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How Free Is Your State? The Nation's Most Libertarian States
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Jul 2009
Under the US Constitution, each state has control over many of the laws and regulations within its own borders. Consequently, laws vary widely among states, with some states allowing open containers of alcohol in vehicles and others prohibiting raw milk sales and demanding helmets for bicycle riders. How free is your home state? Find out below.
Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom, a recent paper published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University explores the idea of personal and economic freedom in each of the 50 states. The paper defines individual freedom as "the ability to dispose of one's own life, liberty, and justly acquired property however one sees fit, so long as one does not coercively infringe on another individual's ability to do the same."
States were rated on economic freedom and personal freedom. Economic freedom covers government spending and taxation, labor regulations, eminent domain, occupational licensing, etc. Personal freedom includes things like helmet and seatbelt laws, home-school regulations, gun laws, and alcohol and marijuana regulations.
According to the paper, the top five libertarian states are:
1. New Hampshire
New Hampshire scores higher on economic freedom than personal freedom, but does have the personal freedom distinction of being the only state with no seat belt law for adults and no motorcycle helmet law. While New Hampshire has the highest overall freedom score, it doesn't take top honors in either the economic (#2, behind South Dakota) or personal rankings (#13).
If there are bonus points for enthusiasm, though, NH gets them; according to the website of the Free State Project, the organization is actively recruiting "20,000 liberty-loving people" to move to the state.
2. Colorado
Colorado also ranks better on the economic freedom scale than on the personal freedom scale. Tax burdens are low and the state economy is the most decentralized in the nation. Colorado also has low "sin taxes" on alcohol and cigarettes, but loses personal freedom points by having some of the most extreme smoking bans in the country. It regains some of those lost points, however, by being one of only 12 states to decriminalize low-level marijuana possession.
It doesn't count in the rankings, but for what it's worth, Colorado is the birthplace of the Libertarian Party. It was formed on December 11, 1971 after David Nolan and several friends expressed their displeasure with President Nixon, the Vietnam War, and the Republican Party's fiscal policy.
3. South Dakota
As the third freest state, South Dakota ranks #1 in economic freedom. The state's personal freedom ranking is significantly lower at #24, although South Dakota is relatively gun-friendly and allows several kinds of gambling. It's the highly-controlled private schools and a high rate of arrests for "victimless crimes" that damage the state's personal freedom score.
4. Idaho
Idaho scores higher in personal freedom than any of the three states above at #8. Why? Idaho does not allow sobriety checkpoints, has permissive gun control laws, requires only nine years of mandated schooling, and has virtually no regulation on private and home schooling. It also scores well on economic freedom, coming in at #4.
5. Texas
Texas is the highest-scoring of the top five in personal freedom (#5), thanks to policies like low alcohol regulation, sobriety checkpoint prohibition, and broad educational freedom. Texas also ranks well on the economic freedom scale. It has one of the smallest state governments in the country and low taxes. Further, the Lone Star State is the only state not to require employers to contribute to workers' compensation coverage.
Honorable Mention
While Alaska did not make the top five, it does deserve a brief mention here. On personal freedom alone, Alaska beats out the top five and holds the #1 position, but over 25% of the state's workforce is employed by state or local government, damaging its economic freedom score.
And the Lowest Ranked?
50. New York
49. New Jersey
48. Rhode Island
47. California
46. Maryland
Most of these states share rigid gun control, high taxes, strict labor laws, and smoking bans, but are relatively liberal when it comes to same-sex unions and marijuana laws (except Rhode Island, which allows a maximum life sentence for severe marijuana-related offenses). Only New York ranks in the bottom five for both personal (#48) and economic (#50) freedom, which gives it the lowest overall score by quite a margin.
More Info:
Freedom in the 50 States: an Index of Personal and Economic Freedom, George Mason University Mercatus Center. Jason Sorens and William P Ruger. 2009.
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Comments
Submitted by on Mar 24, 2011 - 8:10PM
I wass courious where Ohio and Florida rank, but I'd really like to know the rankings of all the states.
Submitted by on Apr 18, 2011 - 11:24AM
It's no secret to the well-educated and liberty-oriented among us that so-called liberal New York is the most oppressive state in the union.
Submitted by on Jun 15, 2011 - 9:26PM
I was born and raised in Western New York State, near the Canadian border in a Buffalo suburb. I went into the U.S. Army right out of high school at age 18 and, after my 2 year Army hitch, never returned to New York except to visit my parents. I have lived blissfully in Tennessee and South Carolina. They thought I was a d%#$@&* yankee interloper intruder because of my accent at first, but my southern brothers have accepted me over time. God Bless Tennessee. No income tax. No oppressive laws. No regressive taxation. No forfeiture of liberty. God Bless freedom.
Submitted by on Aug 12, 2011 - 9:23AM
Larry, I live in Orchard Park and often feel like a little libertarian island. I love western New York and the people here, but Good Lord, Big Brother is here!!! I'm glad you've found a level of freedom that suits you!
Submitted by on Nov 4, 2011 - 11:52PM
This is very helpful and considerate, but the rest of the states were left out,leaving the provided reference incomplete.
Submitted by on Nov 7, 2011 - 1:08PM
The full list referenced in this article is available at the link above. You can also see the 2011 list of state freedom rankings here: http://mercatus.org/freedom-50-states-2011.
Submitted by on Jan 23, 2012 - 12:13PM
Texas became a lot less free when governor Rick Perry signed house bill 1451 into law regulating owners of intact dogs and cats. Yes, if you wish to breed purebred dogs in Texas you must pay for and apply for a permit. Among the oppressive criteria: background checks for anyone who had contact with your pets. Unannounced inspections of your homes (anywhere animals or documents relating to animals, i.e., registration papers, sales receipts, etc.. are known or suspected to be kept), and a minimum of U.S.D.A. requirements. Know anyone with a drain in their living room floor? The "animal rights" lobbyists scored their biggest victory yet. Way to go Perry. Way to go Texas. God help us.
Submitted by on Mar 26, 2012 - 3:05PM
Your facts listed above are totally wrong. For example, New Hampshire is controlled by a very corrupt State and Local Government, with a "Good Old Boy" court system, which will constantly deprive individual's and landowner's of their Constitutional property rights.
If your an outsider and you purchase land in New Hampshire, be prepared for an expensive legal battle.
Once you're tired up in the corrupt NH legal system, they will drag their feet, and your costs will go up.
Don't expect your rights to be given freely, as you will have to fight for them, and then you will see NH is one of the most abusive States to own property or live in.
You have been warned, so don't say I did not warn you.
Spend your money in any other State, you will be better off in the long run.
Submitted by on May 12, 2012 - 9:57PM
You've gotta be kidding me "but are relatively liberal when it comes to same-sex unions and marijuana laws." What a direct contradiction to the title of this article.
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