How Civic Engagement Ranks Montana And North Dakota Highly

Montana and North Dakota rank among the nation’s most patriotic states, according to a WalletHub report measuring civic engagement, military service and volunteer participation across all 50 states.

Source: WalletHub

The analysis ranked Montana second overall and North Dakota sixth, based on 13 indicators including military enlistees, veteran population, voter turnout in the 2024 presidential election and AmeriCorps volunteer participation.

Montana placed near the top of the rankings due to strong civic participation and community involvement. The report highlighted the state’s high voter turnout, elevated rates of jury service and above-average volunteer engagement as key drivers of its second-place finish.

North Dakota followed closely in sixth place, reflecting strong performance in both military and civic categories. The state’s ranking was supported by steady voter participation, a relatively high share of veterans and consistent community service involvement.

Neighboring states showed mixed results in the same rankings. South Dakota placed 29th overall, while Minnesota ranked ninth, placing it among the top 10 nationally. To the west, Wyoming ranked 15th, and Idaho came in 18th.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said patriotism is reflected in a combination of service, voting and volunteer activity rather than a single factor.

“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. Patriotism also isn’t concentrated in any one particular area – the top states are located in vastly different geographic regions,” Lupo said.

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The report shows significant variation in how states perform across categories, with some ranking high in military engagement while others score better in civic participation metrics such as volunteering and election turnout.

Most Patriotic States in the U.S.

Overall Rank	State	Total Score	Military Engagement Rank	Civic Engagement Rank
1	Virginia	70.07	3	7
2	Montana	67.90	19	3
3	Vermont	66.56	42	1
4	Colorado	64.46	10	5
5	Oregon	62.46	39	2
6	North Dakota	60.63	11	12
7	Washington	60.27	16	11
8	Maryland	59.92	20	10
9	Minnesota	58.66	46	4
10	New Hampshire	57.64	33	6
11	Utah	56.22	34	9
12	Alaska	56.14	1	41
13	Kansas	55.20	14	17
14	Hawaii	54.82	2	42
15	Wyoming	54.09	7	25
16	Iowa	53.92	41	8
17	Nebraska	53.41	27	14
18	Idaho	52.71	23	18
19	Kentucky	52.07	18	22
20	New Mexico	51.32	8	28
21	Georgia	49.75	6	34
22	Missouri	49.36	29	21
23	Delaware	48.97	22	24
24	North Carolina	48.14	5	37
25	Wisconsin	47.50	43	15
26	Maine	47.24	40	19
27	South Carolina	47.17	4	44
28	Nevada	46.00	15	32
29	South Dakota	45.98	24	31
30	Michigan	45.85	47	16
31	Massachusetts	45.76	50	13
32	Connecticut	45.38	44	20
33	Oklahoma	44.64	9	40
34	Tennessee	44.01	31	29
35	Arizona	43.96	25	33
36	Ohio	43.66	36	27
37	Illinois	43.15	38	26
38	Pennsylvania	43.08	45	23
39	Mississippi	42.71	12	43
40	California	39.58	30	39
41	West Virginia	39.48	32	36
42	Rhode Island	38.75	35	35
43	New Jersey	38.46	48	30
44	Indiana	37.74	37	38
45	Texas	37.53	13	47
46	Florida	36.19	21	46
47	Alabama	34.45	17	49
48	Louisiana	32.83	26	48
49	New York	28.96	49	45
50	Arkansas	28.23	28	50