Private equity firms invested more than $148 billion in 1,234 U.S. based companies in 2010, according to a new analysis released today by the Private Equity Growth Capital Council (PEGCC). The top five states in terms of deal value were California, Illinois, New York and Texas.

The report examines the geographic dispersion of private equity investment, providing new information about the number of companies infused with capital from private equity investors, the number of active private equity firms and the total deal value by region, country, state and Congressional District. According to the analysis, private equity firms invested $8.5 million in 21 companies in Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Danny K. Davis, more than any other U.S. congressional district. Congressional districts represented by Reps. Jim Himes (D-CT), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Trey Gowdy (R-SC) round out the top five.

“This reports blasts the mythology that private equity is west or east coast-centric,” said interim PEGCC President Steve Judge. “In fact, private equity is driving investment activity for thousands of companies, providing an economic jolt from Billings, Montana to Portland, Maine to Zanesville, Ohio. And it is doing so at a time when our economy badly needs growth investment.”

In the U.S., private equity investment was dispersed throughout the country. More than $16 billion was invested in 195 companies in California, the most of any state. Kansas rounds out the top 20 with 12 companies receiving nearly $1.4 billion. Overall, 21 states received more than $1.0 billion in private equity capital during 2010. A complete breakdown of private equity investment by state is available at www.pegcc.org.

The PEGCC’s geographic dispersion analysis was conducted using data provided by Thomson Reuters and propriety data collected by the Council.