How Patriotic Are Montanans Compared To the Rest Of The U.S.?

What does it mean to be patriotic? I suppose that depends on who you ask. The official definition of "patriotic" according to Webster's is the following:

"Full of patriotism; actuated by the love of one's country; as a patriotic hero or statesman. 1. Inspired by the love of one's country; directed to the public safety and welfare; as patriotic zeal."

I ask because according to new information from WalletHub, when it comes to patriotism, Montana bleeds red, white, and blue. Plus, we're in the middle of an election year, so the terms, "patriot", "patriotic", and "patriotism" will be thrown around 100s of times over the next several months.

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Here in Big Sky Country, not only do we love Montana, but we love the United States of America. Several Montanans have served their country in the armed forces and you don't have to drive very far to see "Old Glory" flying with pride across The Treasure State.

Where does Montana rank compared to the 49 states regarding patriotism?

According to the data, Montana is the 3rd most patriotic state in the nation and the two states ahead of us. Virginia and Alaska.

Source: WalletHub

What are the factors that determine the rankings?

WalletHub used two, first, military engagement rank and the second, civic engagement rank. According to the findings, Montana ranks 23rd in military engagement, but when it comes to civic engagement, we rank 3rd in the nation.

Another interesting bit of information is Veterans per capita, Montana ranks 4th in the United States only being beat out by Wyoming, Virginia, and Alaska.

One of the big factors for putting Montana in the Top 3 is based on voter turnout and the willingness of Montanans to serve in different organizations outside of the military. Over 30 percent of state residents volunteer in different organizations compared to below 25 percent for the national average.

Credit: Canva

Oh, and another interesting tidbit. There isn't a big difference between the red and blue states when it comes to patriotism with just a 3 percent margin between the two. It also seems that the lower the population, the more patriotic the state.

Vintage Photos Of Montana

It's hard to imagine what Yellowstone National Park would look like in black and white. We are so used to seeing the colors that make it one of America's favorite travel destinations. Jezel Doughert's grandmother passed away and like many of us do, she spent hours going through years and years of history, from old yearbooks to news clippings, to pictures. Jezel sent me a piece of history that, if not for her, I wouldn't be able to share with you.

Gallery Credit: Megan Shaul

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