Red, White, and Boo! Florida Named One of Least Patriotic States

The study found that "blue states are more patriotic than red states" by a wide margin. Check out the metrics to see if you agree.

By Naomi Feinstein

June 24, 2024

Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. A pro-Trump mob later stormed the Capitol. Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images

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Given that Florida earned the dubious label "cradle of the January 6 insurrection" — the state with the most people charged in the U.S. Capitol riot — former president Donald Trump likely considers it a bastion of patriotism.

Not everyone agrees.

According to a new study by WalletHub, Florida is among the least patriotic states in the nation, ranking 46th.

To compile the list, WalletHub compared all states under the categories "military engagement" and "civic engagement."

The civic engagement category considered voter turnout in the 2020 presidential and primary elections, volunteer rate, trial and grand jury participation, and U.S. history and civic education requirements, among other criteria.

Under the military engagement category, the metrics include average military enlistees per 1,000 civilian adults between 2015 and 2020, active-duty military personnel per 100,000 civilian adults, and share of civilian adult population in military reserves.

The most patriotic states, according to the study, are Virginia, Alaska, Montana, Maine, and Oregon, in that order. Joining Florida at the bottom of the rankings are Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, and Arkansas, which occupy the 47th through 50th spots

The study also found that blue states had a significantly higher patriotism score than red states. (Commence the fury.)

"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," Cassandra Happe, an analyst for Wallethub, wrote. "Patriotism also isn’t concentrated in any one particular area – the top states are located in vastly different geographic regions."

Dropping Florida down on the list is its civic engagement ranking of 49 out of all 50 states. The Sunshine State is ranked dead last for its volunteer rate among its residents.

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Naomi Feinstein is a staff writer of Miami New Times where she primarily focuses on news. Naomi started her career with New Times as an intern from June–August 2019, then worked as a fellow from August 2022 to February 2023 before joining the staff full-time. She graduated from University of Miami where she contributed to the student-run newspaper, The Miami Hurricane. She holds a master’s degree and graduated with honors from the Columbia School of Journalism. In 2021, Naomi was recognized as the College Journalist of the Year from the Society of Professional Journalists of Florida, and she placed second for Best General News Story in the 2021 Pinnacle Awards.

Contact: Naomi Feinstein

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Twitter: @naomifeinstein