States With the Most Liberals

Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva

States with the most liberals

Throughout centuries and across continents, the political meaning of liberalism has evolved to represent a very different set of principles than it once did.

Researchers determined that the first time the term "liberal" was used in a political manner was around 1769, when Scottish economist Adam Smith applied the word to discussions about trade and policy. To believe in liberal principles, for Smith, was to strive for natural liberty—or the right for any person to pursue their own interests as long as they stayed within the lines of the law.

Historically, liberal values in the U.S. have been characterized by an emphasis on freedoms and an expectation that the government should intervene to improve the lives of its citizens. Programs like the New Deal, the legalization of unions, and the establishment of social security exemplified this idea.

Today, in America, though, the liberal identity isn't always adopted by those on the left. Some have found mainstream liberal values in the Democratic party too friendly to corporations, too lenient on issues like Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza, and increasingly out of touch with workers.

Besides the internal divisions within the left, the conflict between conservatives and liberals remains glaringly apparent in the U.S. Days after Republican former president Donald Trump won the November 2024 presidential election against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, high school students in Philadelphia walked out of their classrooms in protest. Demonstrators also gathered at Chicago's Trump International Hotel and Tower, carrying banners that called for an end to "the Trump era." Further protests are expected to take place across the country, while Washington, D.C. braces for civil unrest like the Jan. 6 2021 Capitol Riot.

Beyond talks of riots and protests, other Americans are handling their political frustrations differently—by considering leaving the country. According to The Hill, online searches for "moving to Canada" and "immigrate to Canada" spiked by more than 5,000% during the election.

While international moves aren't feasible for every liberal American, plenty of places in the U.S. still lean left. Stacker ranked each state first by the percentage of residents who identify as liberal and then by the percentage of the state's voters who voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, using data from Gallup, 270toWin, and the Cook Political Report's 2020 National Popular Vote Tracker.

Continue reading to find out how many liberals there are in every state, beginning with the state with the least liberals in the U.S.

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#50. Mississippi

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 12%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 29%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 539,508 (41.1%)

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#49. South Dakota

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 13%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 150,471 (35.6%)

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#48. Alabama

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 14%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 34%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 849,624 (36.6%)

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#47. Arkansas

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 15%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 4 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 423,932 (34.8%)

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#46. Utah

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 15%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 40%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 560,282 (37.6%)

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#45. Louisiana

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 15%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 35%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 3 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 856,034 (39.9%)

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#44. South Carolina

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 16%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,091,541 (43.4%)

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#43. West Virginia

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 17%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 31%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 7 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 235,984 (29.7%)

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#42. Idaho

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 17%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 287,021 (33.1%)

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#41. Tennessee

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 17%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 34%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 4 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,143,711 (37.5%)

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#40. Indiana

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 17%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 2 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,242,413 (41.0%)

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#39. Alaska

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 17%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 153,778 (42.8%)

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#38. Wyoming

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 18%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 31%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 73,491 (26.6%)

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#37. North Dakota

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 18%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 41%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 114,902 (31.8%)

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#36. Oklahoma

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 18%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 35%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 503,890 (32.3%)

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#35. Montana

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 18%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 2 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 244,786 (40.5%)

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#34. Kansas

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 18%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 570,323 (41.6%)

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#33. Georgia

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 19%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 35%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 4 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 2,473,633 (49.5%)

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#32. Kentucky

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 20%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 35%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 4 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 772,474 (36.2%)

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#31. Missouri

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 20%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 34%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 4 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,253,014 (41.4%)

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#30. Texas

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 20%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 36%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 3 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 5,259,126 (46.5%)

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#29. New Mexico

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 20%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 8 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 501,614 (54.3%)

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#28. Iowa

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 21%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 39%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 7 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 759,061 (44.9%)

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#27. North Carolina

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 21%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 33%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 3 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 2,684,292 (48.6%)

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#26. Arizona

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 21%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 36%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 2 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,672,143 (49.4%)

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#25. Nebraska

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 22%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 1 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 374,583 (39.4%)

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#24. Ohio

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 22%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 35%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 6 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 2,679,165 (45.2%)

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#23. Florida

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 22%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 36%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 5 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 5,297,045 (47.9%)

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#22. Nevada

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 23%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 7 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 703,486 (50.1%)

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#21. Michigan

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 23%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 9 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 2,804,040 (50.6%)

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#20. Wisconsin

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 24%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 10 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,630,866 (49.4%)

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#19. Pennsylvania

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 24%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 36%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 10 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 3,459,923 (50.0%)

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#18. Virginia

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 24%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 5 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 2,413,568 (54.1%)

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#17. Delaware

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 24%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 43%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 10 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 296,268 (58.7%)

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#16. Minnesota

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 25%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 14 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,717,049 (52.4%)

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#15. Rhode Island

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 25%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 40%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 13 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 307,486 (59.4%)

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#14. Colorado

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 26%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 6 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,804,352 (55.4%)

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#13. New Jersey

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 27%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 9 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 2,608,335 (57.3%)

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#12. Illinois

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 27%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 36%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 9 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 3,471,915 (57.5%)

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#11. Connecticut

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 27%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 10 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,080,680 (59.2%)

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#10. Oregon

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 28%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 35%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 10 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,340,383 (56.5%)

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#9. Hawaii

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 28%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 45%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 13 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 366,130 (63.7%)

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#8. Maryland

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 28%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 39%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 12 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 1,985,023 (65.4%)

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#7. California

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 29%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 36%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 9 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 11,110,250 (63.5%)

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#6. New Hampshire

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 30%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 36%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 8 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 424,921 (52.7%)

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#5. New York

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 30%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 35%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 12 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 5,241,957 (60.9%)

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#4. Washington

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 31%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 37%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 11 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 2,369,612 (58.0%)

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#3. Vermont

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 32%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 36%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 9 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 242,820 (66.1%)

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#2. Maine

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 33%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 29%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 10 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 435,072 (53.1%)

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#1. Massachusetts

- Residents who consider themselves liberal: 35%
- Residents who consider themselves moderate: 38%
- Presidential election outcome between 1964-2020: voted Democratic 13 times (out of 15)
- Votes cast for Joe Biden in 2020: 2,382,202 (65.6%)

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