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Business & Economy

Which states' taxpayers get the most in refunds

Written by:
Jill Jaracz
April 4, 2023
fizkes // Shutterstock

Which states' taxpayers get the most in refunds

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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Portland downtown city skyline at dusk.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#51. Maine

- Average refund amount: $2,607
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.1%

Sunrise View of Portland, Oregon from Pittock Mansion.
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Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock

#50. Oregon

- Average refund amount: $2,684
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 70.9%

Downtown skyline with Buildings along the Milwaukee River, in Milwaukee.
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f11photo // Shutterstock

#49. Wisconsin

- Average refund amount: $2,698
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.0%

Close up of cash and refund document.
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Derek Hatfield // Shutterstock

#48. Vermont

- Average refund amount: $2,711
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.7%

Drone view of the Montana State Capitol.
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Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock

#47. Montana

- Average refund amount: $2,719
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 70.5%

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Minneapolis downtown skyline.
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f11photo // Shutterstock

#46. Minnesota

- Average refund amount: $2,738
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 71.7%

Columbus skyline on the Scioto River.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#45. Ohio

- Average refund amount: $2,789
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.6%

Hands on calculator and pencil with paper.
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Pormezz // Shutterstock

#44. Iowa

- Average refund amount: $2,838
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.4%

Aerial View of Lincoln, Nebraska in Autumn.
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Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

#43. Nebraska

- Average refund amount: $2,840
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.6%

Boise street leading to the capital building in fall.
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Charles Knowles // Shutterstock

#42. Idaho

- Average refund amount: $2,854
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.2%

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Portsmouth, New Hampshire townscape.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#41. New Hampshire

- Average refund amount: $2,863
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.8%

Business woman calculating financials and using mobile phone.
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Pra Chid // Shutterstock

#40. Rhode Island

- Average refund amount: $2,866
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.4%

Diamond Head volcanic cone on Oahu, Hawaii.
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RightFramePhotoVideo // Shutterstock

#39. Hawaii

- Average refund amount: $2,874
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 69.1%

Drone of the Downtown Greenville skyline.
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Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

#38. South Carolina

- Average refund amount: $2,891
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.0%

Charleston downtown skyline on the river at dusk.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#37. West Virginia

- Average refund amount: $2,896
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 81.7%

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Tax form, cash and calculator on a wooden bench.
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PTstock // Shutterstock

#36. North Carolina

- Average refund amount: $2,909
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.1%

St. Louis downtown skyline from above.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#35. Missouri

- Average refund amount: $2,912
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.4%

Welcome to Kansas highway sign.
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Mike Flippo // Shutterstock

#34. Kansas

- Average refund amount: $2,919
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.0%

Street view in Louisville downtown.
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4kclips // Shutterstock

#33. Kentucky

- Average refund amount: $2,920
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 79.3%

Accountant using smartphone calculating return tax.
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Pra Chid // Shutterstock

#32. Delaware

- Average refund amount: $2,925
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.2%

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Detroit downtown skyline from above at dusk.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#31. Michigan

- Average refund amount: $2,935
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.3%

Pittsburgh downtown skyline and incline.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#30. Pennsylvania

- Average refund amount: $2,938
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.7%

Indiana State Capitol Building in Indianapolis.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#29. Indiana

- Average refund amount: $2,951
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 79.5%

Financial tax form with laptop and calculator.
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RomanR // Shutterstock

#28. New Mexico

- Average refund amount: $2,960
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.8%

Summer aerial view of Sioux Falls
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Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

#27. South Dakota

- Average refund amount: $2,974
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 73.9%

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Denver Colorado downtown with City Park.
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Andrew Zarivny // Shutterstock

#26. Colorado

- Average refund amount: $2,978
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 71.6%

Phoenix cityscape in downtown at sunset.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#25. Arizona

- Average refund amount: $3,016
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.7%

Female hand holding a pen and using calculator while filling in a income tax return.
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock

#24. Virginia

- Average refund amount: $3,018
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.9%

Knoxville downtown skyline aerial.
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Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

#23. Tennessee

- Average refund amount: $3,044
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.7%

Aerial view of Salem historic city center.
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Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#22. Massachusetts

- Average refund amount: $3,048
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.0%

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United States US Capitol Building.
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Cvandyke // Shutterstock

#21. Washington DC

- Average refund amount: $3,082
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 70.9%

U.S. Individual income tax return, calculator and a pen.
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nikamo // Shutterstock

#20. California

- Average refund amount: $3,084
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 67.9%

Aerial View of Jamestown, North Dakota along Interstate 94.
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Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

#19. North Dakota

- Average refund amount: $3,090
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 73.9%

Skyline in the afternoon in downtown Little Rock.
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Eduardo Medrano // Shutterstock

#18. Arkansas

- Average refund amount: $3,093
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.4%

Annapolis downtown view over Main Street with the State House.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#17. Maryland

- Average refund amount: $3,100
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 71.8%

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United States federal income tax return IRS 1040 documents.
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David Pimborough // Shutterstock

#16. Alabama

- Average refund amount: $3,122
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.9%

Salt Lake City downtown city skyline at dusk.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#15. Utah

- Average refund amount: $3,125
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.2%

New York City skyline with urban skyscrapers at sunset.
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ventdusud // Shutterstock

#14. New York

- Average refund amount: $3,128
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 73.3%

Helicopter view on New Jersey skyline.
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Roman Babakin // Shutterstock

#13. New Jersey

- Average refund amount: $3,144
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 71.4%

Stack of business papers on modern white office desk.
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Puckpao // Shutterstock

#12. Oklahoma

- Average refund amount: $3,158
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.1%

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Las Vegas skyline over the strip at dusk.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#11. Nevada

- Average refund amount: $3,166
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 75.8%

Atlanta Downtown Skyline Aerial Panorama.
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Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

#10. Georgia

- Average refund amount: $3,182
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.7%

Jackson skyline over the Capitol Building.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#9. Mississippi

- Average refund amount: $3,194
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 79.5%

Tax form with hand and pen.
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topseller // Shutterstock

#8. Connecticut

- Average refund amount: $3,202
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 73.0%

View of Sitka Alaska Boats and Buildings from the Water.
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Marc Cappelletti // Shutterstock

#7. Alaska

- Average refund amount: $3,246
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.2%

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Jacksonville downtown city skyline on St. Johns River.
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ESB Professional // Shutterstock

#6. Florida

- Average refund amount: $3,278
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.5%

State Capitol of Wyoming in Cheyenne.
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Randy Runtsch // Shutterstock

#5. Wyoming

- Average refund amount: $3,290
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 74.9%

Businessman man in classic suit works with US tax form documents.
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RomanR // Shutterstock

#4. Washington

- Average refund amount: $3,290
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 72.5%

Chicago park and skyline.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#3. Illinois

- Average refund amount: $3,293
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 76.2%

New Orleans Downtown Skyline Aerial.
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Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

#2. Louisiana

- Average refund amount: $3,330
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 79.3%

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Houston downtown city skyline over Root Square.
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#1. Texas

- Average refund amount: $3,488
- Percent of returns that get a refund: 77.8%

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