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Washington is the 13th most patriotic state in the United States, according to a report by WalletHub. The personal finance website compared the states across two key dimensions, “Military Engagement” and “Civic Engagement,” using 13 weighted metrics.
Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale with a score of 100 representing the highest level of patriotism.
The 13th-place Evergreen State finished with a score of 56.08. It landed as #14 for “Military Engagement” (Alaska was #1) and #15 for “Civic Engagement” (Vermont was #1).
Based on overall scoring, Virginia was declared the most patriotic state, topping the list with a score of 61.01. Rounding out the top five states were Montana (#2) Alaska (#3), North Dakota (#4) and Maine (#5).
Arkansas had the dubious honor of being ranked 50th, with only 26.87 points. Also at the low end of the rankings were Florida (#46), New York (#47), Rhode Island (#48), and Massachusetts (#49).
In another measure, WalletHub compared Blue States and Red States, based on how they voted in the 2020 presidential election. Blue states edged out their red counterparts.
The data sets used by Wallet Hub ranged from a state’s military enlistees and veterans to the share of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election to Peace Corps and AmeriCorps volunteers per capita and trial and grand jury participation per civilian adult population.
Researchers used multiple sources to create the rankings. Among them were the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, United States Elections Project, and The Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
WalletHub acknowledged patriotism “can be a complex subject, depending on who’s involved in the discussion.” For insight, the researchers asked a panel of experts five questions around the topic, such as the characteristics of a good patriot, measures schools and local authorities should undertake to promote patriotism, and the best ways for an individual to show patriotism. Those discussions are linked to the report.