How Free Is Your State?

Alliance Defense Fund ^ | March 2, 2009

[Sopater]

Jonathan Adler writes at the Volokh Conspiracy: “New Hampshire’s state motto is ‘Live Free or Die.’ But is New Hampshire the most free place to live in the United States? Apparently it is, according to a new study, Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom, just released by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.”

Pages 19 and 21 of the report offer graphic summaries of the study’s conclusions.

TABLE V: Overall Freedom Ranking 1. New Hampshire 0.432 2. Colorado 0.421 3. South Dakota 0.392 4. Idaho 0.356 5. Texas 0.346 6. Missouri 0.320 7. Tennessee 0.284 8. Arizona 0.279 9. Virginia 0.275 10. North Dakota 0.268 11. Utah 0.250 12. Kansas 0.210 13. Indiana 0.208 14. Michigan 0.206 15. Wyoming 0.193 16. Iowa 0.183 17. Georgia 0.146 18. Oklahoma 0.143 19. Montana 0.125 20. Pennsylvania 0.102 21. Alabama 0.092 22. Florida 0.068 23. North Carolina 0.019 24. Nevada 0.013 25. Mississippi -0.004 26. Delaware -0.008 27. Oregon -0.009 28. Nebraska -0.018 29. Arkansas -0.023 30. South Carolina -0.040 31. Alaska -0.071 32. Kentucky -0.082 33. West Virginia -0.097 34. Louisiana -0.110 35. Minnesota -0.111 36. New Mexico -0.150 37. Wisconsin -0.199 38. Ohio -0.205 39. Maine -0.214 40. Vermont -0.217 41. Connecticut -0.225 42. Illinois -0.238 43. Massachusetts -0.242 44. Washington -0.275 45. Hawaii -0.304 46. Maryland -0.405 47. California -0.413 48. Rhode Island -0.430 49. New Jersey -0.457 50. New York -0.784

[Sopater]

Wisconsin is a pathetic #37.

[Sopater]

Here's a better format for the list:

TABLE V: Overall Freedom Ranking
1. New Hampshire 0.432
2. Colorado 0.421
3. South Dakota 0.392
4. Idaho 0.356
5. Texas 0.346
6. Missouri 0.320
7. Tennessee 0.284
8. Arizona 0.279
9. Virginia 0.275
10. North Dakota 0.268
11. Utah 0.250
12. Kansas 0.210
13. Indiana 0.208
14. Michigan 0.206
15. Wyoming 0.193
16. Iowa 0.183
17. Georgia 0.146
18. Oklahoma 0.143
19. Montana 0.125
20. Pennsylvania 0.102
21. Alabama 0.092
22. Florida 0.068
23. North Carolina 0.019
24. Nevada 0.013
25. Mississippi -0.004
26. Delaware -0.008
27. Oregon -0.009
28. Nebraska -0.018
29. Arkansas -0.023
30. South Carolina -0.040
31. Alaska -0.071
32. Kentucky -0.082
33. West Virginia -0.097
34. Louisiana -0.110
35. Minnesota -0.111
36. New Mexico -0.150
37. Wisconsin -0.199
38. Ohio -0.205
39. Maine -0.214
40. Vermont -0.217
41. Connecticut -0.225
42. Illinois -0.238
43. Massachusetts -0.242
44. Washington -0.275
45. Hawaii -0.304
46. Maryland -0.405
47. California -0.413
48. Rhode Island -0.430
49. New Jersey -0.457
50. New York -0.784

[Crimson Elephant]

Pennsylvania over Alabama? I find that difficult to believe.

[untenured]

I wonder if this ranking has any correlation with that of per capita receipt of funds from the new stimulus bill.

[Crimson Elephant]

and PA over South Carolina? Hmm....

[KansasGirl]

I wonder how the “freedom” number is determined. For instance, do very lax abortion laws (like what we have in KS since Sebelius has vetoed any and all restrictions to protect her buddy George Tiller) make you higher on the list? In KS we have very little economic freedom, as we are taxed for everything under the sun and have quite a hefty tax burden. #15 in the nation, I believe.

[coloradan]

Yay! We’re #2! We’re #2!

But I’m sure our ‘rat legislature, governor, and federal reps will help us race to the bottom, now that a lot of Californians have left their sinking ship and now vote in ways to sink ours.

[Islander7]

Florida over Mississippi? No way. You can’t take a pee in Florida with a dozen permits.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

One of the major indicators, IMO, is mandatory car insurance.

[Ransomed]

I seem to recall PA doesn’t have a sales tax on certain things? Still doesn’t seem like they could beat out SC.

Freegards

[edcoil]

California is 47 - Nice Arnold. Keeping the Davis and Gov. Moombeam tradition.

Course, despite massive spending it still beats our educational ranking.

[cripplecreek]

Michigan is higher than I expected but I’m not sure how they arrive at the rating. There are some good things here that I see as a sign of freedom that liberals might see otherwise.

Decent concealed carry laws.

Banned gay marriage.

Banned affirmative action.

Those good things came about through statewide referendum type votes. That in itself is good.

[Mr. Mojo]

40. Vermont -0.217

Apparently CCW laws weren't among the criteria.

[ronnyquest]

Colorado over Texas and Missouri? What the...

[Mr. Blonde]

There are states without mandatory car insurance?

[mad_as_he$$]

Read the definitions and State by Sate analysis. Some very odd things they consider personal freedoms.

[mountn man]

As a part time Michiganer I’m kinda surprised at the high ranking. I’m even more surprised that Illinois rated as high as it did. I would have figured in the bottom 3 no better than bottom 5.

[cripplecreek]

No sales tax on (unprepared) food here in Michigan. That helps some.

[Andonius_99]

WOO-HOO! CT’s in the negative! /s

[astyanax]

fyi:
The full report has 4 tables ranking states by Fiscal Policy, Regulatory Policy, Economic Freedom and Personal Freedom (pages 11 and 12,)while the Overall Freedom Ranking is page 19.
Individual state profiles start on page 27.
Issue category weight is page 48. Breaks down to 1/4 fiscal policy, 1/4 regulatory policy and 1/2 paternalism.
(Mr.Mojo, gun control is 1/15.)
Lots of interesting info!