The Most ‘Free’ States In The Country

ByKen J. Last Updated
51 Comments

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We’ve posted before on the top conservative and liberal cities in the United States, the lowest to highest taxes by state, and even polled you for the most pro and anti constitution states, now we ask the question – how free is your state?

Different people value aspects of freedom differently, however I recently came across this rank ordered list of states from the Mercatus Center – George Mason University.

The overall ranking is a combination of freedoms from categories including fiscal, regulatory, personal, economic, liability, property rights, tax burden, and many more.

The top five most free states (according to their weighting methodology)
North and South Dakota, Tennessee, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma.

The least free states (according to their weighting methodology)
Rhode Island, Hawaii, New Jersey, California, and New York.


 
1. North Dakota
2. South Dakota
3. Tennessee
4. New Hampshire
5. Oklahoma
6. Idaho
7. Missouri
8. Virginia
9. Georgia
10. Utah
11. Arizona
12. Montana
13. Alaska
14. Texas
15. South Carolina
16. Indiana
17. Delaware
18. Alabama
19. Colorado
20. Nevada
21. New Mexico
22. Nebraska
23. Florida
24. North Carolina
25. Iowa
26. Kansas
27. Kentucky
28. Oregon
29. Washington
30. Massachusetts
31. Pennsylvania
32. Arkansas
33. Ohio
34. Minnesota
35. Michigan
36. Wyoming
37. Louisiana
38. Wisconsin
39. Maine
40. Connecticut
41. Mississippi
42. West Virginia
43. Vermont
44. Maryland
45. Illinois
46. Rhode Island
47. Hawaii
48. New Jersey
49. California
50. New York

 
What do you think about this list? Does it seem reasonable based on your notions of freedom coupled with your experiences or knowledge of these locations?

If you were unshackled, where would be your preferred destination for freedom?

51 Comments

  1. I believe that my state , Mississippi , is more free than what is portrayed on your list I would even place it within the top ten . Be prepared and ready . Keep your powder dry.

    1. Food for thought!!! Freedom has become an illusion in America. Originally it was based on the Constitution. Research this one: If the FBI knows just about everything about every citizen, then why did they do NOTHING about Obama not being eligible as a candidate for President during the first campaign?? Every agency of the Federal government is influenced politically!!! Almost every member of Congress has been bought and paid for through the money that pays for their campaign, PERIOD!!!!! Tort reform will never be passed because most members of Congress are lawyers and those that are not had most of the money for the campaigns coming from lawyers!!!! ITS TIME FOR CHANGE BACK TO THE VALUES of the Constitution!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tyranny is upon us and it will get VERY worse SOON if we allow it to!!!!!

      1. It’s all rigged. There will be no tort reform. Term limits won’t happen. Smaller government won’t happen. It’s too late. Too many asshats. Too many takers. Too much debt. Too much corruption. No more ethics. No more constitution. Too big police state. Too big to fail. Too many banksters. Too many lobbyists. Government media cahoots. Sheeple people. Demicans. Republicrats. White shoe boys. Dancing with the stars. Dumbed down education. Useful idiots. Career politicians. Fleecing the system. Debt slaves. Regulations. Overreach. NSA. Spying. Presumed guilty. It’s all a racket. Too far gone.

        1. I and MANY others will not give up. I will Not be defeated without a fight. Were our fore fathers defeatist in the 1700’s. Did they just give up over the fact that the odd’s were against them? Sounds as if I may have uncovered a Govt Paid Troll!!!!!!!

        2. I should have added (sarcasm) at the end of my comment. I was venting. I actually agree with you, and have not given up in any way. The situation is incredibly frustrating though. It is a relentless attack that is never ending. The sad thing is that hardly anyone knows this battle is waging (except for some people who get their information other than the TV).

        3. First REMEMBER ALL WE HAVE TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF!!!!!! Individually we may fail, BUT organized and banned together WE THE PEOPLE who DEMAND TRUE FREEDOM SHALL ATTAIN IT!!!!!! Be Smart about communicating with one another. Have multiple caches. Have a plan when things start happening. Remember the troops sent to control us may have had practice in other countries already and they may not respect our rights and they may not be very nice. DON”T BE CAUGHT UNPREPARED!!!! Anticipate their tools used to control us!! How many have a full face respirator? If so have you worn it at the range??

        1. Ok look at what happened at Cliven Bundy’s ranch when there was an influx of Patriots to help protect the citizens , since it made nationwide coverage by the alternative media , and some coverage by Fox News , the BLM and other law enforcement agencies backed down , that is not to say that they will try again to force Cliven off his ranch , but what I am getting at is if we band together we do have a chance , but in the same vein guerrilla tactics will be what helps the citizens side in the long run but if we act in concert when the SHTF we can accomplish what we have to do , which is take this nation back from the elitist’s , and instill the great Republic it once was . I am willing to join the ranks ! Be prepared and ready . Keep your powder dry .

