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Study Reveals the Most, Least Patriotic States in the Country

Which States Are the Most, Least Patriotic? You Might Be Surprised

Patriotism is a concept that’s near and dear to the hearts of many Americans. Do you live in one of the most patriotic or least patriotic states in the country? You might be surprised.

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A recent WalletHub study has revealed the most patriotic — and least patriotic — states in the union. Researchers took some data from multiple sources, including (but not limited to) the U.S. Census Bureau, the Peace Corps, the United States Election Project, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Center for American Progress.

All 50 states were scored on civic engagement and military engagement. These broader categories were further broken down into smaller bits and pieces.

In the end, New Hampshire received the highest score, and was awarded the title of most patriotic state in the USA (at least according to this particular ranking). New Hampshire scored 30th in military engagement but fifth in civic engagement, eking out Wyoming and Vermont to take the top spot.

The 10 Most Patriotic States

  1. New Hampshire
  2. Wyoming
  3. Vermont
  4. Utah
  5. Idaho
  6. Wisconsin
  7. Alaska
  8. South Carolina
  9. Missouri
  10. Minnesota

Way down at the bottom of the list? New Jersey proved itself to be the least patriotic state in the union, scoring just below New York and California.

In a perhaps unsurprising result, traditionally red states saw the highest number of military enlistees. Georgia, Alaska, South Carolina, Texas, and Alabama fielded the most recruits, while Minnesota, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and North Dakota fielded the least number of soldiers. These numbers stayed relatively stable when considering veterans or retired service members versus active duty soldiers, with a few exceptions.

That's not to say that so-called blue states were averse to serving their country, necessarily. In terms of commitment to the Peace Corps, Vermont came out on top.

So, are red states or blue states more patriotic in general? According to the data provided by WalletHub, red states are indeed more patriotic, on average, than blue states. The red state and blue state designation was based on electoral votes in the 2016 presidential election. Researchers ended up awarding red states a score of 23.67 and blue states a score of 28.25, with scores closer to 1 reflecting a deeper degree of patriotism.

While it seems difficult to tell how deeply a sense of national pride resides in one's heart, the numbers suggest some interesting facts. While voters in blue states seemed more likely to hit the ballot box, voters in red states were much more likely to volunteer their time and resources.

All in all, it doesn't matter whether you live in California or in Wyoming. Americans tend to share a deep and abiding love for their country, their countrymen, and their culture. Regardless of the results of this survey, one shouldn't expect the stars and stripes – or the belief in them – to falter any time soon.

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