Alabama ranked 3rd in states most impacted by government shutdown, Republican states faring worst, WalletHub finds

Kelly Kazek | By Kelly Kazek |
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on October 08, 2013 at 9:02 AM, updated October 08, 2013 at 9:13 AM
walletHub map.jpgThis map from WalletHub shows states most impacted by the government shutdown, with smallest dots being states ranked as most affected. (Contributed by WalletHub)

States won by the Republican Party in the 2012 presidential election, including Alabama, are being hit hardest by the government shutdown, according to a study by WalletHub, a personal finance site.

In a study of states most affected by furloughs and closures, WalletHub ranked Alabama No. 3 on its list of states suffering worst impact on consumer’s wallets, after Virginia and Alaska.

A summary of the study stated: “Ironically enough, WalletHub concluded that states won by the Republican Party in the 2012 presidential election could be hit disproportionately hard by a prolonged government shutdown, as 15 such Red States ranked in the top 25 in the study’s overall ‘at-risk’ rankings.”

The study ranked a variety of factors that put states “at risk,” such as those with the most federal employees per capita (Washington, D.C., is No. 1 and Alabama was not in the Top 10) and states most affected by Social Security shortages (While West Virginia was No. 1 on this list, Alabama was ranked No. 4).

Here is a list of the Top 20 states most affected by the government shutdown:

  1. Virginia
  2. Alaska
  3. Alabama
  4. District of Columbia
  5. Maine
  6. Maryland
  7. New Mexico
  8. Colorado
  9. Idaho
  10. Hawaii
  11. Washington
  12. South Dakota
  13. Missouri
  14. Utah
  15. Arizona
  16. Montana
  17. North Dakota
  18. Pennsylvania
  19. South Carolina
  20. Oklahoma

Read WalletHub’s full results and see methodology here.