Alabama vs Colorado

Two mid-size states, one thinner award file

These figures are USAspending.gov obligations, not Treasury outlays. Colorado’s $8.1B stock sits $371 million above Alabama’s $7.7B. Place of performance in the award file is the scoring rule. Populations of 5,957,493 and 5,157,699 put both states in a similar size band. The comparison is not a giant-versus-small contest on people or on stacked dollars.

Award counts break the resemblance. Alabama’s 161,254 actions exceed Colorado’s 91,723. Alabama’s $7.7B is spread across more records. Colorado’s $8.1B sits on a thinner file, which implies a heavier typical booking. Dollars and people are close; paperwork volume is not.

Alabama and Colorado sit in the same Census band (5,157,699 vs 5,957,493) and the same $8 billion band ($7,682,295,934 vs $8,052,957,089). They do not sit in the same paperwork band: 161,254 awards versus 91,723. FY2026 of $602,489,799 versus $579,929,386 is nearly even. Per capita of $116.81 versus $97.34 is the quieter intensity split. Building construction versus chartered freight air is mix.

Intensity: $116.81 in Alabama, $97.34 in Colorado

Alabama’s smaller Census count of 5,157,699 against $7,682,295,934 produces $116.81 per capita. Colorado’s 5,957,493 residents against $8,052,957,089 produce $97.34. Intensity favors Alabama by about $19 per person even though Colorado holds the larger stacked total.

A $116.81 per-person reading is an intensity fact attached to $7.7B, not a transfer to each resident. Colorado’s $97.34 is attached to $8.1B. This table scores USAspending place of performance, not state GDP. Similar populations can still hide a 70,000-award gap and a quieter intensity split.

Questions

Which state has more federal spending, Alabama or Colorado?

Colorado leads in stacked USAspending.gov obligations: $8,052,957,089 versus Alabama’s $7,682,295,934. Alabama has more awards (161,254 vs 91,723). Populations are close (5,157,699 vs 5,957,493). Spending per capita is $116.81 in Alabama and $97.34 in Colorado. FY2026 obligations are $602.5M and $579.9M. These are obligations, not Treasury outlays.

Do Alabama and Colorado have similar federal award counts?

No. Alabama logs 161,254 awards on $7.7B. Colorado logs 91,723 awards on $8.1B. Colorado’s thinner file implies a heavier typical booking. Per capita is $116.81 versus $97.34. Populations are 5,157,699 and 5,957,493. FY2026 is nearly even ($602.5M vs $579.9M).

What industries lead Alabama and Colorado federal awards?

Alabama’s top industry is commercial and institutional building construction. Colorado’s is nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation. Those slices sit on $7.7B and $8.1B obligation stocks. They mark the largest grouping in each file, not every award in either state. Award counts are 161,254 in Alabama and 91,723 in Colorado.

Are Alabama vs Colorado figures Treasury outlays?

No. SpendingVault uses USAspending.gov obligations. Outlays are cash payments and can lag. The $7.7B and $8.1B stacked totals and FY2026 amounts of $602.5M and $579.9M measure award commitments by place of performance, not Monthly Treasury Statement payments.