Disclaimer: General educational research only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and by family. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state before you act.
Estate Planning Data & Research → Medicare Dollars per Senior by State
Medicare is the largest public health program for older Americans. The Bureau of Economic Analysis records $1.200 trillion in Medicare benefit transfers in 2025 — about $19,588 for every ACS resident age 65 and older.
This page compares states on that scale. It is a companion to our Medicaid-dollars-per-senior page (a different BEA line). Figures are program dollars flowing into each state’s economy, not a ranking of care quality, efficiency or waste. Medicare also covers some people under 65 with long-term disability; dividing by the 65+ population is a scale comparison only.
Medicare covers a large share of older adults’ medical bills, but it does not write your will or name who decides if you cannot. See how a trust and a will differ.
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Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
- Medicare benefits totaled $1.200 trillion in 2025, up 8.1% from $1.110 trillion in 2024 (BEA SAINC35 line 2210).
- Nationally that is about $19,588 per ACS resident 65+, or $3,527 per resident of any age.
- Highest $ per resident 65+: Mississippi ($22,262), Louisiana ($22,187), Oklahoma ($21,444), Texas ($21,359) and Kentucky ($20,994).
- Lowest: Hawaii ($14,377), Vermont ($14,828), Montana ($15,362), New Mexico ($15,971) and Washington ($16,412).
- Fastest growth 2024 to 2025 among states: Idaho (9.0%), Washington (8.9%) and Utah (8.8%).
Medicare benefits and dollars per older resident by state
| State | Medicare benefits 2025 | Medicare benefits 2024 | Change (%) | Residents 65+ (ACS 2024) | $ per resident 65+ | $ per resident (all ages) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $11.83 billion | $10.98 billion | 7.7 | 531,347 | $22,262 | $4,019 |
| Louisiana | $18.19 billion | $16.88 billion | 7.7 | 819,864 | $22,187 | $3,956 |
| Oklahoma | $14.84 billion | $13.72 billion | 8.1 | 692,081 | $21,444 | $3,624 |
| Texas | $93.24 billion | $85.88 billion | 8.6 | 4,365,469 | $21,359 | $2,980 |
| Kentucky | $17.34 billion | $16.09 billion | 7.7 | 825,850 | $20,994 | $3,779 |
| Alabama | $19.98 billion | $18.57 billion | 7.6 | 955,166 | $20,917 | $3,874 |
| Tennessee | $26.43 billion | $24.46 billion | 8.1 | 1,273,979 | $20,748 | $3,657 |
| District of Columbia | $1.88 billion | $1.75 billion | 7.3 | 90,674 | $20,701 | $2,673 |
| California | $134.89 billion | $124.93 billion | 8.0 | 6,524,861 | $20,674 | $3,421 |
| Arkansas | $11.52 billion | $10.68 billion | 7.8 | 562,707 | $20,467 | $3,729 |
| Indiana | $24.89 billion | $23.05 billion | 8.0 | 1,218,401 | $20,432 | $3,595 |
| Missouri | $23.79 billion | $22.03 billion | 8.0 | 1,169,201 | $20,348 | $3,809 |
| Massachusetts | $27.15 billion | $25.17 billion | 7.8 | 1,335,942 | $20,321 | $3,804 |
| Ohio | $45.90 billion | $42.54 billion | 7.9 | 2,271,397 | $20,206 | $3,862 |
| West Virginia | $7.81 billion | $7.28 billion | 7.2 | 386,851 | $20,182 | $4,411 |
| New York | $75.28 billion | $69.90 billion | 7.7 | 3,757,173 | $20,038 | $3,789 |
| Georgia | $35.22 billion | $32.52 billion | 8.3 | 1,765,603 | $19,947 | $3,150 |
| South Carolina | $21.58 billion | $19.88 billion | 8.5 | 1,082,724 | $19,932 | $3,939 |
| Pennsylvania | $53.05 billion | $49.21 billion | 7.8 | 2,665,974 | $19,897 | $4,056 |
| Florida | $101.21 billion | $93.94 billion | 7.7 | 5,094,353 | $19,867 | $4,330 |
| Connecticut | $14.16 billion | $13.08 billion | 8.2 | 713,337 | $19,846 | $3,852 |
| Michigan | $39.30 billion | $36.42 billion | 7.9 | 1,987,859 | $19,772 | $3,876 |
| North Carolina | $39.03 billion | $36.02 billion | 8.3 | 1,980,690 | $19,706 | $3,533 |
| New Jersey | $33.44 billion | $30.95 billion | 8.1 | 1,706,665 | $19,595 | $3,520 |
| Nevada | $11.11 billion | $10.25 billion | 8.4 | 575,351 | $19,313 | $3,401 |
| Maryland | $21.13 billion | $19.55 billion | 8.1 | 1,099,752 | $19,215 | $3,374 |
| Delaware | $4.37 billion | $4.02 billion | 8.7 | 227,824 | $19,190 | $4,156 |
| Nebraska | $6.56 billion | $6.06 billion | 8.3 | 348,052 | $18,843 | $3,270 |
| Illinois | $42.84 billion | $39.73 billion | 7.8 | 2,274,582 | $18,834 | $3,370 |
| Kansas | $10.00 billion | $9.25 billion | 8.1 | 533,774 | $18,741 | $3,367 |
