Patriotism is an essential aspect of American culture, and on July 4th, citizens come together to celebrate the nation’s independence. WalletHub, a Miami-based company, conducted a study to determine the most patriotic states in the country. The analysis took into account various factors, including military engagement and civic involvement.
According to WalletHub’s rankings, the top ten most patriotic states are as follows: Hawaii, Maryland, Washington, New Hampshire, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, Montana, Alaska, and Virginia. Virginia took the number one spot due to its high number of active-duty military personnel and veterans in the area. Additionally, 71.5% of Virginia residents voted in the 2020 presidential election, surpassing the national average of 67%.
WalletHub highlighted that Virginia has nearly 1,900 active-duty military personnel for every 100,000 civilians, ranking it third in the country. Furthermore, for every 1,000 civilians, there are approximately 107 veterans, placing Virginia second in this category. The state also boasts the seventh-highest number of Peace Corps volunteers per capita and requires courses in US history or civics for high school graduation.
Alaska secured the second position in the rankings, primarily due to its high jury service participation. Meanwhile, Montana ranked third, thanks to its significant volunteer rate among the public.
Interestingly, WalletHub’s study revealed that blue states tend to be more patriotic than red states. On average, blue states had a ranking of 23.44, while red states had an average ranking of 27.56.
On the other end of the spectrum, states such as Florida, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, and Arkansas ranked near the bottom of the list. It’s worth noting that Georgia had the highest number of military enlistees, while North Dakota had the lowest. Alaska had the highest number of veterans per capita, whereas New Jersey had the lowest.
The study collected data from reputable sources such as the US Census Bureau and the US Department of Veteran Affairs. By considering military engagement and civic involvement, WalletHub’s analysis provides insights into the patriotism levels across different states in the US.
