Georgia vs North Carolina

Georgia’s $9.7B versus North Carolina’s $6.3B

These figures are USAspending.gov obligations, not Treasury outlays. Georgia’s $9.7B is about 1.5 times North Carolina’s $6.3B. Among two Southeastern states with nearly matching resident counts, the award-dollar lead belongs to Georgia in this aggregate. Hold that stock before reaching for familiar stories about aircraft plants or drug manufacturing.

Award counts run the other way. North Carolina has 429,746 awards; Georgia has 278,028. North Carolina’s file is busier in rows and lighter in dollars. Georgia’s file is heavier in dollars on fewer actions — a higher typical booking. The $9.7B versus $6.3B ranking is a dollar ranking, not a row ranking.

Matched populations, unmatched intensity

Georgia’s 11,180,878 residents and North Carolina’s 11,046,024 residents differ by a thin margin. Spending per capita still favors Georgia: $95.66 versus $66.77. After dividing $9.7B and $6.3B by those Census counts, Georgia remains more intensive even though the two populations are close enough that a casual reader might expect similar totals.

A $95.66 per-person reading in Georgia on 11,180,878 residents is an intensity fact attached to $9.7B. North Carolina’s $66.77 on 11,046,024 residents is attached to $6.3B. This table scores USAspending place of performance, not GDP. Two similar Census counts still produce different files.

Questions

Which state has more federal spending, Georgia or North Carolina?

Georgia leads in USAspending.gov obligations: $9.7B versus North Carolina’s $6.3B. North Carolina has more awards (429,746 vs 278,028). Populations are close: 11,180,878 in Georgia and 11,046,024 in North Carolina. Spending per capita is $95.66 in Georgia and $66.77 in North Carolina. FY2026 obligations are $1.1B and $737.5M. These are obligations, not Treasury outlays.

Do Georgia and North Carolina have similar populations but different federal totals?

Yes. Georgia’s 11,180,878 residents and North Carolina’s 11,046,024 residents are nearly matched, yet Georgia’s $9.7B obligation stock is about 1.5 times North Carolina’s $6.3B. Per capita is $95.66 versus $66.77. North Carolina still logs more awards (429,746 vs 278,028), so Georgia’s lead is dollars, not row count.

What industries lead Georgia and North Carolina federal awards?

Georgia’s top industry is aircraft manufacturing. North Carolina’s is pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing. Those slices sit on $9.7B and $6.3B in obligations. They mark the largest grouping in each file, not every award in either state. Award counts are 278,028 in Georgia and 429,746 in North Carolina.

Are Georgia vs North Carolina figures Treasury outlays?

No. SpendingVault uses USAspending.gov obligations. Outlays are cash payments and can lag. The $9.7B and $6.3B stacked totals and FY2026 amounts of $1.1B and $737.5M measure award commitments by place of performance, not Monthly Treasury Statement payments. Place of performance can differ from where the paying agency sits.