The Pork Barrel Leaderboard
Bringing home the bacon since 1789
What is "Pork Barrel" Spending?
"Pork barrel" refers to government spending that benefits a specific district or group, often inserted into larger bills to secure votes. The term comes from the pre-Civil War practice of distributing salt pork to enslaved people from wooden barrels.
These days, it typically means funding for local projects that may or may not serve the national interest—like bridges to nowhere, museums nobody asked for, and research centers studying things already well understood.
| Rank | State | Total Pork | Per Capita | Earmarks | Signature Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | California (CA) | $4.50B | $115.49 | 234 | High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study Study |
| 🥈 | Alaska (AK) | $3.98B | $5425.43 | 156 | Bridge to Nowhere Memorial Visitor Center |
| 🥉 | Texas (TX) | $3.56B | $116.71 | 212 | Border Wall Gift Shop |
| 4 | New York (NY) | $3.45B | $176.28 | 198 | Subway Delay Excuse Generator Upgrade |
| 5 | Florida (FL) | $2.89B | $127.82 | 178 | Manatee Awareness Awareness Program |
| 6 | West Virginia (WV) | $2.87B | $1621.40 | 167 | Robert Byrd Highway to More Robert Byrd Highways |
| 7 | Virginia (VA) | $2.34B | $269.47 | 145 | Virginia is for Lovers Rebranding Committee |
| 8 | Illinois (IL) | $1.89B | $150.60 | 112 | Deep Dish vs Thin Crust Resolution Center |
| 9 | New Jersey (NJ) | $1.78B | $191.59 | 104 | Jughandle Turn Optimization Initiative |
| 10 | Pennsylvania (PA) | $1.67B | $128.84 | 98 | Cheesesteak Authenticity Certification Board |
| 11 | Nevada (NV) | $1.56B | $488.39 | 89 | What Happens in Vegas Economic Impact Study |
| 12 | Georgia (GA) | $1.45B | $131.47 | 87 | Peach Emoji Trademark Defense Fund |
| 13 | Ohio (OH) | $1.45B | $123.03 | 85 | Astronaut Per Capita Superiority Research |
| 14 | Michigan (MI) | $1.34B | $133.50 | 79 | Great Lakes Freshwater Superiority Study |
| 15 | North Carolina (NC) | $1.29B | $119.05 | 76 | BBQ Vinegar vs Tomato Peace Accord Facility |
| 16 | Arizona (AZ) | $1.24B | $168.50 | 62 | Grand Canyon Gift Shop Expansion Study |
| 17 | Massachusetts (MA) | $1.23B | $175.68 | 71 | Boston Accent Preservation Society |
| 18 | Louisiana (LA) | $1.12B | $244.88 | 67 | Mardi Gras Bead Recycling Initiative |
| 19 | Washington (WA) | $1.12B | $143.35 | 65 | Rain Shadow Appreciation Observatory |
| 20 | Maryland (MD) | $987M | $159.70 | 58 | Old Bay Seasoning Historical Archive |
| 21 | Tennessee (TN) | $934M | $131.06 | 54 | Nashville Bachelorette Party Traffic Study |
| 22 | Alabama (AL) | $892M | $175.79 | 47 | Crimson Tide Victory Parade Infrastructure |
| 23 | Missouri (MO) | $834M | $134.60 | 48 | Gateway Arch Slight Tilt Monitoring System |
| 24 | Colorado (CO) | $823M | $140.02 | 44 | Rocky Mountain High Altitude Research Retreat |
| 25 | Wisconsin (WI) | $823M | $139.23 | 49 | Cheese Curd Squeakiness Standards Lab |
| 26 | South Carolina (SC) | $789M | $146.83 | 46 | Palmetto Bug Rebranding Initiative |
| 27 | Minnesota (MN) | $756M | $131.76 | 43 | Minnesota Nice Interpersonal Relations Institute |
| 28 | Indiana (IN) | $723M | $105.36 | 41 | Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Storage Facility |
| 29 | Oregon (OR) | $712M | $168.19 | 42 | Artisanal Rain Collection Facility |
| 30 | Hawaii (HI) | $678M | $472.43 | 38 | Volcanic Activity Observation Luxury Bunker |
| 31 | Mississippi (MS) | $678M | $230.64 | 39 | Blues Highway Juke Joint Preservation |
| 32 | Oklahoma (OK) | $623M | $153.68 | 37 | Sooner vs Later Procrastination Studies |
| 33 | Kentucky (KY) | $612M | $135.21 | 36 | Bourbon Trail Designated Driver Program |
| 34 | Arkansas (AR) | $567M | $186.17 | 31 | Razorback Crossing Overpass |
