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West Virginia State Budget FY2025 Analysis

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All-funds expenditure, general fund, revenue, reserves and category-wise allocation for West Virginia in fiscal year 2025.

Year: FY2027FY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021 Overview โ†’

West Virginia Budget FY2025 at a Glance โ€” Key Numbers

Total Expenditure

$27.0 billion

+4.7% YoY

General Fund

$6.0 billion

-5.8% YoY

Total Revenue

โ€”

All sources

General Fund Revenue

$5.5 billion

-3.4% YoY

Rainy Day Fund

$1.3 billion

+7.2% YoY

State GDP

$109.3 billion

Nominal

Spending by Category FY2025

Share of Spending FY2025

All Other
$13.7 billion (50.6%)
Medicaid
$5.2 billion (19.2%)
K-12 Education
$3.1 billion (11.3%)
Transportation
$2.3 billion (8.5%)
Higher Education
$2.2 billion (8.3%)
Corrections
$570 million (2.1%)

West Virginia's Fiscal Position in FY2025

West Virginia spent $27.0 billion across all funds in FY2025, or $15,298 per resident. All-funds spending counts the general fund, federal grants, and dedicated state funds together โ€” the fairest basis for comparing states, since they differ widely in how much they route outside the general fund.

The general fund โ€” the discretionary portion the legislature actually debates โ€” was $6.0 billion, or 22.1% of total spending. The remainder is largely federal grants (Medicaid above all) and dedicated revenues such as fuel taxes earmarked for highways.

Reserves in the rainy day fund stood at $1.3 billion. Because nearly every state is constitutionally required to balance its operating budget, reserves rather than borrowing are how states absorb revenue shortfalls in a downturn.

West Virginia FY2025 โ€” Revenue & Expenditure Summary

ParticularsFY2025FY2024 Change
Total Expenditure (all funds)$27.0 billion$25.8 billion +4.7%
General Fund Expenditure$6.0 billion$6.3 billion -5.8%
Total Revenueโ€”โ€” โ€”
General Fund Revenue$5.5 billion$5.7 billion -3.4%
Rainy Day Fund$1.3 billion$1.3 billion +7.2%
State GDP$109.3 billion$109.3 billion 0.0%

Category-wise Allocation FY2025

Spending Category Amount โ–ผShare
1. All Other
$13.7 billion
50.6%
2. Medicaid
$5.2 billion
19.2%
3. K-12 Education
$3.1 billion
11.3%
4. Transportation
$2.3 billion
8.5%
5. Higher Education
$2.2 billion
8.3%
6. Corrections
$570 million
2.1%

West Virginia Budget โ€” Multi-Year Trend

Year-over-year comparison of key fiscal metrics

MetricFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025
Total Expenditure$17.4 billion$18.8 billion$21.9 billion$25.8 billion$27.0 billion
General Fund$4.8 billion$4.7 billion$5.6 billion$6.3 billion$6.0 billion
Total Revenueโ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”
Rainy Day Fund$995 million$957 million$943 million$1.3 billion$1.3 billion
FY2024 FY2027

How to Read West Virginia's State Budget

All Funds vs General Fund

State budgets are reported two ways. All-funds spending counts everything: the general fund, federal grants, and dedicated funds. The general fund is the discretionary pot โ€” mostly income and sales taxes โ€” that legislators actually argue over. Headlines usually quote the general fund; comparisons between states should use all-funds.

Why Medicaid Dominates State Spending

Medicaid is typically the largest single line in a state budget, and most of it is federal money passing through: Washington matches state spending at rates that vary by state income. That is why a state with high all-funds spending is not necessarily a high-taxing state โ€” it may simply draw more federal match.

Balanced Budget Requirements and Reserves

Nearly every state must balance its operating budget, unlike the federal government. States therefore manage downturns through rainy day funds rather than deficits. Capital projects are usually exempt and financed with bonds, which is why states still carry debt.

Fiscal Years Differ Between States

Most states run a July-to-June fiscal year; Alabama and Michigan run October to September and New York runs April to March. Several states โ€” Texas, Oregon and Washington among them โ€” budget in two-year cycles. Figures labelled with the same fiscal year therefore cover slightly different periods across states.

Explore More Budget Data

West Virginia Budget Overview West Virginia Budget FY2027West Virginia Budget FY2024West Virginia Budget FY2023West Virginia Budget FY2022 West Virginia vs AlabamaWest Virginia vs AlaskaWest Virginia vs ArizonaWest Virginia vs ArkansasWest Virginia vs CaliforniaWest Virginia vs Colorado Federal vs West Virginia All 50 State Budgets US Federal Budget US Budget Glossary Compare US Budgets

Official References & Data Sources