Here's how much Texas spends on the average inmate

A by the numbers look at Texas prisons

A new study by Backgroundchecks.org found that Texas spends an average of $22,012 per inmate, less than most other states.

Click through to see the most common crimes in Texas prisons. less A by the numbers look at Texas prisons

A new study by Backgroundchecks.org found that Texas spends an average of $22,012 per inmate, less than most other states.

Click through to see the most common crimes in ... more Photo: Rose Baca, MBR Photo: Rose Baca, MBR Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close Here's how much Texas spends on the average inmate 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

A new study by Backgroundchecks.org found that Texas spends an average of $22,012 per inmate, a below-average amount when compared to the other 49 states.

Overall, Texas is ranked 37 in the nation for inmate expenditure, with New York taking the top spot by spending an average of $69,355 per inmate.

After New York follows California ($64,642), Connecticut ($62,159), New Jersey ($61,603), Rhode Island ($58,564) and Vermont ($57,615).

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The five states that spend the least on their inmates are Alabama ($14,780), Louisiana ($16,251), Oklahoma ($16,497), Kentucky ($16,681) and Nevada ($17,851).

The study also found that while Texas spends less on its inmates than most states, it's one of the top states for incarcerations. The Lone Star State jails an average of 544 residents per 100,000, a rate that puts it eighth in the nation for incarcerations.

In addition, Texas leads the nation in the number of prisoners, with 149,159 persons behind bars.

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In total, Texas spends $3.2 billion annually on prison system expenditures, placing third behind New York ($3.6 billion) and California ($8.5 billion).

Click through above to see the most common crimes in Texas prisons.