        2. Be very careful about what groups you associate with as “Big Brother” is indeed watching.

      3. You are sadly correct. This is the reason they all hate Trump. When Americans are fully awake the jig will be up for the criminals pulling the strings of government.

      4. Reading all of these comments here, they have aged extremely well, unfortunately. Currently trying to research the most free state, NY has become unbearable, even in rural areas for anyone that loves this Country and wants nothing more than to have a piece of land, work to build something, and be left alone. If anyone reads this, suggestions? PS. I’m not rich ;)

        2. It sounds better and better all the time NRP

          but then again, in a week i most likely wont even be able to get on a plane
          Nailbanger

        6. 51B:
          Obviously you have never had a good Rattlesnake Stew. A thick slice of cornbread goes well with it. Just wash it down with a slug of Shine and you’re ready to go 😁

        7. Managed, Miss E,
          There can be found cheap land out west, but as NRP says, mostly rattlers, coyotes, and sage brush. Damn pretty mountains, but be ready for dry, dry, dry. (We look at a rainstorm as an act of defiance from mother nature.) Still, many like you have found peace out here. Just please leave any liberal politics, big city ideas back in New York.( you can keep yer accent though. Lol) try the 4 corner states, Nevada.

        8. I told my granddaughter and her husband to leave their BS politics in oregon when they leave, but they moved to Minn ( and yes they leave their politics in oregon when they left, although I can’t say the same for his father )

    2. Mississippi is one the most religious Christian states in the nation so perhaps they will be saved by the “divine power of G-d” from the hell that seems to be coming very quickly to America.

  2. HERE IN THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF NEW YORK UNDER THE COMMAND OF OUR SUPREME LEADER ADOLF CUOMO, I FULLY AGREE WITH AND COMPLETELY EXPECTED THIS ASSESSMENT. TAXES HERE ARE BY FAR THE HIGHEST, THE STATE DEBT TO GDP RATIO IS THE HIGHEST, AND NOW, AS OF YESTERDAY’S “ASSAULT WEAPON” REGISTRATION DEADLINE, ALL OF US COMRADES HERE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY “S.A.F.E.” (WWW.GOVERNOR.NY.GOV/NYSAFEACT/GUN-REFORM). HOW IRONIC THAT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IS EVEN LOCATED HERE ANYMORE. RELOCATION PLANS WERE ALREADY IN PLACE AS OF A FEW MONTHS AGO.

  3. New Jersey…. Nothing more than a Marxist run Cesspool….

    When people ask me where I live… I tell them “One Floor Above Hell”….

  4. As a NH native I have to say that the placing of this state as high as it is shows that who ever makes these things up fails to do their homework. This state is turning blue faster than the iceman naked in the ice house. Property taxes are extremely high, heating cost are skyrocketing, and your land or property is not yours to do with as you please. Building codes and regulations make home ownership almost impossible for young folks. There are “fees” for everything that involve the state. The roads here suck and so does the weather.

    1. +1. The NH motto aside, I know some parts of VT & Maine actually have less strict zoning and lower taxes. VT used to be more free. I grew up there, and know a lot of people who maintain an independent spirit, but it is a different place than it was even 20 or 30 years ago.

  5. From my view out the window, upon this once great country, I would say N.J. is by far worse than listed. If you can believe that.

    1. Got busted in New jermany for having a nj compliant wasr 10. After a year and a half, had to sell the gun and finally got back the rest of my collection. All charges were dropped, but they still kept all my ammo. Over 5000 rounds.

  7. Having lived in Tennessee for 57 years and now reside in Kentucky, I say Kentucky should be much higher on the list.
    I can’t see any difference in the states—but Ky. doesn’t tolerate the illegal Mexicans like Tennessee.

  8. I have spent the past year living in Wyoming after spending the last 6 in Maine and Connecticut. The freedom I have here is like a breath of fresh air. The whole Northeast to me was the three terrible T’s – Taxes, Tolls and Tyranny.

  10. Chris, you are correct. The liberals F up a state and then move to where it is better and bring in there ideas and try & change it to where they came from & screw up that state. If my wife would move out of CA. I would be in Idaho. However we would not be trying to change to be like CA. I assure you.

    2. Florida is quickly becoming like California. The liberal asses from up North move down here to get away from the high taxes and cold weather then want everything changed to be just like New York or Jersey. I tell these jerks “If you want all the things you left behind then move back.”

