Here are the 50 legislatures ranked from most to least conservative (2024)

A new report from the Center for Legislative Accountability (CLA) has ranked all 50 states from most to least conservative, with Alabama leading as the most conservative state in the U.S. and Massachusetts as the least conservative.

The rankings from CLA, a project of the Conservative Political Action Committee and the American Conservative Union, are based on the conservative voting records of lawmakers across 186 policy categories in 2021.

For example, Alabama lawmakers voted last year with a conservative position at the highest rate, or 74 percent of the time. Massachusetts lawmakers voted with the conservative position just 15 percent of the time, the lowest rate.

Overall, the nation has grown more polarized, according to the CLA finding.

The 3,906 Republican state lawmakers in the U.S. voted conservative 80.8 percent of the time in 2021, up from 76.4 percent in 2020.

The 3,223 Democratic state lawmakers voted conservative 15.9 percent of the time, down from 18.7 percent in 2020.

Here are the states ranked from most to least conservative.

Top 25 most conservative

  1. Alabama
  2. Tennessee
  3. Indiana
  4. South Dakota
  5. Arkansas
  6. Florida
  7. Idaho
  8. Wyoming
  9. Iowa
  10. West Virginia
  11. Oklahoma
  12. Ohio
  13. Mississippi
  14. Kentucky
  15. North Carolina
  16. Georgia
  17. North Dakota
  18. Kansas
  19. Utah
  20. Louisiana
  21. Missouri
  22. Nebraska
  23. Wisconsin
  24. Montana
  25. Michigan

Top 25 least conservative

  1. Massachusetts
  2. Hawaii
  3. Rhode Island
  4. California
  5. Maryland
  6. Vermont
  7. New York
  8. New Jersey
  9. Connecticut
  10. Oregon
  11. Nevada
  12. Colorado
  13. Delaware
  14. New Mexico
  15. Illinois
  16. Washington
  17. Maine
  18. Minnesota
  19. Virginia
  20. Alaska
  21. New Hampshire
  22. Arizona
  23. Pennsylvania
  24. South Carolina
  25. Texas

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Here are the 50 legislatures ranked from most to least conservative (2024)

FAQs

Which states are the least conservative? ›

Top 25 least conservative
  • Massachusetts.
  • Hawaii.
  • Rhode Island.
  • California.
  • Maryland.
  • Vermont.
  • New York.
  • New Jersey.
Dec 6, 2022

Which US states are most conservative? ›

Wyoming is the most Republican state in the U.S.. 67% of residents in Wyoming identify as Republican or Republican-leaning. Wyoming has low taxes across the board, including no state income tax.

What's the most conservative city in America? ›

The most conservative city in the USA is Jackson. Located in Mississippi's southwestern region, this capital city is home to a voting population of roughly 150,000 people. Of the area's voters, roughly 72% identify as Conservative, and the 2020 Presidential Election poll results reflect this leaning.

What countries are conservative? ›

Introduction
#CountryLiberal Democracy Index
1Eritrea0.01
2North Korea0.02
3Afghanistan0.02
4Yemen0.03
146 more rows

Is Texas a conservative state? ›

Texas is a majority Republican state with Republicans controlling every statewide office. Texas Republicans have majorities in the State House and Senate, an entirely Republican Texas Supreme Court, control of both Senate seats in the US Congress. Texas is America's most-populous Republican state.

Is New York a conservative state? ›

New York State has voted Democratic in national elections since 1988. However, New York City has been the most important source of political fund-raising in the United States for both major parties.

What is the most liberal state? ›

Most Liberal States [Updated April 2023]
  1. Massachusetts. Massachusetts is the most liberal state in the U.S., with 35% of voters identifying as liberal. ...
  2. Hawaii. Hawaii is the second-most liberal state in the United States. ...
  3. Rhode Island. ...
  4. California. ...
  5. New York. ...
  6. Vermont. ...
  7. Maryland. ...
  8. New Jersey.

What is the most Republican leaning state? ›

Based on the latest CPVI data, Wyoming is the most Republican state in the nation. Following behind is West Virginia, then North Dakota takes third place.

What state is most Republican? ›

However, it is important to note that Washington D.C. (while not a state) has 3 electoral votes and 76% of residents identify as Democrats, while 6% identify as Republicans. Wyoming was the most Republican state, with 59% of residents identifying as Republican, and only 25% of residents identifying as Democratic.

What is the most liberal city in the world? ›

Amsterdam: A History of the World's Most Liberal City (Hardcover)

What is the best liberal city to live in? ›

  • #8. Bluemont, Virginia. ...
  • #7. Mid-City, California. ...
  • #6. University South, California. ...
  • #5. Great Neck Gardens, New York. ...
  • #4. Brookline, Massachusetts. - Population: 59,223. ...
  • #3. Ocean Park, California. - Population: 12,072. ...
  • #2. Radnor/Fort Myer Heights, Virginia. - Population: 11,927. ...
  • #1. Ardmore, Pennsylvania. - Population: 13,567.
Nov 21, 2022

How much of us is conservative? ›

As of 2021, over one-third of the American public self-identifies as conservative.

