A personal finance company recently set out to determine the most “sinful” states in 2025 — and the results show a mix of red and blue states.
In a study published on Feb. 24, WalletHub wrote that Republicans and Democrats “may like to point to one another as the source of all that is wrong with the U.S., but the truth is that each of the 50 states has its own virtues and vices.”
Analysts compared 54 key indicators of immoral behavior across all 50 states, including internet browsing history, violent crimes per capita, alcohol use and gambling.
Here’s the list of least-to-most sinful states, according to WalletHub:
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50. Idaho
49. New Hampshire
48. Vermont
47. Utah
46. Wyoming
45. Maine
44. Hawaii
43. North Dakota
42. Iowa
41. Nebraska
40. Minnesota
39. South Dakota
38. Wisconsin
37. Connecticut
36. Massachusetts
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35. Kentucky
34. Alaska
33. Montana
32. Indiana
31. Rhode Island
30. Kansas
29. West Virginia
28. Oregon
27. Maryland
26. Virginia
25. Arkansas
24. Missouri
23. New Mexico
22. Michigan
21. Washington
20. Alabama
19. Colorado
18. Ohio
17. Delaware
16. North Carolina
15. New Jersey
14. Mississippi
13. Oklahoma
12. Illinois
11. New York
10. Georgia
9. South Carolina
8. Pennsylvania
7. Arizona
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6. Tennessee
5. Texas
4. Louisiana
3. Florida
2. California
1. Nevada
Nevada’s spot in first place is unsurprising to most, considering Las Vegas’ reputation as “Sin City.”
But WalletHub said that gambling and lust are not the only sins associated with the state, but gluttony as well.
“The state also has the most prostitution arrests in the U.S. and the second-highest number of fast food restaurants, showing that lust and gluttony both have a hold,” the study said.
“Sadly, Nevada’s pre-occupation with its vices leaves little room for altruism, as the state has the second-lowest volunteer rate in the country. The state also suffers from the second-highest rate of disconnected youth (young people who are not in school or working),” WalletHub added.
California, meanwhile, was placed in second due to having “the third-most mass shootings and the most elder abuse complaints,” according to the report. Hollywood’s connection to vanity also contributed to the ranking.
“It also has the third-highest rate of bullying on school property, and a very high number of aggravated assault arrests per capita,” the study found. “It’s clear that residents’ biggest sins include anger and hatred.”
Florida was placed in third due to the prevalence of white-collar crimes in the Sunshine State, as well as its residents ranking highly for “sinful” Internet searches.
“Greed rears its ugly head in the state, as it ranks second when it comes to the number of identity theft and fraud complaints per capita,” WalletHub said. “Violent crimes fueled by anger and hatred are also a problem, as Florida has the fifth-highest number of mass shootings.”
“In addition, many Floridians show lust in their online habits. Sunshine State residents rank fourth overall in searching Google for terms related to adultery, prostitution, and pornography,” the study added. “Florida ranks high for vanity-related Google searches for terms such as liposuction and breast augmentation, too.”
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted that, while individuals’ negative behavior “may only affect a few people, when these behaviors are exhibited by a high share of a state’s population, the majority of the state’s residents suffer as a result.”
“States should invest in resources to help people curb vices, such as robust rehabilitation programs for people with gambling and drug addictions,” Lupo suggested.
Read WalletHub’s full study by clicking here.
