With July 4th around the corner, Florida has some catching up to do when it comes to showing acts of American pride. That is according to a study by WalletHub, which ranked the Sunshine State 46th in the U.S. among patriotic states in the country.
“The most patriotic states have a lot of residents who serve or have served in the armed forces, high voter turnouts during elections, and a high share of the population volunteering with national or local organizations," WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said. "Patriotism also isn’t concentrated in any one particular area – the top states are located in vastly different geographic regions.”
According to WalletHub, Florida ranked 21st in military engagement and 46th in civic engagement for a total score of just 36.59. To determine which state has the most red, white, and blue pride, the study analyzed 13 indicators, including military enlistees, the number of veterans who vote, and AmeriCorps volunteers per capita.
Only Alabama (34.23), Louisiana (32.42), New York (28.65), and Arkansas (28.12) received lower patriotic scores.
At the top of the list, WalletHub found Virginia to be the most patriotic state. The Commonwealth ranked third in military engagement and sixth in civic engagement for a total score of 70.54.
Specifically, Virginia has 1,850 active-duty military personnel, the third-most in the country. It also has 103 veterans for every 1,000 civilians, the second-most in America.
"It has a high voter turnout rate, with 72.9% of residents having voted in the 2024 presidential election, compared to the national average of 66%," WalletHub said of Virginia. "To top things off, Virginia has the fifth-highest number of peace corps volunteers per capita, and it is one of the many states that require standalone course in civics for high school graduation."
Montana (67.75), Vermont (66.49), Colorado (64.70), and Oregon (62.27) rounded out the top five.
By category, Alaska and Vermont ranked as the top states, respectively, for military engagement and civic engagement. The worst states were Massachusetts and Arkansas.
