2018's Most Patriotic States In America
America's birthday is reveled with parties ranging from small town festivities, to long precessions, along patriotic tunes where everyone is welcome. But who loves the country more? The answer is very complex, and it often depends on who you are asking.
To determine the most patriotic states, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key dimensions, including "Military Engagement" and "Civic Engagement." These dimensions were evaluated using 13 relevant metrics.
Red states are more patriotic, with an average ranking of 23.57, compared with 28.40 for blue states.
Regardless of who says they love their country most, how they mark the day is fairly the same across the country. Fireworks extravaganzas, colorful parades and barbecue cookouts with games and friendly competitions have become trademarks of Fourth of July celebrations.
15. Kansas
Kansas ranks 16th in Military Engagement. That category includes, among other things, average military enlistees per 1,000 civilian adults between 2011 and 2016.
14. Oklahoma
Oklahoma ranks sixth in the same category, which also takes into consideration share of civilian adult population in military reserves.
13. New Hampshire
This is the state with the fourth highest percentage of people who voted in the 2016 presidential election.
12. South Dakota
South Dakota has the second highest volunteer rate (after Utah).
11. Maine
Maine has the highest share of adults who voted in the 2016 presidential election, 72.68 percent, which is 1.5 times higher than in Hawaii, the state with the lowest at 47.27 percent.
10. Georgia
The Peach State ranks so high because of its high Military Engagement position. That category also looks at veterans per 1,000 civilian adults and active-duty military personnel per 100,000.
9. North Carolina
The Tar Heel State also has a high Military Engagement ranking – sixth in the country – which is what brings its overall standing in the Top 10.
8. Washington
Washington State ranks fifth in the most Peace Corps volunteers per capita in the country.
7. Hawaii
Hawaii is second in the Military Engagement category. This is not surprising; the state has a huge military presence. Military personnel in Hawaii are almost wholly concentrated on Oahu.
6. Colorado
The Centennial State has the third highest percentage of residents who made the trip to the polls to vote for president in 2016.
5. Idaho
Idaho has the fourth highest average number of military enlistees.
4. South Carolina
The Palmetto State has the second average number of military enlistees and ranks fifth in the category of most veterans per capita.
3. Wyoming
Wyoming's Civic Engagement is higher than its military one, even though both are near the top. Civic Engagement includes people who voted in 2016, volunteer rate, trial- & grand-jury participation and frequency of Google searches for American Flags.
2. Alaska
Alaska has the most veterans per 1,000 civilian adults, 128, which is 2.4 times more than in New York, the state with the fewest at 54.
1. Virginia
Colonial Williamsburg is a thriving community. It's no wonder Virginia tops the list. The state has the third highest number of veterans per capita.