STUDY: Hawai‘i Ranks as 9th Most Independent State
Hawaiʻi is the nation’s ninth most independent state, according to a new study by Wallethub.
The study conducted by the personal-finance website measured how dependent Americans are on the government and others for finances, jobs and personal vices.
According to the report, Hawaiʻi ranked first in its share of jobs supported by exported goods; second in its under-employement rate; and fourth in its share of adults who smoke every day.
The study also ranked Hawaiʻi 18th in median debt per income and 22nd in its share of adults saving for children’s college education.
Other report findings:
- Hawaiʻi is tied for third for the Highest Median Credit Score
- Hawaiʻi is in a six-way tie for first for the Lowest Unemployment Rate
- Hawai‘i holds the top spot for the Lowest Percent of GDP Generated by Exports to Other Countries
- Hawaiʻi is ranked 21 for Financial Dependency
- Hawaiʻi is ranked 16 for Government Dependency
- Hawaiʻi is ranked 25 for Job Market Dependency
- Hawaiʻi is ranked 9 for International Trade Dependency
- Hawaiʻi is ranked six for Vice Dependency.
Utah was the most independent state in the study and Kentucky was the least independent.
Most Independent States
Overall Rank (1 = Most Independent) |
State | Total Score | ‘Financial Dependency’ Rank | ‘Government Dependency’ Rank | ‘Job-Market Dependency’ Rank | ‘International-Trade Dependency’ Rank | ‘Vice Dependency’ Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Utah | 67.05 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 7 |
2 | Nebraska | 63.77 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 24 |
3 | Massachusetts | 63.61 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 27 | 3 |
4 | Minnesota | 63.56 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 27 |
5 | Colorado | 63.32 | 22 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 42 |
6 | Wisconsin | 62.83 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 15 | 14 |
7 | South Dakota | 62.83 | 26 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 11 |
8 | Virginia | 62.32 | 24 | 11 | 21 | 12 | 9 |
9 | Hawai‘i | 62.02 | 21 | 16 | 25 | 9 | 6 |
10 | Kansas | 61.83 | 14 | 1 | 15 | 25 | 38 |
11 | Iowa | 61.78 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 30 | 26 |
12 | Idaho | 61.73 | 23 | 26 | 2 | 6 | 23 |
13 | Montana | 59.56 | 11 | 39 | 24 | 1 | 30 |
14 | New Hampshire | 58.40 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 35 | 19 |
15 | Wyoming | 57.79 | 6 | 35 | 43 | 4 | 25 |
16 | Delaware | 57.66 | 20 | 3 | 31 | 38 | 29 |
17 | Oklahoma | 57.43 | 34 | 34 | 17 | 3 | 39 |
18 | Connecticut | 57.08 | 19 | 15 | 44 | 36 | 2 |
19 | California | 56.74 | 36 | 17 | 35 | 21 | 12 |
20 | Florida | 56.73 | 38 | 23 | 40 | 10 | 15 |
21 | Pennsylvania | 55.91 | 12 | 31 | 36 | 20 | 18 |
22 | Missouri | 55.85 | 25 | 30 | 26 | 11 | 43 |
23 | New Jersey | 55.54 | 31 | 6 | 48 | 37 | 4 |
24 | North Carolina | 55.37 | 29 | 12 | 30 | 32 | 36 |
25 | Rhode Island | 55.11 | 33 | 28 | 34 | 18 | 17 |
26 | Vermont | 55.05 | 9 | 40 | 13 | 24 | 22 |
27 | Washington | 54.99 | 4 | 18 | 19 | 44 | 13 |
28 | New York | 54.98 | 42 | 32 | 41 | 22 | 1 |
29 | North Dakota | 54.43 | 8 | 29 | 14 | 40 | 21 |
30 | Maryland | 54.32 | 32 | 37 | 39 | 8 | 28 |
31 | Illinois | 54.21 | 35 | 5 | 42 | 39 | 20 |
32 | Nevada | 53.98 | 45 | 20 | 29 | 14 | 47 |
33 | Arizona | 53.41 | 41 | 43 | 22 | 17 | 10 |
34 | Texas | 52.04 | 15 | 14 | 20 | 48 | 16 |
35 | Ohio | 52.01 | 30 | 25 | 37 | 34 | 35 |
36 | Michigan | 51.90 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 43 | 8 |
37 | Maine | 51.74 | 16 | 44 | 23 | 23 | 40 |
38 | Georgia | 51.46 | 47 | 22 | 32 | 33 | 31 |
39 | Arkansas | 50.90 | 50 | 27 | 16 | 13 | 50 |
40 | New Mexico | 50.55 | 44 | 48 | 49 | 2 | 5 |
41 | Oregon | 50.37 | 17 | 41 | 28 | 26 | 48 |
42 | Tennessee | 49.31 | 39 | 38 | 11 | 42 | 32 |
43 | Indiana | 48.75 | 28 | 33 | 7 | 45 | 41 |
44 | West Virginia | 44.72 | 37 | 47 | 47 | 31 | 37 |
45 | Alabama | 44.49 | 48 | 45 | 38 | 41 | 34 |
46 | South Carolina | 42.01 | 40 | 42 | 18 | 50 | 33 |
47 | Louisiana | 41.87 | 46 | 36 | 45 | 46 | 46 |
48 | Mississippi | 40.58 | 49 | 50 | 46 | 29 | 49 |
49 | Alaska | 39.23 | 18 | 49 | 50 | 47 | 45 |
50 | Kentucky | 38.60 | 43 | 46 | 33 | 49 | 44 |