Washington · Infrastructure & Trust
Rainy Day Fund in Washington
State rainy-day savings balance as a percent of annual general fund spending, as self-reported by states to NASBO.
3.5% in 2025
#49 of 50 · Bottom tier (higher is better)
Washington is worse than the 50-state median (13%). That's a gap of 9.6%.
View interactive chart & trend → See full 50-state ranking →
2000 – 2025 · Washington only · interactive chart with US median overlay →
About rainy day fund
What this measures: State rainy-day savings balance as a percent of annual general fund spending.
Why it matters: Rainy day funds are the buffer that keeps schools and services running through recessions without emergency tax hikes or cuts.
Watch out: Covers the named stabilization fund only. Some states keep additional reserves in other accounts that are not counted here.
Recent trend
| Year | Washington | US median |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3.0% | 5.3% |
| 2017 | 8.5% | 5.6% |
| 2018 | 6.7% | 6.6% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| 2020 | 7.0% | 8.4% |
| 2021 | -0.0% | 10% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | 11% |
| 2023 | 8.9% | 12% |
| 2024 | 5.5% | 15% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | 13% |
Washington vs. neighboring states
Same metric (rainy day fund), latest year with full state coverage. Click any name for that state's full report.
| State | Rainy Day Fund | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 17% | #15 of 50 |
| Idaho | 41% | #3 of 50 |
How Washington compares (2025)
Top 5 best
| #1 | Wyoming | 8770% |
| #2 | Alaska | 4240% |
| #3 | Idaho | 4060% |
| #4 | North Dakota | 3780% |
| #5 | Kentucky | 3030% |
Bottom 5
| #46 | Rhode Island | 630% |
| #47 | Delaware | 500% |
| #48 | Illinois | 430% |
| #49 | Washington | 350% |
| #50 | New Jersey | 0.0% |
Source and methodology
Source: NASBO Fiscal Survey · Direction: higher is better · Unit: %
Download raw CSV (all 50 states, all years)