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Which states' taxpayers get the most in refunds

·Jill Jaracz

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fizkes // Shutterstock
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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.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

1 / 51

#51. Maine

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

Sunrise View of Portland, Oregon from Pittock Mansion.

Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock

2 / 51

#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.

f11photo // Shutterstock

3 / 51

#49. Wisconsin

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

Close up of cash and refund document.

Derek Hatfield // Shutterstock

4 / 51

#48. Vermont

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

Minneapolis downtown skyline.

f11photo // Shutterstock

6 / 51

#46. Minnesota

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

Columbus skyline on the Scioto River.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

7 / 51

#45. Ohio

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

Hands on calculator and pencil with paper.

Pormezz // Shutterstock

8 / 51

#44. Iowa

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

Aerial View of Lincoln, Nebraska in Autumn.

Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

9 / 51

#43. Nebraska

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

Portsmouth, New Hampshire townscape.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

11 / 51

#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.

Pra Chid // Shutterstock

12 / 51

#40. Rhode Island

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

Diamond Head volcanic cone on Oahu, Hawaii.

RightFramePhotoVideo // Shutterstock

13 / 51

#39. Hawaii

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

Drone of the Downtown Greenville skyline.

Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

14 / 51

#38. South Carolina

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

Tax form, cash and calculator on a wooden bench.

PTstock // Shutterstock

16 / 51

#36. North Carolina

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

St. Louis downtown skyline from above.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

17 / 51

#35. Missouri

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

Welcome to Kansas highway sign.

Mike Flippo // Shutterstock

18 / 51

#34. Kansas

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

Street view in Louisville downtown.

4kclips // Shutterstock

19 / 51

#33. Kentucky

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

Detroit downtown skyline from above at dusk.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

21 / 51

#31. Michigan

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

Pittsburgh downtown skyline and incline.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

22 / 51

#30. Pennsylvania

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

Indiana State Capitol Building in Indianapolis.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

23 / 51

#29. Indiana

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

Financial tax form with laptop and calculator.

RomanR // Shutterstock

24 / 51

#28. New Mexico

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

Denver Colorado downtown with City Park.

Andrew Zarivny // Shutterstock

26 / 51

#26. Colorado

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

Phoenix cityscape in downtown at sunset.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

27 / 51

#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.

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

28 / 51

#24. Virginia

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

Knoxville downtown skyline aerial.

Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

29 / 51

#23. Tennessee

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

United States US Capitol Building.

Cvandyke // Shutterstock

31 / 51

#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.

nikamo // Shutterstock

32 / 51

#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.

Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

33 / 51

#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.

Eduardo Medrano // Shutterstock

34 / 51

#18. Arkansas

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

United States federal income tax return IRS 1040 documents.

David Pimborough // Shutterstock

36 / 51

#16. Alabama

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

Salt Lake City downtown city skyline at dusk.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

37 / 51

#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.

ventdusud // Shutterstock

38 / 51

#14. New York

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

Helicopter view on New Jersey skyline.

Roman Babakin // Shutterstock

39 / 51

#13. New Jersey

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

Las Vegas skyline over the strip at dusk.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

41 / 51

#11. Nevada

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

Atlanta Downtown Skyline Aerial Panorama.

Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

42 / 51

#10. Georgia

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

Jackson skyline over the Capitol Building.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

43 / 51

#9. Mississippi

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

Tax form with hand and pen.

topseller // Shutterstock

44 / 51

#8. Connecticut

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

Jacksonville downtown city skyline on St. Johns River.

ESB Professional // Shutterstock

46 / 51

#6. Florida

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

State Capitol of Wyoming in Cheyenne.

Randy Runtsch // Shutterstock

47 / 51

#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.

RomanR // Shutterstock

48 / 51

#4. Washington

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

Chicago park and skyline.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

49 / 51

#3. Illinois

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

New Orleans Downtown Skyline Aerial.

Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

50 / 51

#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.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

51 / 51

#1. Texas

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

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