Is North Carolina one of the most patriotic states in the country? This study seems to think maybe not.

For those of us here in and around Fort Bragg, it seems obvious that North Carolina would easily be one of the most patriotic states in the country.

But it turns out, maybe overall, the Tar Heel State isn’t quite the red-white-and-blue hotbed we thought it was.

According to a recent study by our friends over at WalletHub, North Carolina comes in toward the middle of the pack, at 17th in patriotism. North Carolina had high marks in military engagement, coming in at 6th overall, but low marks in civic engagement, coming in at 32.

WalletHub measured 13 key patriotic indicators for the study, including military enlistees, veteran population, voting percentages, and even AmeriCorps volunteer numbers.

“A good patriot loves his or her country and supports it in the face of challenges,” Russ Crawford, history professor at Ohio Northern University, said in the study. “That does not mean unquestioning love, but deep regard that motivates making one’s nation the best it can be.”

Here’s the way that WalletHub measured everything to determine this list. Take a look below for the full rankings.

Military Engagement – Total Points: 25

  • Average Military Enlistees per 1,000 Civilian Adults Between 2014 & 2019 (No Prior Service): Triple Weight (~10.71 Points)
  • Veterans per 1,000 Civilian Adults: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
  • Active-Duty Military Personnel per 100,000 Civilian Adults: Double Weight (~7.14 Points)
  • Share of Civilian Adult Population in Military Reserves: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)

Civic Engagement – Total Points: 75

  • Share of Adults Who Voted in 2020 Presidential Election: Double Weight (~16.67 Points)
  • Share of Adults Who Voted in 2020 Primary Elections: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
  • Volunteer Rate: Half Weight (~4.17 Points)
  • Volunteer Hours per Resident: Half Weight (~4.17 Points)
  • AmeriCorps Volunteers per Capita: Half Weight (~4.17 Points)
  • Peace Corps Volunteers per Capita: Half Weight (~4.17 Points)
  • Trial- & Grand-Jury Participation per Civilian Adult Population: Double Weight (~16.67 Points)
  • Share of Residents Who Participate in Groups or Organizations (Civic Life): Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
  • U.S. History/Civics Education Requirement: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)

  • 1. Alaska

    U.S. Flag flying in front of Denali Mountain, Alaska

    U.S. flag flying in front of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. (Sherri Cassel / Getty Images)

    Total Score: 65.57

    Military Engagement: 1

    Civic Engagement: 12

  • 2. Montana

    Total Score: 61.46

    Military Engagement: 22

    Civic Engagement: 1

  • 3. Virginia

    Total Score: 58.97

    Military Engagement: 3

    Civic Engagement: 13

  • 4. North Dakota

    Total Score: 58.43

    Military Engagement: 20

    Civic Engagement: 5

  • 5. Oregon

    Total Score: 56.42

    Military Engagement: 36

    Civic Engagement: 3

  • 6. Maryland

    Total Score: 56.25

    Military Engagement: 23

    Civic Engagement: 7

  • 7. Hawaii

    Total Score: 55.26

    Military Engagement: 2

    Civic Engagement: 24

  • 8. Vermont

    Total Score: 54.77

    Military Engagement: 43

    Civic Engagement: 2

  • 9. New Hampshire

    Total Score: 54.23

    Military Engagement: 32

    Civic Engagement: 6

  • 10. Iowa

    Total Score: 52.76

    Military Engagement: 41

    Civic Engagement: 4

  • 11. Washington

    Lake Union 4th of July Fireworks and the Seattle skyline, as seen from across Elliott Bay at Seacrest Park in West Seattle, WA, USA

    Fireworks as seen from across Elliott Bay at Seacrest Park in West Seattle, WA. (paulacobleigh / Getty Images)

    Total Score: 52.46

    Military Engagement: 14

    Civic Engagement: 14

  • 12. South Dakota

    Total Score: 52.21

    Military Engagement: 24

    Civic Engagement: 10

  • 13. Colorado

    Total Score: 52.05

    Military Engagement: 12

    Civic Engagement: 15

  • 14. Delaware

    Total Score: 51.35

    Military Engagement: 25

    Civic Engagement: 11

  • 15. Maine

    Total Score: 50.12

    Military Engagement: 37

    Civic Engagement: 8

  • 16. Utah

    Total Score: 49.10

    Military Engagement: 38

    Civic Engagement: 9

  • 17. North Carolina

    Miami Marlins v Atlanta Braves

    It does not get much more patriotic than Major League Baseball being played at Fort Bragg. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

    Total Score: 46.98

    Military Engagement: 6

    Civic Engagement: 32

  • 18. Wyoming

    Total Score: 46.75

    Military Engagement: 7

    Civic Engagement: 27

  • 19. Idaho

    Total Score: 46.03

    Military Engagement: 18

    Civic Engagement: 18

  • 20. New Mexico

    Total Score: 45.23

    Military Engagement: 10

    Civic Engagement: 26

  • 21. Arizona

    Flags Fly

    Veterans Day memorial in Tempe, AZ. (John James / Getty Images)

