The 10 places hit hardest by the government shutdown

The 2025 government shutdown — the nation’s 11th since 1976 — has sidelined roughly 900,000 federal employees and left another 700,000 working without pay, while the economy bleeds an estimated $400 million a day.

But the pain isn’t evenly distributed.

Some states are reeling from halted contracts, furloughed workforces and suspended safety-net programs, according to WalletHub’s 2025 Government Shutdown Report: Most & Least Affected States.

WalletHub compared all 50 states and Washington D.C. using five metrics — from federal job share to SNAP reliance and real estate exposure — to rank which regions face the steepest fallout.

The shutdown’s effects could soon spill into health care and small business operations. For physicians and practice owners, payment delays from federal programs, postponed reimbursements, and disruptions to patient coverage may echo long after Congress reaches a deal.

WalletHub’s data makes clear that some regions — especially those most reliant on government work and aid — will take far longer to recover than others.