Freedom#9 of 102 · Added July 20, 2026
Freedom
Cato Institute’s Freedom in the 50 States, overall ranking
Data: Cato Institute, Freedom in the 50 States, 2023 ↗nhmaps.com/21
Cato ranked all 50 states on fiscal, regulatory, and personal freedom. New Hampshire came first. Every other New England state landed in the bottom half.
Overall freedom rank (rank of 50)
View the data (50 states)
| # | State | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | #1 |
| 2 | Florida | #2 |
| 3 | South Dakota | #3 |
| 4 | Nevada | #4 |
| 5 | Arizona | #5 |
| 6 | Tennessee | #6 |
| 7 | Michigan | #7 |
| 8 | Missouri | #8 |
| 9 | Georgia | #9 |
| 10 | Indiana | #10 |
| 11 | North Dakota | #11 |
| 12 | Virginia | #12 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | #13 |
| 14 | Idaho | #14 |
| 15 | Alaska | #15 |
| 16 | Wyoming | #16 |
| 17 | Texas | #17 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | #18 |
| 19 | Colorado | #19 |
| 20 | Montana | #20 |
| 21 | Ohio | #21 |
| 22 | Utah | #22 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | #23 |
| 24 | North Carolina | #24 |
| 25 | Kansas | #25 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | #26 |
| 27 | Arkansas | #27 |
| 28 | Kentucky | #28 |
| 29 | South Carolina | #29 |
| 30 | Alabama | #30 |
| 31 | Louisiana | #31 |
| 32 | West Virginia | #32 |
| 33 | Connecticut | #33 |
| 34 | Iowa | #34 |
| 35 | New Mexico | #35 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | #36 |
| 37 | Washington | #37 |
| 38 | Nebraska | #38 |
| 39 | Illinois | #39 |
| 40 | Mississippi | #40 |
| 41 | Minnesota | #41 |
| 42 | Vermont | #42 |
| 43 | Maine | #43 |
| 44 | Delaware | #44 |
| 45 | Maryland | #45 |
| 46 | Oregon | #46 |
| 47 | New Jersey | #47 |
| 48 | California | #48 |
| 49 | Hawaii | #49 |
| 50 | New York | #50 |