What is the most free country in the world? ›

2022 rankings

In the 2022 index, New Zealand is ranked most free overall, while North Korea is last. Hong Kong was ranked most free in economic liberty, while Norway was ranked most free in the social liberty category.

Where is the best country to live? ›

  • Sweden. #1 in Quality of Life. #5 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Denmark. #2 in Quality of Life. #10 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Canada. #3 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Switzerland. #4 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Norway. #5 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Finland. #6 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Germany. #7 in Quality of Life. ...
  • Netherlands. #8 in Quality of Life.

Which countries are liberal? ›

A liberal democracy may take various and mixed constitutional forms: it may be a constitutional monarchy (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Japan, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom) or a republic (France, India, Ireland, the United States).

What is the most Democratic state? ›

Most Democratic States
  1. Hawaii. With a PVI of D+18, Hawaii is the most democratic state in the United States. ...
  2. Vermont. Vermont is the second-most Democratic state in the U.S. with a PVI of D+15. ...
  3. California. ...
  4. Maryland. ...
  5. Massachusetts. ...
  6. New York. ...
  7. Rhode Island. ...
  8. Illinois.

Is California a conservative state? ›

Beginning with the 1992 presidential election, California has become increasingly Democratic. The state has voted Democratic in every presidential election since then, usually by lopsided margins, and starting in 2008, Democrats have consistently gotten at least 60% of the vote.

Is Pennsylvania a conservative state? ›

On the state level, Pennsylvania has been a traditionally liberal Republican state, with a dominant state Republican Party that is much more oriented towards social spending than more conservative state Republican Parties in other regions of the United States.

Is Georgia a liberal state? ›

However, the state of Georgia does currently continue to maintain a Republican lean, with Republicans controlling every statewide office sans its Senate seats, having Republican majorities in the State House and Senate, as well as a complete Republican pick on the Georgia Supreme Court, and a PVI rating of R+3.

Is New Jersey a liberal state? ›

Since 1992, New Jersey has voted for Democrats in every presidential election. Bill Clinton won a plurality of New Jersey's popular vote that year, and a majority of New Jersey's popular vote in 1996.

Is Ohio a liberal state? ›

Republicans outnumber Democrats in Ohio government. The governor, Mike DeWine, is a Republican, as are all other non-judicial statewide elected officials: Lieutenant Governor of Ohio Jon A.

What's the most liberal town in America? ›

1. Washington D.C. The most liberal city in the United States is Washington, D.C., the nation's proud capital city. Located in the District of Columbia, this area is home to roughly 670,000 people and is often viewed as its state as opposed to a traditional city.

What is the bluest state? ›

Here are the 10 "Bluest" states by PVI:
  • Vermont - D+16.
  • Massachusetts - D+15.
  • Maryland - D+14.
  • Hawaii - D+14.
  • California - D+13.
  • New York - D+10.
  • Washington - D+8.
  • Rhode Island - D+8.

Is Oregon red or blue? ›

Like many other U.S. states, the politics of Oregon largely concerns regional issues. Oregon leans Democratic as a state, with both U.S. senators from the Democratic party, as well as four out of Oregon's six U.S. Representatives. The Democratic candidate for president has won in Oregon in every election since 1988.

What are Republican swing states? ›

In past electoral results, Republican candidates would have expected to easily win most of the mountain states and Great Plains, such as Idaho, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Montana, Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, most of the South, including Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and South ...

Which political party is strongest in USA? ›

Since the 1850s, the two largest political parties have been the Democratic Party and the Republican Party—which together have won every United States presidential election since 1852 and controlled the United States Congress since at least 1856.

Which states are swing states? ›

These states include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. All five of these states have governorship elections in the 2022 midterms.

Is Alabama red or blue? ›

The state has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1980, and Democrats have not seriously contested the state since.

Is Arizona a blue or red state? ›

Inversely, Georgia and Arizona had supported Republican presidential candidates for decades before 2020 - Georgia last voting blue in 1992 and Arizona 1996. This suggests that Georgia and Arizona are gradually becoming bluer.

How many states are currently Republican? ›

As of January 18, 2023, there are 26 states with Republican governors and 24 states with Democratic governors. Additionally, four U.S. territories have Democratic governors, while one has an independent governor.

Is Atlanta a red or blue city? ›

Politics can be a touchy subject in Atlanta, a city long known as a blue dot in a solidly red state. It can be so touchy that some people don't even want to talk about it, which can make it difficult to figure out just how blue the city is compared to the rest of the country.

