If the U.S. breaches the debt ceiling, these states would feel it most

With negotiations on raising the debt ceiling bogging down on Friday, the U.S. may be less than two weeks from defaulting on its debt, an unprecedented scenario that government officials have variously described as "unthinkable" and potentially "catastrophic."

A default would mean the U.S. government fails to pay some of its obligations because the Congress failed to raise the debt ceiling to authorize borrowing more money to fund spending it already passed. Its impact would be felt by anyone expecting funds from the government, whether a Social Security check, SNAP payment, a government bond payout or — in the case of federal employees — a paycheck.

"Most state economies will be hit hard if there is a debt limit breach, although the economic pain varies," economists at Moody's Analytics said in a report analyzing the possibility of a default.