Montana's Surprising Independence Ranking Revealed

Montanans have long taken pride in being independent, self-reliant, and fiercely individualistic. It's part of the state's identity.

Reality Check: The Study Findings

But according to a new study, Montana isn't quite as independent as many of us might assume.

As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day and continue recognizing the nation's 250th anniversary, personal finance website WalletHub released its annual ranking of the most independent states in America. The results may surprise some Montanans.

Measuring Independence: WalletHub's Metrics

WalletHub compared all 50 states using 39 different metrics across five categories:

Financial dependency
Government dependency
Job market dependency
International trade dependency
Vice dependency
Overall self-sufficiency

The study found that Montana ranks as the 16th most independent state in the country.

The top five most independent states were:

Idaho
Utah
Hawaii
Colorado
South Dakota

While Montana didn't crack the top five overall, the Treasure State did lead the nation in one category.

WalletHub ranked Montana first in international-trade dependency, indicating a significant portion of the state's economy is connected to exports, foreign-owned businesses, and jobs supported by international trade.

The ranking doesn't necessarily mean Montana is less self-sufficient. Instead, it reflects how connected the state's economy is to global markets and international commerce.

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Independence as a Mindset: More Than Just Economics

For many Montanans, independence is a mindset. Whether it's living off the land, running a small business, or simply valuing personal freedom, those qualities remain a big part of life here.

Still, WalletHub's study shows that when it comes to economic and financial measures of independence, Montana's story is more complex than many might expect.