What do most liberals believe in? ›

The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the separation of church and state, the right to due process and equality under the law are widely accepted as a common foundation of liberalism.

What is voted most recognized city in America? ›

1. New York City. The Big Apple is easily the most famous city in the US.

What is the calmest city? ›

Coming in first place is Bergen, Norway, ranked highly for its very low levels of traffic congestion (13%), low levels of light and noise pollution (25), and a high average life expectancy of 83 years.

What is the cheapest liberal town? ›

Oberlin College

The most affordable liberal college town is Oberlin, Ohio. Home to Oberlin College since 1833, Oberlin is an energetic and politically active place well known for its Progressive student population.

Do people get more conservative as they age? ›

Folk wisdom has long held that people become more politically conservative as they grow older, although several empirical studies suggest political attitudes are stable across time.

What percent of Democrats are conservative? ›

In 2019, the Pew Research Center found that 14% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters identify as conservative or very conservative, 38% identify as moderate, and 47% identify as liberal or very liberal.

What do Democrats believe in? ›

From workers' rights to protecting the environment, equal pay to fighting the special interests, Democrats believe we can and should make life better for families across our nation. fairness, justice, and equality for all by standing up for all middle-class Americans and those struggling to get there.

Where does the US rank in education? ›

Download Table Data
CountryRank (2021)Rank (2020)
United States11
United Kingdom22
Germany34
Canada43
73 more rows

What country has the best human rights? ›

Switzerland

Where is America ranked in freedom? ›

Highest ranking in personal freedoms were Sweden (9.45) and the Netherlands (9.28). In 2020, United States has dropped to rank 17 according to The Human Freedom Index. The Freedom Index does not measure democracy, but it does measure freedom of speech and media, press killings, political imprisonment, etc.

What country are Americans moving to? ›

As per the Association of American Residents Overseas (AARO), around 40% of US citizens are moving to the western hemisphere — Canada, Central and South America. 26% of Americans are moving to EU countries and around 14% of people are moving to East Asia and the Middle East.

What's the cheapest country to live in? ›

Pakistan tops the list of the cheapest countries in the world, with a cost of living index of $294. Sri Lanka and Nepal come in second and third on the list, with cost of living indexes of $316 and $385 respectively. Several African countries also feature on the list of the cheapest countries in the world.

What country is the cleanest? ›

Finland ranks first in the world for Environmental Health (99.3) and Air Quality (98.8). Its Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is 78.9.

Which country is the most open minded? ›

Introduction
#CountryLiberal Democracy Index
1Sweden0.88
2Denmark0.88
3Norway0.86
4Costa Rica0.85
87 more rows

How much of us is liberal? ›

The percentage conservative was 31% in 1994 and, after rising to 35% in most years between 2009 and 2013, it has declined back to the 30% level in 2021. The percentage liberal has been fairly steady in a range from 18% to 24%, including 20% in 2021.

What is the most progressive country in the world? ›

Norway: 128 points

Scandinavian countries dominate the top of the table, starting with Norway's liberal paradise. This will surprise very few people with their finger on the pulse – after all, Norway has been a pioneer of progress for decades. Back in 1942, US President Franklin D.

Which state is most Republican? ›

However, it is important to note that Washington D.C. (while not a state) has 3 electoral votes and 76% of residents identify as Democrats, while 6% identify as Republicans. Wyoming was the most Republican state, with 59% of residents identifying as Republican, and only 25% of residents identifying as Democratic.

What is the biggest Republican state in America? ›

Based on the latest CPVI data, Wyoming is the most Republican state in the nation. Following behind is West Virginia, then North Dakota takes third place.

What is a conservative red state? ›

Given the general nature and common perception of the two parties, "red state" implies a conservative region or a more conservative American, and "blue state" implies a more liberal region or a more liberal American.

Is Texas a red or blue state? ›

A gradual trend towards increasing social liberalism in the Democratic Party, however, has turned the state (apart from Hispanic South Texas, the Trans-Pecos, and several large cities) into generally a Republican stronghold. Since 1980, Texas has voted for the Republican nominee in every presidential election.

Which party is bigger Democrats or Republicans? ›

U.S. Political Party Identification, 1988-2022

In 2022, 41% of U.S. adults identified as independents, 28% as Republicans and 28% as Democrats. More Americans usually identify as Democrats than as Republicans.

Is Montana a red state? ›

Montana has been reliably Republican in recent presidential elections, having voted for only two Democrats since 1952.

Can a conservative be a Republican? ›

Conservative and Christian media organizations, along with American conservative figures, are influential, and American conservatism is one of the majority political ideologies within the Republican Party.

How conservative is each state? ›

Political ideology by state (2014) Switch to: State by political ideology
StateConservativeModerate
Arkansas42%38%
California31%34%
Colorado33%34%
Connecticut33%36%
47 more rows

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