Montana vs West Virginia on USAspending: $1.2B vs $1.7B

West Virginia’s $1.7B edges Montana’s $1.2B

On stacked USAspending.gov obligations, West Virginia leads $1.7B to $1.2B, about 1.3×. Population also favors West Virginia, 1,769,979 to 1,137,233, about 1.6×. Because people diverge more than dollars, Montana posts the higher per-capita figure: $187.18 against $113.44. Two small files can still invert intensity.

Award counts favor Montana, 21,487 versus 14,302. Montana’s file is busier in rows on a smaller dollar stock. West Virginia’s 14,302 actions on $1.7B imply a heavier typical booking. Dollars, rows, and per-person intensity each pick a different leader in this pair.

Montana’s 21,487 awards versus West Virginia’s 14,302 is a row lead for the state that trails the stacked $1.2B versus $1.7B stock. Combined with $187.18 versus $113.44 per capita, Montana leads two of four headline rankings on a smaller dollar file.

Building construction in Montana, ammunition manufacturing in West Virginia

Montana’s top industry is commercial and institutional building construction. West Virginia’s is ammunition (except small arms) manufacturing. Those are unlike peaks: federal building work versus ammunition production. They sit on $1.2B and $1.7B, not on a shared supply chain.

An ammunition-manufacturing lead can concentrate large production awards inside only 14,302 West Virginia actions. A construction lead can spread across 21,487 Montana actions with a different size mix. Each label is the tallest bar. Agency and recipient detail belongs on the Montana and West Virginia hubs.

Commercial and institutional building construction versus ammunition (except small arms) manufacturing should not be flattened into a single “industrial” story. They are different peaks on 1,137,233 and 1,769,979 residents. FY2026’s $212.9M versus $200.8M is a third ranking that also tilts toward Montana, still as USAspending.gov obligations.

FY2026 is close: $212.9M in Montana, $200.8M in West Virginia

FY2026 obligations are $212.9M in Montana and $200.8M in West Virginia. The latest year flips the stacked ranking: Montana leads recency while West Virginia still leads the $1.7B versus $1.2B stock. That is a useful split. Recency questions belong in FY2026; stock questions belong in the stacked totals.

Montana’s $212.9M is a large slice of its $1.2B file. West Virginia’s $200.8M is a smaller slice of $1.7B. Do not divide either FY figure by 21,487 or 14,302 all-years awards. Per capita of $187.18 and $113.44 already uses 1,137,233 and 1,769,979 residents against the stacked obligations.

Small-state files are still obligations, not outlays

$1.2B and $1.7B are USAspending.gov award commitments by place of performance. Cash outlays can lag. Headquarters can sit in another state. A $187.18 per-person reading in Montana is federal-award intensity on 1,137,233 residents, not a measure of household income.

West Virginia’s $113.44 on 1,769,979 residents is the same kind of ratio. Neither figure grades the ammunition or construction mix. The mix facts remain the NAICS labels; the scoreboard remains $1.2B versus $1.7B.

How to read two smaller statewide aggregates

Hold three rankings: dollars (West Virginia $1.7B), intensity (Montana $187.18), and award count (Montana 21,487). Add FY2026, where Montana’s $212.9M slightly tops West Virginia’s $200.8M. Then add mix: building construction versus ammunition (except small arms) manufacturing.

Use the comparison page for the side-by-side tables and the Montana and West Virginia hubs for agencies and recipients. Keep every cut labeled as obligations.

Stock, recency, and intensity pick different leaders

West Virginia leads the stacked stock ($1.7B vs $1.2B) and population (1,769,979 vs 1,137,233). Montana leads intensity ($187.18 vs $113.44), award count (21,487 vs 14,302), and FY2026 ($212.9M vs $200.8M). That split is the reason a small-state pair still needs more than one number. Construction versus ammunition (except small arms) manufacturing is the mix split on top of those rankings.

Ammunition manufacturing can concentrate dollars in West Virginia’s 14,302 actions. Building construction can spread across Montana’s 21,487 actions. Neither NAICS tag is a complete file. Keep $1.2B and $1.7B labeled as USAspending.gov obligations. Keep $187.18 and $113.44 labeled as those obligations divided by Census counts. Outlays are a different series.

Questions

Does West Virginia or Montana have more federal spending?

West Virginia leads stacked USAspending.gov obligations $1.7B to Montana’s $1.2B. Montana leads spending per capita ($187.18 vs $113.44) and award count (21,487 vs 14,302). Populations are 1,137,233 in Montana and 1,769,979 in West Virginia. FY2026 obligations are $212.9M in Montana and $200.8M in West Virginia.

Why does Montana show higher federal spending per capita?

Montana’s $1.2B on 1,137,233 residents produces $187.18 per capita. West Virginia’s $1.7B on 1,769,979 residents produces $113.44. Population favors West Virginia more than dollars do, so intensity flips. Montana also has more awards (21,487 vs 14,302). These figures are USAspending.gov obligations, not Treasury outlays.

What industries lead Montana and West Virginia federal awards?

Montana’s top industry is commercial and institutional building construction. West Virginia’s is ammunition (except small arms) manufacturing. Those slices sit on $1.2B and $1.7B. They are the largest industry groupings, not every award in 21,487 or 14,302 actions. These figures are USAspending.gov obligations, not Treasury outlays.

Are Montana vs West Virginia amounts Treasury outlays?

No. The $1.2B and $1.7B stacked totals, and FY2026 amounts of $212.9M and $200.8M, are USAspending.gov obligations. Outlays are cash payments and can lag. Spending per capita ($187.18 vs $113.44) uses Census population against obligations. These figures are USAspending.gov obligations, not Treasury outlays.