    Total Score: 45.09

    Military Engagement: 17

    Civic Engagement: 23

  • 22. Oklahoma

    Total Score: 44.58

    Military Engagement: 17

    Civic Engagement: 23

  • 23. Kansas

     

    Total Score: 44.34

    Military Engagement: 13

    Civic Engagement: 29

  • 24. Georgia

    Total Score: 44.20

    Military Engagement: 5

    Civic Engagement: 41

  • 25. Missouri

    Total Score: 44.00

    Military Engagement: 26

    Civic Engagement: 17

  • 26. South Carolina

    Total Score: 42.14

    Military Engagement: 4

    Civic Engagement: 47

  • 27. Minnesota

    Total Score: 41.13

    Military Engagement: 47

    Civic Engagement: 16

  • 28. Mississippi

    Total Score: 40.68

    Military Engagement: 16

    Civic Engagement: 37

  • 29. Ohio

    Total Score: 40.51

    Military Engagement: 33

    Civic Engagement: 20

  • 30. Nebraska

    Total Score: 39.11

    Military Engagement: 28

    Civic Engagement: 34

  • 31. Texas

    Girl proud on her country.

    Everything is bigger in Texas. (Smederevac / Getty Images)

    Total Score: 38.51

    Military Engagement: 9

    Civic Engagement: 46

  • 32. Illinois

    Total Score: 38.46

    Military Engagement: 39

    Civic Engagement: 22

  • 33. Nevada

    Total Score: 38.29

    Military Engagement: 15

    Civic Engagement: 45

  • 34. Wisconsin

    Total Score: 37.43

    Military Engagement: 42

    Civic Engagement: 21

  • 35. Kentucky

    Total Score: 36.98

    Military Engagement: 21

    Civic Engagement: 43

  • 36. California

    Total Score: 36.61

    Military Engagement: 31

    Civic Engagement: 38

  • 37. Michigan

    Total Score: 36.05

    Military Engagement: 46

    Civic Engagement: 25

  • 38. New Jersey

    Total Score: 35.99

    Military Engagement: 48

    Civic Engagement: 19

  • 39. Tennessee

    Total Score: 35.92

    Military Engagement: 30

    Civic Engagement: 39

  • 40. West Virginia

    Total Score: 35.44

    Military Engagement: 34

    Civic Engagement: 36

  • 41. Louisiana

    Flag of the United States at LSU campus

    Flag of the United States at the Parade Ground at Louisiana State University. (Roberto Michel / Getty Images)

    Total Score: 35.15

    Military Engagement: 27

    Civic Engagement: 44

  • 42. Pennsylvania

    Total Score: 34.80

    Military Engagement: 44

    Civic Engagement: 31

  • 43. Alabama

    Total Score: 34.67

    Military Engagement: 11

    Civic Engagement: 48

  • 44. Indiana

    Total Score: 34.43

    Military Engagement: 35

    Civic Engagement: 40

  • 45. Connecticut

    Total Score: 34.10

    Military Engagement: 45

    Civic Engagement: 33

  • 46. Massachusetts

    Total Score: 32.67

    Military Engagement: 50

    Civic Engagement: 28

  • 47. Florida

    Total Score: 32.13

    Military Engagement: 19

    Civic Engagement: 49

  • 48. Rhode Island

    Total Score: 31.78

    Military Engagement: 40

    Civic Engagement: 42

  • 49. New York

    Total Score: 30.95

    Military Engagement: 49

    Civic Engagement: 35

  • 50. Arkansas

    Total Score: 28.62

    Military Engagement: 29

    Civic Engagement: 50

  • Methodology

    To determine the most patriotic states, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key dimensions, “Military Engagement” and “Civic Engagement.”

    We evaluated those dimensions using 13 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest level of patriotism.

    Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the states.

    Military Engagement – Total Points: 25

    • Average Military Enlistees per 1,000 Civilian Adults Between 2014 & 2019 (No Prior Service): Triple Weight (~10.71 Points)
    • Veterans per 1,000 Civilian Adults: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
    • Active-Duty Military Personnel per 100,000 Civilian Adults: Double Weight (~7.14 Points)
    • Share of Civilian Adult Population in Military Reserves: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)

    Civic Engagement – Total Points: 75

    • Share of Adults Who Voted in 2020 Presidential Election: Double Weight (~16.67 Points)
    • Share of Adults Who Voted in 2020 Primary Elections: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
    • Volunteer Rate: Half Weight (~4.17 Points)
    • Volunteer Hours per Resident: Half Weight (~4.17 Points)
    • AmeriCorps Volunteers per Capita: Half Weight (~4.17 Points)
    • Peace Corps Volunteers per Capita: Half Weight (~4.17 Points)
    • Trial- & Grand-Jury Participation per Civilian Adult Population: Double Weight (~16.67 Points)
    • Share of Residents Who Participate in Groups or Organizations (Civic Life): Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
    • U.S. History/Civics Education Requirement: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)

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