‘Political Culture Interprets Moral Intensity’: What’s The Most Sinful State In America?
What is the most sinful place in America?
Well, it depends on whom you ask — and what you consider a sin.
In time for the Lenten season, WalletHub crunched the numbers to find the most sinful among the United States. A new report compared the 50 states across 54 key indicators of immoral or illegal behavior — ranging from the percentage of violent crimes to the share of the population with gambling disorders.
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Nevada, once again, landed at the top, with the most greedy population, and in the top five for lust, excess, vices and jealousy.
At the same time, California and Louisiana were not far behind it in second and third place, respectively, while Florida and Texas rounded out the top five most sinful states overall.
Perhaps the No. 1 state is not a surprise to most Americans: Las Vegas is Nevada’s largest city and home to a myriad of casinos, clubs and legal prostitution.
“Gambling is not the only vice that plagues Nevada and its residents” the report said. “The state also has the most prostitution arrests in the U.S. and the second-highest number of fast food restaurants, showing that lust and gluttony both have a hold.”
In addition, the report said, “Nevada’s pre-occupation with its vices leaves little room for altruism, as the state has the second-lowest volunteer rate in the country. The state also suffers from the highest rate of disconnected youth (young people who are not in school or working).”
The report’s other key findings included subcategories such as:
— Alaska and New Mexico tied for the most violent crimes per capita, while Maine had the least.
— New Mexico had the most thefts per capita; Idaho had the least.
— Montana had the most excessive drinkers, while Utah, home to a large population of Latter-day Saints who abstain from alcohol, had the least.
— Mississippi had the largest share of the state’s population with a gambling disorder; Michigan had the least.
The report also tracked beauty salons per capita as part of its vanity metrics and the percentage of adults not exercising as part of how lazy residents can be. Although many Americans might consider vanity and laziness “lesser sins” compared to violent and sexual crimes or child maltreatment.
“Culture sets the baseline tolerance for ‘sin,” said Richard Flight, associate professor at Coastal Carolina University, “While law formalizes it through regulation, taxation or prohibition. States look more or less ‘sinful’ largely because their political culture interprets moral intensity differently and then encodes that judgment into policy.”
How does your state rate? Check out WalletHub’s full list.
Cassidy Grom is the managing editor of Religion Unplugged. Her award-winning reporting and digital design work have appeared in numerous publications.