| Rhode Island | $4.06 billion | $3.76 billion | 8.1 | 220,168 | $18,443 | $3,651 |
| Wisconsin | $21.21 billion | $19.57 billion | 8.4 | 1,171,042 | $18,111 | $3,558 |
| Iowa | $11.09 billion | $10.25 billion | 8.2 | 612,603 | $18,100 | $3,421 |
| Maine | $5.87 billion | $5.45 billion | 7.8 | 329,926 | $17,797 | $4,179 |
| South Dakota | $3.12 billion | $2.88 billion | 8.3 | 175,902 | $17,753 | $3,377 |
| Minnesota | $18.66 billion | $17.19 billion | 8.5 | 1,056,273 | $17,670 | $3,222 |
| Virginia | $26.65 billion | $24.60 billion | 8.4 | 1,550,385 | $17,191 | $3,025 |
| Arizona | $25.58 billion | $23.63 billion | 8.3 | 1,491,158 | $17,155 | $3,374 |
| New Hampshire | $5.19 billion | $4.77 billion | 8.7 | 303,232 | $17,103 | $3,681 |
| Oregon | $14.53 billion | $13.48 billion | 7.8 | 850,217 | $17,085 | $3,400 |
| Utah | $7.42 billion | $6.82 billion | 8.8 | 434,922 | $17,056 | $2,117 |
| North Dakota | $2.39 billion | $2.21 billion | 8.3 | 140,295 | $17,030 | $2,999 |
| Idaho | $5.93 billion | $5.44 billion | 9.0 | 355,551 | $16,677 | $2,962 |
| Colorado | $16.34 billion | $15.06 billion | 8.5 | 980,364 | $16,665 | $2,742 |
| Wyoming | $1.96 billion | $1.80 billion | 8.4 | 117,373 | $16,661 | $3,328 |
| Alaska | $1.82 billion | $1.68 billion | 8.3 | 109,415 | $16,650 | $2,461 |
| Washington | $22.62 billion | $20.78 billion | 8.9 | 1,378,508 | $16,412 | $2,843 |
| New Mexico | $6.86 billion | $6.35 billion | 7.9 | 429,233 | $15,971 | $3,218 |
| Montana | $3.71 billion | $3.43 billion | 8.0 | 241,423 | $15,362 | $3,261 |
| Vermont | $2.20 billion | $2.04 billion | 7.9 | 148,485 | $14,828 | $3,395 |
| Hawaii | $4.48 billion | $4.15 billion | 7.9 | 311,305 | $14,377 | $3,095 |
| United States | $1.200 trillion | $1.110 trillion | 8.1 | 61,245,283 | $19,588 | $3,527 |
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional SAINC35 line 2210 (Medicare benefits), calendar years 2025 and 2024. Population denominators: Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B01001. Dollars per resident 65+ divides total Medicare benefits (all ages of beneficiaries) by the ACS 65+ population — a scale comparison, not spending only on people 65+. Sorted by dollars per resident 65+.
What Medicare does not replace
- Wills, trusts and powers of attorney still decide property and decision-makers. Medicare pays for covered care; it does not name an executor or health-care agent.
- Advance directives and hospice preferences remain family documents. See end-of-life wishes by state.
- Medicaid is a different program with estate-recovery stakes after long-term care. See Medicaid dollars per older resident and Medicaid estate recovery.
Related: life expectancy at 65 by state · home health quality by state
Methodology
BEA Regional Income and Employment by State, SAINC35 line 2210, years 2025 and 2024, pulled via the BEA API on Oct. 17, 2026 (values in thousands of dollars, converted to dollars). ACS 2024 1-year age 65+ from table B01001 via the Census API. BEA figures are administrative transfer totals; ACS denominators are survey estimates.
What this doesn’t measure. Quality of care, Medicare Advantage vs Original Medicare mix, spending only on people 65+ (some Medicare beneficiaries are under 65), or household out-of-pocket costs.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Medicare pay in benefits in 2025?
$1.200 trillion nationwide (BEA).
Why divide by residents 65+ if some beneficiaries are younger?
To give a comparable scale across states. The page also shows dollars per resident of any age. It is not a claim that every dollar was spent on someone 65+.
Is this legal advice?
No. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-17.
Data
- BEA Regional API, SAINC35 line 2210 (Medicare benefits): https://apps.bea.gov/api/
- Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B01001: https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B01001.html
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Medicare Dollars per Senior by State,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/medicare-dollars-per-senior-by-state/
You’re welcome to reuse the table with a link back to this page. The underlying government data is public.
Published October 17, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: BEA SAINC35 line 2210 (2025, 2024) and Census ACS 2024 1-year B01001. Editorial standards.