incline.
– Average refund amount: $2,938
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.7%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#29. Indiana
Indiana State Capitol Building in Indianapolis.
– Average refund amount: $2,951
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 79.5%
RomanR // Shutterstock
#28. New Mexico
Financial tax form with laptop and calculator.
– Average refund amount: $2,960
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.8%
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
#27. South Dakota
Summer aerial view of Sioux Falls
– Average refund amount: $2,974
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 73.9%
Andrew Zarivny // Shutterstock
#26. Colorado
Denver Colorado downtown with City Park.
– Average refund amount: $2,978
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 71.6%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#25. Arizona
Phoenix cityscape in downtown at sunset.
– Average refund amount: $3,016
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.7%
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
#24. Virginia
Female hand holding a pen and using calculator while filling in a income tax return.
– Average refund amount: $3,018
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.9%
Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock
#23. Tennessee
Knoxville downtown skyline aerial.
– Average refund amount: $3,044
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.7%
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
#22. Massachusetts
Aerial view of Salem historic city center.
– Average refund amount: $3,048
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.0%
Cvandyke // Shutterstock
#21. Washington DC
United States US Capitol Building.
– Average refund amount: $3,082
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 70.9%
nikamo // Shutterstock
#20. California
U.S. Individual income tax return, calculator and a pen.
– Average refund amount: $3,084
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 67.9%
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
#19. North Dakota
Aerial View of Jamestown, North Dakota along Interstate 94.
– Average refund amount: $3,090
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 73.9%
Eduardo Medrano // Shutterstock
#18. Arkansas
Skyline in the afternoon in downtown Little Rock.
– Average refund amount: $3,093
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.4%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#17. Maryland
Annapolis downtown view over Main Street with the State House.
– Average refund amount: $3,100
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 71.8%
David Pimborough // Shutterstock
#16. Alabama
United States federal income tax return IRS 1040 documents.
– Average refund amount: $3,122
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.9%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#15. Utah
Salt Lake City downtown city skyline at dusk.
– Average refund amount: $3,125
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.2%
ventdusud // Shutterstock
#14. New York
New York City skyline with urban skyscrapers at sunset.
– Average refund amount: $3,128
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 73.3%
Roman Babakin // Shutterstock
#13. New Jersey
Helicopter view on New Jersey skyline.
– Average refund amount: $3,144
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 71.4%
Puckpao // Shutterstock
#12. Oklahoma
Stack of business papers on modern white office desk.
– Average refund amount: $3,158
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.1%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#11. Nevada
Las Vegas skyline over the strip at dusk.
– Average refund amount: $3,166
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.8%
Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock
#10. Georgia
Atlanta Downtown Skyline Aerial Panorama.
– Average refund amount: $3,182
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.7%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#9. Mississippi
Jackson skyline over the Capitol Building.
– Average refund amount: $3,194
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 79.5%
topseller // Shutterstock
#8. Connecticut
Tax form with hand and pen.
– Average refund amount: $3,202
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 73.0%
Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock
#7. Alaska
View of Sitka Alaska Boats and Buildings from the Water.
– Average refund amount: $3,246
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.2%
ESB Professional // Shutterstock
#6. Florida
Jacksonville downtown city skyline on St. Johns River.
– Average refund amount: $3,278
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.5%
Randy Runtsch // Shutterstock
#5. Wyoming
State Capitol of Wyoming in Cheyenne.
– Average refund amount: $3,290
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.9%
RomanR // Shutterstock
#4. Washington
Businessman man in classic suit works with US tax form documents.
– Average refund amount: $3,290
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.5%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#3. Illinois
Chicago park and skyline.
– Average refund amount: $3,293
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.2%
Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock
#2. Louisiana
New Orleans Downtown Skyline Aerial.
– Average refund amount: $3,330
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 79.3%
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#1. Texas
Houston downtown city skyline over Root Square.
– Average refund amount: $3,488
– Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.8%
