There's a lot of federal activity in those high ratio states. Your chart has nothing to do with welfare as Allie stated.
What's the difference? Federal Tax Dollars going to poor people, farmers to not grow crops, pork projects for bridges to knowhere, to oil companies who are not developing alternative energy or wasted defense spending. Do you really care who's wasting your money?
The fact is, red states get more federal dollars than they give and visa versa for blue states. BOYAKA!!
Now I don't even want to waste my time explaining why cities with large populations and high umemployment rates collect more welfare. You won't understand.
AND, the Welfare capital of Michigan is some red neck small town up north in a very very rural area. NOT Detroit.
In this little town, there are no jobs so rather than move where there are jobs, those white trash red necks collect welfare. Almost an entire town of white welfare recipients.