| 35 | Utah (UT) | $567M | $165.90 | 34 | Greatest Snow on Earth Trademark Defense |
| 36 | Iowa (IA) | $534M | $166.51 | 33 | Corn Maze Emergency Response Training |
| 37 | New Mexico (NM) | $534M | $252.56 | 32 | Alien Landing Site Tourism Infrastructure |
| 38 | Kansas (KS) | $489M | $166.30 | 29 | Wizard of Oz Yellow Brick Road Restoration |
| 39 | Connecticut (CT) | $456M | $126.07 | 28 | Nutmeg Heritage Trail Renovation |
| 40 | Montana (MT) | $456M | $402.54 | 27 | Big Sky Even Bigger Sky Research Grant |
| 41 | South Dakota (SD) | $423M | $460.12 | 25 | Mount Rushmore Fifth Face Feasibility Study |
| 42 | Idaho (ID) | $412M | $209.70 | 24 | Potato Museum Interactive Experience |
| 43 | Nebraska (NE) | $398M | $201.17 | 23 | Cornhusker Rivalry Preparedness Center |
| 44 | North Dakota (ND) | $387M | $493.67 | 21 | Fargo Accent Documentation Project |
| 45 | Maine (ME) | $345M | $247.18 | 22 | Lobster Roll Quality Assurance Laboratory |
| 46 | New Hampshire (NH) | $312M | $222.53 | 18 | Live Free or Die Motivational Speaker Program |
| 47 | Wyoming (WY) | $312M | $534.19 | 20 | Yellowstone Supervolcano Denial Program |
| 48 | Vermont (VT) | $298M | $460.26 | 17 | Bernie Sanders Mittens Memorial |
| 49 | Delaware (DE) | $287M | $278.13 | 19 | Biden's Childhood Home Walking Tour Infrastructure |
| 50 | Rhode Island (RI) | $234M | $213.51 | 16 | Smallest State Biggest Heart Marketing Campaign |
🥇 California
$4.50B Per Capita: $115.49
Earmarks: 234
Signature Project: High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study Study
🥈 Alaska
$3.98B Per Capita: $5425.43
Earmarks: 156
Signature Project: Bridge to Nowhere Memorial Visitor Center
🥉 Texas
$3.56B Per Capita: $116.71
Earmarks: 212
Signature Project: Border Wall Gift Shop
#4 New York
$3.45B Per Capita: $176.28
Earmarks: 198
Signature Project: Subway Delay Excuse Generator Upgrade
#5 Florida
$2.89B Per Capita: $127.82
Earmarks: 178
Signature Project: Manatee Awareness Awareness Program
#6 West Virginia
$2.87B Per Capita: $1621.40
Earmarks: 167
Signature Project: Robert Byrd Highway to More Robert Byrd Highways
#7 Virginia
$2.34B Per Capita: $269.47
Earmarks: 145
Signature Project: Virginia is for Lovers Rebranding Committee
#8 Illinois
$1.89B Per Capita: $150.60
Earmarks: 112
Signature Project: Deep Dish vs Thin Crust Resolution Center
#9 New Jersey
$1.78B Per Capita: $191.59
Earmarks: 104
Signature Project: Jughandle Turn Optimization Initiative
#10 Pennsylvania
$1.67B Per Capita: $128.84
Earmarks: 98
Signature Project: Cheesesteak Authenticity Certification Board
#11 Nevada
$1.56B Per Capita: $488.39
Earmarks: 89
Signature Project: What Happens in Vegas Economic Impact Study
#12 Georgia
$1.45B Per Capita: $131.47
Earmarks: 87
Signature Project: Peach Emoji Trademark Defense Fund
#13 Ohio
$1.45B Per Capita: $123.03
Earmarks: 85
Signature Project: Astronaut Per Capita Superiority Research
#14 Michigan
$1.34B Per Capita: $133.50
Earmarks: 79
Signature Project: Great Lakes Freshwater Superiority Study
#15 North Carolina
$1.29B Per Capita: $119.05
Earmarks: 76
Signature Project: BBQ Vinegar vs Tomato Peace Accord Facility
#16 Arizona
$1.24B Per Capita: $168.50
Earmarks: 62
Signature Project: Grand Canyon Gift Shop Expansion Study
#17 Massachusetts
$1.23B Per Capita: $175.68
Earmarks: 71
Signature Project: Boston Accent Preservation Society
#18 Louisiana
$1.12B Per Capita: $244.88
Earmarks: 67
Signature Project: Mardi Gras Bead Recycling Initiative
#19 Washington
$1.12B Per Capita: $143.35
Earmarks: 65
Signature Project: Rain Shadow Appreciation Observatory
#20 Maryland
$987M Per Capita: $159.70
Earmarks: 58
Signature Project: Old Bay Seasoning Historical Archive
#21 Tennessee
$934M Per Capita: $131.06
Earmarks: 54
