The government shutdown is a giant pain in the neck that extends across all 50 states. However, some fare worse than others when the government hangs up a “gone fishing” sign.
WalletHub decided to figure out which states will be hurt the most by a prolonged shutdown by looking at metrics including the number of federal employees, federal contract dollars, and small business lending. Based on their results, so-called Blue States will feel the brunt of the government closure, which undoubtedly suits the Republican-led government just fine.
The most affected states are those that make up the federal government’s ecosystem–Maryland , Virginia, and D.C. itself, where many government employees live and are currently “enjoying” furloughs. However, the impact of the shutdown extends far beyond the seat of government, with Alaska and Hawaii–the two states that are farthest from the Beltway– rounding out the top 5 due to their high number of federal employees and national parks.
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