On Monday, WalletHub released its 2025 list of the most “sinful” states in the country, looking at the “virtues and vices” that each state exhibits.
“The cost of state sins is something we have to share as a nation, though,” the study reads. “Gambling alone costs the U.S. about $5 billion per year… Harmful behavior on the individual level can add up to staggering economic costs on a national scale.”
To determine which states were most riddled with vice, WalletHub researchers examined the following sin-themed factors:
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Anger/Hatred — Includes rates of violent crime, sex offenders, bullying, hate-crime incidents, hate groups, maltreated children, teen dating violence, hostile internet comments, “rude drivers,” discrimination cases, mass shootings, firearm deaths, aggravated assault arrests, and elder abuse complaints
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Jealousy — Includes rates of theft, identity theft complaints, and fraud complaints
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Excesses/Vices — Includes rates of obesity, fast-food establishments, excessive drinking, adult smokers, adult coffee drinkers, marijuana users, retail opioid prescriptions, drug overdose deaths, and debt-to-income ratios
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Greed — Includes rates of casinos, gambling-related arrests, charitable donations, people with gambling disorders, and embezzlement arrests
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Lust — Includes rates of teen births, Google searches for “XXX Entertainment,” and prostitution arrests
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Vanity — Includes rates of plastic surgeons, barbers, hairstylists, manicurists, skincare specialists, beauty salons, personal care services, nail salons, diet centers, and household purchases of personal care products and apparel
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Laziness — Includes rates of volunteers, weekly hours worked, daily time spent watching TV, disconnected youth, high school graduations, and adults not exercising.
Nevada — the home of “Sin City” itself, Las Vegas — came out on top, leading the nation when it comes to issues with gambling and prostitution arrests, the study states. It also placed high in terms of fast food and a low rate of volunteering.
In second place sits California, largely thanks to the rates of violence, per the data. California ranked high for mass shootings, school bullying, aggravated assault arrests, and elder abuse complaints.
Additionally, the study says that Golden State residents had high rates of Google searches for topics relating to strip clubs, pornography, and affairs, as well as vanity-related searches for plastic surgery, liposuction and breast augmentations.
But the Sunshine State wasn’t spared when it came to this ranking, as it came in No. 3 overall.
“The third-most sinful state in America is Florida, partly because of its high rate of white-collar crimes. Greed rears its ugly head in the state, as it ranks second when it comes to the number of identity theft and fraud complaints per capita. Violent crimes fueled by anger and hatred are also a problem, as Florida has the fifth-highest number of mass shootings.
In addition, many Floridians show lust in their online habits. Sunshine State residents rank fourth overall in searching Google for terms related to adultery, prostitution, and pornography. Florida ranks high for vanity-related Google searches for terms such as liposuction and breast augmentation, too. The state also has the second-most beauty salons and personal care services per capita.”