  12. The sheriffs of Colorado have always been strong Constitutional supporters and 55 out of 62 sheriffs are fighting in the courts to over turn the “feel good” gun laws passed by a democratic controlled legislature. Since those laws were passed 3 senators were booted out of office in recall elections. The first in Colorado’s history.

    Currently several counties in western Colorado are fighting the BLM over their desire to close off access to over 1,000,000 acres of public lands. The county commissioners are passing resolutions to assert their authority over public lands using RS 2477. (google it)

    I believe that in November 2014 Colorado will return to being a Red State and we will once again be among the top states.

  13. Hawaii ‘looks’ bad but in reality the ‘authorities’ here don’t enforce most of the laws and if you are wealthy then you can do anything you want.

    1. James/ Sonokar

      Hawaii is beautiful but it has a few things that are concerning, they are as follows: 1) High corruption at all levels of government 2) Expensive to live;cost of living index is the highest in the nation; expensive housing; ranked fifth highest in the nation for with an average tax burden of 10.6% income; property taxes very high;the income goes up to 11% and these is a 4% sales tax. 3) High Unemployment 4)Where will you go if their is social unrest, it is made up of Islands? 5)Majority Democrat 6) Earth quake hazard area 7) Oahu, is a prime military target as it is far from the mainland and situated so that foreign military take over or a nuclear attack, are feasible. There are also, other serious military attack threats on the Islands. See where bases are located.

  14. Living in Hawaii, currently, Maui. I feel quite free, but maybe I’m not onto your criteria. Certainly, expensive as hell, which can be ‘confining’, and Oahu roads are plugged with daily traffic, but wondering what else may have it so low on your list

      1. Regarding the economic and moral collapse of America.

        Gerald Celente of Trends Research stated that when people lose everything, they lose it. What happens when people, lose it?

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReufBdcwraw

        Jonathan Cahn The Tipping Point
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBRtG_D6TIY

        A few links to GC, you might find interesting.

        http://www.trendsresearch.com/

        http://www.trendsresearch.com/in-the-media/

        https://www.youtube.com/user/gcelente

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSK7k3odAwA

  15. Moved to east Texas 18 years ago thinking it was most likely to stand up to the growing federal juggernaut and we were just plain tired of winter. I’m no longer sure about the state. Last week the local news reported that 51% of the students in Texas public schools are Hispanic. I also agree with what Chris stated. It’s possible Texas could be blue by 2020 if these trends continue.

    Our youngest graduates in two years and we’re considering moving. But, have yet to decide where else to go.

  18. So far I am ok where we are in our small conservative town. It is pretty quiet here. The rural areas are the place to be. The liberals are mainly in Austin. I wish the California libs would stay there.

  19. Much of New Hampshire is beautiful however, I don’t understand why so many sites concerned with freedom rate New Hampshire so high. New Hampshire is 1)Socially leftist and majority Democrat 2) Has high property taxes 3) Has out of control local police and family courts 4) High unemployment

    I read in a book entitled ” Strategic Relocation” that many of the Western states were safer states, but the edition of the book that I have is written in 2010. As wonderful as the book is, it is not updated as much has happened since 2010. Example: Big NASA spy centers all over Utah (Utah used to be one of the safest states). Example 2: Idaho, Montana, And certain parts of Washington state had much to offer in the recent past now they are having serious problems with Mexican drug cartels.

    Even, with all that I’ve said ( and hours upon hours of research into this issue) I have come to the conclusion that the best way to find out where you should be is to pray fervently about it. If G-d is with you, who can be against you? Let him, lead you to the destination that HE has in mind for you. And trust HIM.

  20. I’m from Alabama, and spent several years in Maine. When we were in a coastal town, it was lovely but we didn’t make it long. Too $ and liberal as all hell. We moved out into the woods, and really loved the people but of course the taxes followed us out there and the only side we could’ve expanded the house from had a “vernal pool”. God forbid a frog has to relocate. Got a job offer in N. Mississippi and we LOVED living there. Everything was cheap. Govt offices/staff were navigable and people really minded their own businesses. The job was a bad fit, so we ended up back in AL…we are in Gadsden which is a union-thug-yella-dog town and its generally unpleasant. We are in a great neighborhood for the area and plan to stay as long as we can tolerate it. I’d like to get back to Mississippi some day. Maine was the prettiest place I have ever been and I truly love New England, but it was just a fantasy…

    We’ve also looked at Missouri…any thoughts on rural missouri? My husband is from upstate NY and misses having 4 seasons. (but is willing to forego snowflakes for more freedom). I was thinking that area would get us 4 seasons, but perhaps not extremely cold? Thanks!

  21. I just got down running around naked and firing my gun into the air! Drinking some moonshine, smoking a joint and blasting my music. Yeah my nearest neighbor might be a mile away but I am free!

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