Report: Alaska’s Fiscal Health the Best in the Country

Clouds linger above the Chugach Mountains and downtown Anchorage as seen from across the waters of the Knik Arm at Earthquake Park in Anchorage, Alaska on Sept. 17, 2022. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Alaska exited the COVID-19 pandemic with a financial surplus of $96,800 per taxpayer, snagging first place in an analysis of each state’s fiscal health.

Alaska had a $41.5 billion tax surplus following 2021, according to financial watchdog Truth in Accounting. The group studied the most recent data from all 50 states’ 2021 annual comprehensive financial reports. It found that 31 state governments did not have enough money to pay all their bills, in some cases leaving hefty tax burdens on future taxpayers.