Why Utah and Midwestern families are getting the biggest stimulus checks

Households in Utah have received the largest stimulus checks in the third round of direct payments with an average windfall of $2,784, according to new state-level data from the Internal Revenue Service. 

The IRS on Tuesday said it has sent almost $390 billion in direct aid to about 164 million U.S. households, noting that it is continuing to send checks to eligible people who recently filed tax returns or who are owed extra money under the relief plan. The agency also broke down its payments so far by state and income group, providing insights into which Americans are receiving the most from the latest round of aid.  Because the payments are based on the number of eligible people in each household as well as individuals' income, the payments favor families with more children and those who earn below $150,000 annually. The typical household in Utah has 3.1 residents, compared with about 2.5 people per household nationally, as families in the Beehive state tend to have more children than people in other parts of the country.