Which is America's most patriotic state in 2026? The top three may surprise you

Virginia secured the No. 1 spot thanks to its strong military presence and high civic participation.This image has been digitally enhanced) United States of America Flag is seen prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Qatar and Switzerland at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on June 13, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Fran Santiago/Getty Images/AFP(Getty Images via AFP)Virginia has been ranked the most patriotic state in the United States for 2026, according to a new study that measured military and civic engagement across all 50 states.The WalletHub report evaluated states using 13 metrics grouped under two broad categories—Military Engagement and Civic Engagement—including active-duty military personnel, veterans, voter turnout, volunteerism, jury service and participation in national service programmes.Virginia tops the rankingsVirginia secured the No. 1 spot thanks to its strong military presence and high civic participation.According to the study, the state has nearly 1,761 active-duty military personnel for every 100,000 civilians, the third-highest ratio in the country. It also has nearly 103 veterans per 1,000 civilians, ranking second nationwide.On the civic front, 72.9% of eligible voters in Virginia participated in the 2024 presidential election, well above the national average of 66%.The study also highlighted Virginia's strong civic education, noting that it requires a standalone civics course for high school graduation. In addition, the state ranks fifth nationally in Peace Corps volunteers per capita.Montana ranks secondMontana finished second overall, driven by high voter participation and community service.According to WalletHub, 69.2% of Montana's voting population cast ballots in the 2024 presidential election, while nearly 46% participated in the 2020 primary election, the highest primary turnout in the country.The state also ranks second nationwide for jury service and AmeriCorps volunteers per capita. More than 37% of Montana residents volunteer for community organisations, placing it among a small group of states where volunteer participation exceeds 35%.Montana also boasts nearly 101 veterans per 1,000 civilians, the fifth-highest rate in the United States.Vermont takes third placeVermont ranked third, with the study highlighting its exceptional record in volunteerism and public service.The state has the highest number of Peace Corps volunteers per capita and the highest number of AmeriCorps volunteers per capita in the country. It also recorded the second-highest overall volunteer rate.In addition, Vermont has the highest per capita jury service rate and the eighth-highest share of military reservists, reflecting strong civic and military engagement.How the rankings were calculatedWalletHub compared all 50 states using 13 indicators across two main categories:-Military Engagement, including active-duty personnel, veterans and military reserves.-Civic Engagement, including voter turnout, jury service, volunteerism, Peace Corps participation and AmeriCorps service.Each metric was scored on a 100-point scale, with higher scores indicating stronger patriotic engagement. The weighted scores were then combined to produce each state's overall ranking.