These are the most patriotic states in America - and Florida is the worst, study says

ORLANDO, Fla. - Which U.S. state do you think has the most love for America?

Ahead of the Fourth of July, WalletHub is out with a new ranking – the "2023 Most Patriotic States in America" – and Florida did not rank too high on the patriotic scale.

To determine the rankings, WalletHub used two key factors - "military engagement" and "civic engagement".

For the "military engagement" category, states can be ranked up to a total of 25 points based on categories like veterans per 1,000 civilian adults, active-duty military personnel per 100,000 civilian adults, plus more. 

In the "civic engagement" category, there are more variables that can total up to 75 points. This section includes factors like the share of adults who voted in the 2020 Presidential Election, the amount of residents who participate in groups or organizations, and seven others. The smaller the number the better. 

The data shows that Florida has the lowest volunteer rank out of all 50 states, being almost three times less than the highest state – Utah. Florida has a volunteer rate of 15.90% and Utah has a 40.70% rate. 

Overall, Florida has the second to lowest score in the civic engagement category. This data shows that residents in Florida aren't as engaged in their community as other states. 

After analyzing all these factors, another finding is that blue states are considered to be patriotic than red states. 

"Good patriots understand and celebrate our founding principles and understand their right to debate and criticize these principles" said Donald Critchlow, professor in the school of historical, philosophical and religious studies at Arizona State University.

Experts that were asked the same questions by WalletHub said waving the flag or being in the military are not the only ways to be patriotic. Some experts said that there is pride in fighting for change or trying to improve your country. 

See the full list of most patriotic states here.