WalletHub, “Most Sinful States in America”
Meanwhile, the rest of the ranking is as follows:
Rank | State | Vice Index | Anger Rank | Envy Rank | Excesses Rank | Greed Rank | Lust Rank | Vanity Rank | Sloth Rank |
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1 | Nevada | 62.16 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 5 |
2 | California | 55.44 | 10 | 10 | 45 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 21 |
3 | Florida | 52.12 | 40 | 3 | 48 | 39 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
4 | Louisiana | 51.51 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 30 | 11 | 26 | 3 |
5 | Texas | 51.45 | 36 | 6 | 30 | 42 | 1 | 7 | 23 |
6 | Tennessee | 50.16 | 3 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 14 |
7 | Arizona | 48.56 | 24 | 12 | 32 | 26 | 2 | 13 | 31 |
8 | Pennsylvania | 47.41 | 30 | 15 | 35 | 25 | 9 | 5 | 32 |
9 | South Carolina | 47.30 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 10 | 27 | 31 | 17 |
10 | Georgia | 47.14 | 14 | 2 | 25 | 50 | 8 | 16 | 18 |
11 | New York | 46.92 | 11 | 19 | 46 | 44 | 12 | 1 | 16 |
12 | Illinois | 46.05 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 27 | 13 | 9 | 35 |
13 | Oklahoma | 46.00 | 16 | 30 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 43 | 4 |
14 | Mississippi | 45.02 | 12 | 29 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 44 | 1 |
15 | New Jersey | 45.02 | 43 | 20 | 50 | 16 | 17 | 4 | 20 |
16 | North Carolina | 44.67 | 29 | 14 | 29 | 6 | 16 | 19 | 27 |
17 | Delaware | 44.00 | 45 | 4 | 23 | 9 | 38 | 25 | 25 |
18 | Ohio | 43.91 | 23 | 24 | 5 | 40 | 10 | 18 | 13 |
19 | Colorado | 43.51 | 13 | 8 | 28 | 31 | 26 | 10 | 50 |
20 | Alabama | 43.31 | 5 | 22 | 6 | 41 | 22 | 36 | 9 |
21 | Washington | 43.04 | 35 | 11 | 39 | 15 | 30 | 8 | 38 |
22 | Michigan | 42.71 | 18 | 27 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 12 |
23 | New Mexico | 42.41 | 25 | 21 | 15 | 20 | 31 | 41 | 2 |
24 | Missouri | 41.61 | 15 | 25 | 8 | 28 | 19 | 29 | 26 |
25 | Arkansas | 40.78 | 1 | 28 | 11 | 48 | 21 | 45 | 7 |
26 | VIrginia | 40.36 | 42 | 23 | 47 | 12 | 24 | 11 | 44 |
27 | Maryland | 38.53 | 33 | 5 | 40 | 47 | 32 | 15 | 42 |
28 | Oregon | 38.21 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 36 | 29 | 23 | 39 |
29 | West Virginia | 37.75 | 34 | 48 | 4 | 24 | 14 | 49 | 6 |
30 | Kansas | 37.37 | 22 | 31 | 24 | 34 | 20 | 32 | 30 |
31 | Rhode Island | 37.21 | 28 | 38 | 27 | 8 | 48 | 27 | 8 |
32 | Indiana | 37.01 | 32 | 33 | 10 | 38 | 25 | 34 | 19 |
33 | Montana | 36.70 | 6 | 37 | 14 | 4 | 42 | 46 | 36 |
34 | Alaska | 36.66 | 4 | 32 | 17 | 14 | 36 | 38 | 45 |
35 | Kentucky | 36.64 | 41 | 42 | 13 | 23 | 23 | 39 | 10 |
36 | Massachusetts | 36.27 | 47 | 26 | 41 | 45 | 35 | 6 | 40 |
37 | Connecticut | 35.46 | 50 | 16 | 44 | 37 | 47 | 12 | 28 |
38 | Wisconsin | 34.87 | 26 | 44 | 31 | 33 | 28 | 24 | 22 |
39 | South Dakota | 34.19 | 21 | 49 | 34 | 5 | 34 | 48 | 24 |
40 | Minnesota | 32.83 | 46 | 36 | 37 | 32 | 39 | 14 | 46 |
41 | Nebraska | 32.79 | 38 | 34 | 18 | 43 | 37 | 35 | 29 |
42 | Iowa | 32.68 | 27 | 47 | 20 | 22 | 40 | 40 | 33 |
43 | North Dakota | 32.66 | 37 | 41 | 36 | 7 | 46 | 33 | 49 |
44 | Hawaii | 31.08 | 48 | 39 | 33 | 17 | 44 | 30 | 41 |
45 | Maine | 30.05 | 39 | 46 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 47 | 34 |
46 | Wyoming | 29.80 | 17 | 43 | 42 | 46 | 33 | 50 | 11 |
47 | Utah | 29.67 | 20 | 35 | 49 | 49 | 43 | 17 | 48 |
48 | Vermont | 28.85 | 31 | 40 | 26 | 18 | 50 | 42 | 47 |
49 | New Hampshire | 28.78 | 49 | 45 | 38 | 21 | 49 | 22 | 37 |
50 | Idaho | 25.89 | 44 | 50 | 43 | 35 | 45 | 37 | 43 |
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