Texas has fizzled out once again as one of the least patriotic places in the U.S.
WalletHub’s report, “Most Patriotic States in America (2026)”, was released just ahead of America’s 250th anniversary and compares the military and civic engagement levels across all 50 states. Factors such as the number of veterans per 1,000 civilian residents, the share of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election, volunteer rates, and others, were used to determine which states are the “most patriotic.”
The Lone Star State sits at 45th out of 50 for the second year in a row. Texas first earned its surprising rank as the 6th least patriotic state in 2025, after previously ranking 36th in 2024. Texas’ performance across the two main categories in the study remain unchanged year-over-year, with the state ranking 13th nationally for its military engagement and 47th in civic engagement.
Texas has the third-highest average number of military enlistees in the U.S., but it has the second-lowest percentage of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said the most patriotic states in America — this year they are Virginia, Montana, and Vermont — have high voter turnouts, a large share of residents who are veterans or active military, and boast a large share of the population that volunteer with local or national organizations.
Essentially, patriotism can be found in places where residents are “actively working to improve conditions for your fellow Americans,” says WalletHub.
“Being a patriot means loving your country and its people while also recognizing its flaws and striving to make it the best it can be,” the report’s author wrote.
At least Texas is more patriotic than the bottom five states in the report: Florida (No. 46), Alabama (No. 47), Louisiana (No. 48), New York (No. 49), and Arkansas (No. 50).
The top 10 most patriotic states in America this year are:
- No. 1 – Virginia
- No. 2 – Montana
- No. 3 – Vermont
- No. 4 – Colorado
- No. 5 – Oregon
- No. 6 – North Dakota
- No. 7 – Washington
- No. 8 – Maryland
- No. 9 – Minnesota
- No. 10 – New Hampshire
