State rankings

Most Libertarian States

New Hampshire has the highest Overall Freedom Score in 2023 (0.71), followed by Florida (0.57) and South Dakota (0.52). New York has the lowest (-0.77).

Politics & Government50 states · 6 metricsUpdated Apr 26, 2025Original page
3 sources
Year 202350 of 51 states
Compare this metricAdd to combined rankingOpen full map

Overall Freedom Score, 2023

Darker green is better (higher is better). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 50 ranked

Best first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median
0.12
Middle half -0.01 – 0.24
Average
0.08
50 states
Highest
0.71
New Hampshire
Lowest
-0.77
New York

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

50 states · # = rank by Overall Freedom Score
#
1New Hampshire0.711stDemocrat4th2nd17th
2Florida0.572ndRepublican22nd1st23rd
3South Dakota0.523rdRepublican21st3rd3rd
4Nevada0.514thRepublican1st6th26th
5Arizona0.445thRepublican2nd10th21st
6Tennessee0.386thRepublican41st4th19th
7Michigan0.317thRepublican19th11th12th
8Missouri0.38thRepublican8th8th30th
9Georgia0.289thRepublican38th9th11th
10Indiana0.2710thRepublican23rd21st8th
11North Dakota0.2611thRepublican31st12th10th
12Virginia0.2412thDemocrat12th25th18th
12Wisconsin0.2413thRepublican28th23rd9th
14Idaho0.2314thRepublican49th14th5th
14Alaska0.2315thRepublican17th15th25th
14Wyoming0.2316thRepublican48th13th6th
17Texas0.2217thRepublican50th7th20th
18Pennsylvania0.218thRepublican34th5th37th
18Colorado0.219thDemocrat24th17th28th
20Montana0.1920thRepublican7th19th35th
21Ohio0.1621stRepublican29th16th31st
21Utah0.1622ndRepublican26th33rd7th
23Oklahoma0.1523rdRepublican21st24th27th
24North Carolina0.1424thRepublican33rd27th24th
25Massachusetts0.1226thDemocrat9th18th39th
25Kansas0.1225thRepublican37th38th1st
27Kentucky0.1128thRepublican47th29th13th
27Arkansas0.1127thRepublican44th30th14th
29South Carolina0.0829thRepublican46th32nd16th
29Alabama0.0830thRepublican42nd31st22nd
29Louisiana0.0831stRepublican36th26th32nd
32Connecticut0.0733rdDemocrat16th20th40th
32Iowa0.0734thRepublican25th43rd2nd
32West Virginia0.0732ndRepublican10th37th29th
35New Mexico0.0435thDemocrat5th39th36th
36Washington0.0137thDemocrat13th28th41st
36Rhode Island0.0136thDemocrat15th22nd42nd
38Nebraska-0.0238thRepublican40th45th4th
39Illinois-0.0539thDemocrat18th36th38th
39Mississippi-0.0540thRepublican45th42nd15th
41Minnesota-0.0641stDemocrat20th40th34th
42Vermont-0.1942ndDemocrat6th46th43rd
43Maine-0.243rdDemocrat3rd41st45th
44Delaware-0.2344thDemocrat43rd47th33rd
45Maryland-0.3445thDemocrat27th35th47th
46Oregon-0.446thDemocrat14th44th46th
47New Jersey-0.4247thDemocrat35th34th50th
48California-0.5848thDemocrat11th48th49th
49Hawaii-0.7249thDemocrat39th50th44th
50New York-0.7750thRepublican30th49th48th

What correlates with Overall Freedom Score (2023)?

Pearson r against 2,109 other state metrics sharing at least 30 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Overall Freedom Score tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

  1. State Freedom ScoreState Powers
    r = +0.97 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  2. Freedom RankMost Free StatesA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.86 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. Individual Income Tax RankBest State To Incorporate InA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.72 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. Local Taxes RankBest States to RetireA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.71 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  5. Overall RankBest State To Incorporate InA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.70 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Fiscal Policy RankMost Free StatesA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.70 · strong · n = 50
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Overall Freedom Score tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

  1. Max RateTax Rates by State
    r = −0.79 · very strong · n = 43
    Plot
  2. Highest Income Tax BracketNo Income Tax States
    r = −0.78 · very strong · n = 42
    Plot
  3. Income Tax Maximum RateTaxes by State
    r = −0.78 · very strong · n = 42
    Plot
  4. Highest BracketIncome Tax by State
    r = −0.77 · very strong · n = 42
    Plot
  5. Local Effective Tax RateHighest Taxed States
    r = −0.76 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Capital Gains RateCapital Gains Tax by State
    r = −0.73 · very strong · n = 42
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest Overall Freedom Score?
New Hampshire has the highest Overall Freedom Score in 2023, at 0.71, followed by Florida (0.57) and South Dakota (0.52).
Which state has the lowest Overall Freedom Score?
New York has the lowest Overall Freedom Score in 2023, at -0.77.
What is the median Overall Freedom Score across US states?
The median is 0.12 across the 50 US states with data in 2023.
Where does this most libertarian states data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Freedom in the 50 States - Cato Institute; 2024 Presidential Election Results - 270 to Win; 2020 Presidential Election Results - 270 to win.