A study that ranked all 50 states from “most patriotic” to “least patriotic” also found that, overall, red states were more patriotic than blue states (states were considered “red” or “blue” based on how they voted in the 2016 presidential election).
Using data from the 2016 election and several additional sources, WalletHub measured the impact of 13 different indicators, from voter engagement to volunteer rates and the percentage of the population that joined the military.
Virginia, the most patriotic state by ranking, was a blue state in 2016 — but Alaska, Wyoming, South Carolina and Idaho made the remainder of the top five solidly red. Deep-blue Massachusetts was ranked 50th and was joined in the bottom five by fellow blue states New York (46), Illinois (47), Rhode Island (48) and New Jersey(49).
Red states also ranked the highest in the number of military enlistees, with Georgia, South Carolina, Alaska, Idaho and Texas rounding out the top five. Red states came out on top for the highest number of military veterans and highest volunteer rate, as well.
Blue states, in turn, had a greater percentage of adults who voted in the 2016 election and joined the Peace Corps at higher rates.
According to WalletHub, “Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Veterans Affairs, Defense Manpower Data Center, Corporation for National & Community Service, Peace Corps, Military OneSource, United States Elections Project, Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement.”