Following is a collection of quantitative metrics and state rankings that compare Georgia to states across the nation. While several of the comparisons focus on total state or local government revenue and expenditures, the report also includes a number of measures that provide comparisons of either expenditures or state characteristics within specific functional areas, such as education, health, and transportation.
The state rankings for each topic are generally (with a few exceptions) determined by the reported total dollar value or percentage, with the highest state value or percentage ranked number one. This 2016 edition is an annual publication from the Fiscal Research Center. We hope it will serve as a convenient reference guide for policymakers, the media and the public.
Rankings Snapshot: See list of all data topics and Georgia rankings.
Authors: Robert Buschman, Mels de Zeeuw and William Serrano-Franklin
The 37 metrics contained within the report are based upon data from a variety of sources. Each metric within the report contains a listing of the sources used to produce the reported information. Although each source is updated periodically in accordance with its own unique schedule, we have made an attempt to use the latest information available for each measure. A partial list of the data sources includes:
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Population Estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Surveys of State and Local Government Finances
- U.S. Census Bureau, Poverty: American Community Survey Briefs
- Bureau of Economic Analysis
- College Board, Trends in College Pricing
- National Association of State Budget Officers State Expenditure Report
- State Higher Education Executive Officers Association of Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention