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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%


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