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Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025

Does Oklahoma rely on states such as California for federal tax dollars that fund education and healthcare?


yes

Oklahoma relies on federal funding for its public programs, and of the $4.67 trillion in taxes collected by the federal government in fiscal year 2023, 12.2% came from California–one of the minority of states that sent more funds to the government than it received.

Nearly half of Oklahoma’s 2023 governmental fund revenue, the majority of which was spent on healthcare and education, is comprised of federal funds. Oklahoma ranks No.7 in reliance on federal funds, which comprise more than 43% of all governmental expenditure.

Oklahoma is a top recipient of federal funds, having received $18 billion more than it sent. Twenty-nine percent of the $4.67 trillion in federal revenue came from the nation’s three most populous states–California, Texas, and New York–which also had the three highest negative balances between federal funds received and sent.

Oklahoma also ranks low in federal revenue per capita

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