Most taxpayers can count on their state getting more back from the federal government than its residents pay out in taxes – but 10 states are losing out, according to a new analysis.

Each state's residents pay federal taxes, but 40 states get more back than they paid for through federal government expenditures – which can include Social Security payments to individuals, contracts for local governments, wages for federal workers and sub-contracting work.

The balance can add up to major economic activity for the majority of states that get bigger returns on their residents' tax dollars, according to a new report by the SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government.

This graphic illustrates how much each state is giving - and getting - in per capita dollars. The pink section illustrates how much per person was paid in federal taxes, while the green shows how much each state got back per person in federal spending

The 11 states losing out on federal taxes State Connecticut New Jersey Massachusetts New York North Dakota Illinois New Hampshire Washington Nebraska Colorado California Deficit $4,000 $2,368 $2,343 $1,791 $720 $363 $234 $185 $164 $95 $12 Advertisement

However some states – particularly those with very high earners – actually lose out in the equation as billions of dollars go back and forth between the state and federal governments, according to the Rockefeller Institute, an Albany, New York-based think tank.

'It matters because … there's always the argument of whether you are getting back as much as you're spending,' Rockefeller Analyst Michelle Cummings told Dailymail.com. 'There is always an argument on what is the best and fairest way to distribute money.'

Overall, the federal government is running a net negative balance of payments to states – a major factor contributing to the national deficit of roughly $1 trillion this year.

Ultimately that means the 10 states that are losing out on a federal-state surplus are the only ones that aren't contributing in this way to the federal deficit.

HowMuch.net created a visualization using the Rockefeller Institute's data that illustrates exactly which states won and lost in the federal tax game. While the numbers are calculated per state resident, they represent billions of dollars in state and federal spending, overall.

This map illustrates the balance between how much residents in each state paid (per capita) in federal taxes and the federal dollars spent in each state. States in orange received less than they paid out, while states in green and blue received a surplus in federal spending. California, in grey, had a nearly zero balance between federal taxes paid and expenditures in that state

Connecticut fared the worst, with taxpayers collectively contributing $15,462 per capita to the federal government, only to receive $11,462 per capita back through the federal government – a $4,000 per-person deficit.

New Jersey followed, collectively paying out the equivalent of $13,215 per person for a $10,847 per person return from the federal government, for a $2,368 deficit.

Both New Jersey and Connecticut are home to many people who work in New York City's financial, entertainment and tech industries - high earners who pay big tax bills each year, contributing to the outflow of dollars to the federal government.

Similarly, Massachusetts, is home to many high-paid workers. That state came in third, collectively paying out $13,820 per person to receive just $11,477 per capita in return, a $2,343 deficit.

New York was in fourth place, with taxpayers collectively paying the feds $12,906 only to receive $11,115 per capita in federal expenditures, for a $1,791 deficit.

'It's a progressive (federal) tax system,' Cummings said. 'We know that (New York) residents at the federal level pay a higher percentage of taxes generally because (their) personal income is higher per capita.'

The per capita deficits shrink from there: North Dakota came in at $720, followed by Illinois ($363); New Hampshire ($234); Washington ($185); Nebraska ($164); Colorado ($95); and California ($12).

At the other end of the spectrum, Virginia fared the best – getting a whopping $20,872 per person in federal expenditures after its residents paid out $10,571 per person in taxes – amounting to a $10,301 per person surplus over taxes paid.

States without an income tax The nine states without an income tax outperform the nine states with the highest taxes on personal income in job creation and population growth, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council. Alaska Florida Nevada New Hampshire South Dakota Tennessee Texas Washington Wyoming Advertisement

It's worth noting that much of Virginia's surplus is due to the large number of federal employees living and working there – but it still represents an overall return for the state that translates into economic activity.

States with low-income residents also tend to see greater return for their investment in federal taxes.

Kentucky is one example of that, paying only $6,752 per person in taxes only to receive $15,897 per person back in federal spending, for a $9,145 surplus.

New Mexico came in third, getting the equivalent of $15,167 per capita in federal spending in return for just $6,475 per person spent on federal taxes – for a surplus of $8,692.

New Mexico is home to two major federal research centers, which contribute to that state's surplus.

West Virginia ranked fourth, with a $7,283 per person surplus, followed by Alaska ($7,048); Mississippi ($6,880); Alabama ($6,693); Maine ($5,572); Hawaii ($5,270) and Arkansas ($5,080).