Signature Project: Nashville Bachelorette Party Traffic Study
#22 Alabama
$892M Per Capita: $175.79
Earmarks: 47
Signature Project: Crimson Tide Victory Parade Infrastructure
#23 Missouri
$834M Per Capita: $134.60
Earmarks: 48
Signature Project: Gateway Arch Slight Tilt Monitoring System
#24 Colorado
$823M Per Capita: $140.02
Earmarks: 44
Signature Project: Rocky Mountain High Altitude Research Retreat
#25 Wisconsin
$823M Per Capita: $139.23
Earmarks: 49
Signature Project: Cheese Curd Squeakiness Standards Lab
#26 South Carolina
$789M Per Capita: $146.83
Earmarks: 46
Signature Project: Palmetto Bug Rebranding Initiative
#27 Minnesota
$756M Per Capita: $131.76
Earmarks: 43
Signature Project: Minnesota Nice Interpersonal Relations Institute
#28 Indiana
$723M Per Capita: $105.36
Earmarks: 41
Signature Project: Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Storage Facility
#29 Oregon
$712M Per Capita: $168.19
Earmarks: 42
Signature Project: Artisanal Rain Collection Facility
#30 Hawaii
$678M Per Capita: $472.43
Earmarks: 38
Signature Project: Volcanic Activity Observation Luxury Bunker
#31 Mississippi
$678M Per Capita: $230.64
Earmarks: 39
Signature Project: Blues Highway Juke Joint Preservation
#32 Oklahoma
$623M Per Capita: $153.68
Earmarks: 37
Signature Project: Sooner vs Later Procrastination Studies
#33 Kentucky
$612M Per Capita: $135.21
Earmarks: 36
Signature Project: Bourbon Trail Designated Driver Program
#34 Arkansas
$567M Per Capita: $186.17
Earmarks: 31
Signature Project: Razorback Crossing Overpass
#35 Utah
$567M Per Capita: $165.90
Earmarks: 34
Signature Project: Greatest Snow on Earth Trademark Defense
#36 Iowa
$534M Per Capita: $166.51
Earmarks: 33
Signature Project: Corn Maze Emergency Response Training
#37 New Mexico
$534M Per Capita: $252.56
Earmarks: 32
Signature Project: Alien Landing Site Tourism Infrastructure
#38 Kansas
$489M Per Capita: $166.30
Earmarks: 29
Signature Project: Wizard of Oz Yellow Brick Road Restoration
#39 Connecticut
$456M Per Capita: $126.07
Earmarks: 28
Signature Project: Nutmeg Heritage Trail Renovation
#40 Montana
$456M Per Capita: $402.54
Earmarks: 27
Signature Project: Big Sky Even Bigger Sky Research Grant
#41 South Dakota
$423M Per Capita: $460.12
Earmarks: 25
Signature Project: Mount Rushmore Fifth Face Feasibility Study
#42 Idaho
$412M Per Capita: $209.70
Earmarks: 24
Signature Project: Potato Museum Interactive Experience
#43 Nebraska
$398M Per Capita: $201.17
Earmarks: 23
Signature Project: Cornhusker Rivalry Preparedness Center
#44 North Dakota
$387M Per Capita: $493.67
Earmarks: 21
Signature Project: Fargo Accent Documentation Project
#45 Maine
$345M Per Capita: $247.18
Earmarks: 22
Signature Project: Lobster Roll Quality Assurance Laboratory
#46 New Hampshire
$312M Per Capita: $222.53
Earmarks: 18
Signature Project: Live Free or Die Motivational Speaker Program
#47 Wyoming
$312M Per Capita: $534.19
Earmarks: 20
Signature Project: Yellowstone Supervolcano Denial Program
#48 Vermont
$298M Per Capita: $460.26
Earmarks: 17
Signature Project: Bernie Sanders Mittens Memorial
#49 Delaware
$287M Per Capita: $278.13
Earmarks: 19
Signature Project: Biden's Childhood Home Walking Tour Infrastructure
#50 Rhode Island
$234M Per Capita: $213.51
Earmarks: 16
Signature Project: Smallest State Biggest Heart Marketing Campaign
Pork by the Numbers
$58.60B
Total Pork Nationwide
$175.42
Average Pork Per American
21
Bacon Sandwiches Per Person*
3,326
Total Earmarks
50
States Competing for Your Tax Dollars
*Based on an average bacon sandwich cost of $8.50
Disclaimer: These numbers are satirical estimates for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to actual pork barrel spending is purely coincidental (and probably an underestimate).