2026 Study Says Indiana is One of the Least Patriotic States in America

Indiana's Patriotism Ranking May Surprise Hoosiers

A study ranking the most patriotic states in America was recently released, and as a lifelong Hoosier, I felt several emotions when I saw that Indiana was near the bottom of the list. I was disappointed, maybe a little angry, and definitely confused. What does that ranking mean – that Hoosiers don’t love America? A deeper look into the study answered my questions and gave me a little bit of relief.

How the Study Measured a State's Patriotism

The study, conducted by WalletHub, is less about which states love America the most, but rather, which states demonstrate that love. This was determined by measuring data in two main categories:

• Military Engagement (Indiana ranked 37^th): includes average number of military enlistees, active duty, and veterans.
• Civic Engagement (Indiana ranked 38^th): includes share of adults who regularly vote, adults who volunteer, and participate in other civic duties.

Overall, Indiana ranked as the 44^th most patriotic state the country. Not our finest moment, but this doesn't mean Hoosiers are unpatriotic, and it doesn’t mean that we don’t love America. But it does suggest there's room to get more involved – whether that's showing up to vote, volunteering in the community, or simply staying engaged.

ALSO READ: See the Complete Lineup of Free Concerts at the 2026 Indiana State Fair

How Our Tri-State Neighbors Compare

Our neighbors to the east, in Illinois, scored slightly better with a #37 ranking, while the folks across the river in Kentucky just barely cracked the top 20 with a 19th-place ranking.

As for the most patriotic state in America, that honor goes to Virginia, thanks to its strong military ties and active civic involvement.

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You can check out the full report here to see how the rest of the country ranked and to take a deeper look at the results. You can also just scroll over the map below.