Utah ranks as the nation’s second-most-independent state in a new from personal finance website WalletHub.
The ratings are based on an analysis that included financial stability, government reliance, employment, international trade dependence and personal habits.
Neighboring Idaho claimed the top spot overall, while Hawaii, Colorado and South Dakota rounded out the top five. Utah was second by a whisker, with a score of 62.62 to Idaho’s 62.75.
WalletHub found Utah excelled in several key measures of independence. The state ranked first for the lowest percentage of adult smokers and second for the fewest households receiving public assistance. Utah also ranked sixth for its low long-term unemployment rate.
According to the WalletHub data, Utah had the nation’s highest median household income when adjusted for cost of living, at more than $91,600. The Beehive State’s poverty rate was also second-lowest in the nation. Only 1.7 percent of Utah residents received public assistance income, while 5.2 percent participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The state was also among the states least dependent on federal funding.
Utah didn’t excel in all of WalletHub’s measurements. The state ranked 30th for the share of federal, state and local government employees and 22nd for the share of jobs supported by exported goods.
Idaho earned the top overall ranking largely because its economy relies relatively little on exports to foreign countries while maintaining strong financial indicators. The report highlighted Idaho’s low poverty rate, strong participation in employer-sponsored retirement plans and comparatively low percentage of millennials living with their parents.
“As we celebrate America’s Independence Day, it’s also worth taking time to recognize the individual states that have the most independent qualities as well,” WalletHub Editor Chip Lupo said at the time the report was released. “Idaho is the most independent in 2026, according to our analysis, and residents display their independence in a variety of ways, from not being heavily reliant on revenue generated through exports to other countries to not being addicted to smoking, gambling or drugs.”
WalletHub’s study weighed 39 metrics across five categories, including credit scores; emergency savings; retirement participation; unemployment; reliance on federal funding; international trade; and indicators related to smoking, drug use, gambling and binge drinking.
The bottom five in the independence study included South Carolina, Alaska, Mississippi and Louisiana, with Kentucky finishing dead last.
