Rhode Island Is Not Very Patriotic, According to New U.S. Ranking

Rhode Island Is Not Very Patriotic, According to New U.S. Ranking

Rhode Island might have the oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration in the country with the Town of Bristol parade - but a new study says the Ocean State is not actually that patriotic. 

“Americans may feel their patriotism dampened this year in the face of societal issues like relentless high inflation and mass shootings. Many people may find it hard to celebrate a country where countless people are struggling and frequent violence persists. However, an expression of love for fellow citizens is patriotic in itself,” writes WalletHub in “Most Patriotic States in America 2025.”

“In order to determine where Americans have the most red, white and blue pride, WalletHub compared the states across 13 key indicators of patriotism. Our data set ranges from the state’s military enlistees and veterans to the share of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election to AmeriCorps volunteers per capita,” WalletHub continues. 

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

The two top criteria are “military engagement” and “civic engagement.”

Rhode Island is ranked 41st overall. 

SEE OVERALL RANKINGS BELOW

The top-ranked state according to WalletHub is Virginia; the worst-ranked is Arkansas, followed by New York. 

“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,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst.