Oklahoma among Top 10 states most impacted by the government shutdown

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - The government shutdown continues, and Oklahoma is taking a hard hit.

According to the financial website WalletHub, Oklahoma is among the Top 10 states most affected by the shutdown.

"I think the longer these things drag out, I think more and more people are going to be affected," said Chip Lupo, writer and analyst for WalletHub.

Lupo compiled data from states and Washington, D.C., to determine the impact on each state.

"We looked at that on five different metrics," said Lupo. "Share of federal jobs, federal contract dollars per capita, percentage of families receiving SNAP benefits, real estate as a percentage of gross state product, and access to national parks."

That data is what put Oklahoma at 9th.

WalletHub says the higher you are on the list (closer to the #1 spot), the more likely you are to be negatively impacted by the shutdown.

Oklahoma's share of federal jobs is 3.15%, according to WalletHub. Staff that has been furloughed could lead to hiccups in air travel, buying a house, and tourism.

However, the biggest factor in why Oklahoma is being most impacted is the percentage of families that receive SNAP benefits.

14.37% of Oklahoma residents rely on SNAP, according to WalletHub, and SNAP needs federal dollars to keep families fed.

Hunger Free Oklahoma works to end hunger across the state, and worries about the impact of the shutdown if it continues.

"There's a question that if the shutdown went through November, whether there would be money there to issue SNAP benefits," said Chip Bernard, CEO & President of Hunger Free Oklahoma.

Home buying is also impacted. Staff shortages at the IRS, FHA, and VA could affect mortgage processing.

You can find WalletHub's full study on the government shutdown impact here.