Senator JD Vance addressed military personnel in Virginia Beach, Virginia, celebrating 250 years of American history. Vance emphasized that the military, by upholding the Constitution and safeguarding liberty, epitomizes the best of the United States. He expressed confidence that the next 250 years will see improvements due to their service.
Patriotic States
A recent survey by personal finance company WalletHub ranked all 50 states in terms of patriotism, incorporating over a dozen indicators. Virginia emerged as the most patriotic state, ranking third in military engagement and seventh in civic engagement.
“For every 100,000 civilians in Virginia, there are nearly 1,761 active-duty military personnel, the third-most in the country. For every 1,000 civilians, there are nearly 103 veterans, the second-most in the country,” reported WalletHub.
WalletHub Financial Writer Adam McCann detailed these findings in a report titled “Most Patriotic States in America,” explaining that the study assessed red, white, and blue pride through 13 key indicators.
A special commemorative 250th anniversary American flag flies in Lakeland, Fla., on March 12, 2026. (Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The data considered military enlistees and veterans, the share of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election, and AmeriCorps volunteers per capita. Virginia’s high civic involvement included a 72.9% voter turnout in the 2024 presidential election, compared to the national average of 66%. Moreover, Virginia has the fifth-highest number of Peace Corps volunteers per capita and mandates a standalone civics course for high school graduation.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted, “The most patriotic states have many residents who serve or have served in the armed forces, high voter turnouts during elections, and a large share of the population volunteering with national or local organizations.” Additionally, he pointed out that patriotism is geographically diverse across the top-ranking states.
More Patriotic Rankings
Montana ranked as the second-most patriotic state, due in part to its high voter turnout. Nearly 69.2% of the state’s eligible voters participated in the 2024 presidential election, and 46% voted in the 2020 primary election—the highest primary turnout in the country. Montana also ranked second in jury service and the number of AmeriCorps volunteers, with 37% of residents volunteering in general.
Vermont, Colorado, and Oregon rounded out the top five most patriotic states.
An American flag is displayed before the NFC Divisional Playoffs game between the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 18, 2026. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The least patriotic states included Arkansas at 50th, followed by New York, Louisiana, and Alabama. The survey’s methodology suggested that the 19 “blue” states voting for Kamala Harris in 2024 were, on average, more patriotic than the 31 states that supported President Donald Trump. The largest blue states in 2024—I llinois, California, and New York—ranked relatively low in patriotism.