By Adriana Belmonte

While it might seem surprising for states like Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, and New Mexico to be impacted so harshly by the shutdown, this is due to a number of reasons, according to WalletHub Analyst Jill Gonzalez. Alaska and Hawaii both have large military and federal contracts, while Arizona is most affected by “real estate and mortgage processing.” Hawaii has the largest share of federal jobs at 5.1%, while Alaska and New Mexico have 4.68% and 3.61%, respectively.

“The mix of states most affected might surprise people,” Gonzalez said about the variations of government shutdown impact. “The longer the shutdown lasts, the more people will be affected by it. Households with federal employees, as well as those who receive benefits from the federal government, will be affected on financial and interpersonal levels.”

Mississippi, eighth overall on the list, has the second-highest percentage of families receiving SNAP benefits, followed by New Mexico, Oregon, and Louisiana. In terms of highest real estate as a percentage of gross state product, Hawaii was at the top, with Maryland, Florida, New Jersey, California, and Colorado not far behind.

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