The 10 Most Conservative States in the United States

In 2024, President-elect Trump made history as the first Republican candidate in 20 years to win the popular vote. This victory makes it clear: Conservatism is alive and well in America, with certain states standing out as strongholds of traditional values, small government, and personal responsibility. These states vote Republican, prioritize low taxes, and support policies that uphold conservative social values. We’ll break down which states are the most conservative in America and why.

What is the most conservative state in the United States?

Wyoming is the most conservative state in the country. Over 70% of its voters backed Republican candidates in the last presidential election. The state has no income tax, strong gun rights, and a culture that values self-reliance and limited government intervention. It has consistently voted Republican since the 1950s and remains a bastion of conservatism.

Before going into the list, here’s a look at the AP electoral map. It shows where states lean—Republican or Democrat—based on voting patterns:

List of the most conservative states in the United States

While Wyoming leads the pack, several other states rank highly in terms of conservative values. These states tend to prioritize traditional family structures, religious faith, limited government, and economic freedom. Below is a list of the most conservative states in the US, based on political voting patterns, cultural conservatism, and economic policies.

Wyoming

Wyoming is the best example of a conservative state. With a strong Republican voter base, low taxes, and strong individual rights protections, it has maintained a conservative identity for decades. It ranks as one of the most Republican-friendly states in the country, with an R+25 rating on the Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI)

Mississippi

Mississippi is one of the most socially conservative states​. It has some of the strictest laws on abortion and same-sex marriage, strong religious influence, and a strong Republican majority. It has one of the highest percentages of church attendance in the US, with 49% of residents attending religious services weekly​. The state is also known for its low cost of living and strong support for traditional family structures​.

Alabama

Alabama ranks among the most religious states, with 94% of its population believing in God and 51% attending church weekly​. The state has a strong pro-life stance, strict voter ID laws, and some of the least restrictive gun laws in the country.

West Virginia

West Virginia has undergone one of the most dramatic political shifts—it flipped from a historically Democratic state to a Republican stronghold in recent elections​. Donald Trump won 70% of the vote in 2024, and the state has some of the strongest pro-coal and anti-regulation policies in the nation.

South Dakota

South Dakota ranks as one of the most business-friendly states, with no state income tax and minimal government regulation​. The state is deeply conservative on social issues and has enacted some of the strictest abortion restrictions in the country.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is one of the most Republican-dominated states, with only four counties voting Democratic in the 2018 midterm elections​. It has strong pro-gun policies, low business regulations, and a deep-rooted evangelical Christian influence. The state’s economy is driven by energy production, and it maintains strong Second Amendment protections.

Tennessee

Tennessee has a low tax burden, including no state income tax, and consistently ranks among the most conservative states in business and social policies​. 64.2% of voters supported Donald Trump in 2024. The state has enacted laws banning transgender participation in sports and has strong religious conservatism influencing its politics​.

Arkansas

Arkansas has shifted further right in recent years, with Donald Trump winning the state by a 30-point margin in the 2024 election. The state has one of the highest rates of gun ownership and maintains pro-life laws with limited access to abortion​. Its low cost of living and lack of business regulations also attract conservative-minded residents​.

Idaho

Idaho is known for its strong Second Amendment protections and is ranked among the top states for gun rights advocacy​. It has one of the highest percentages of self-identified conservatives, and only 17% of its population identifies as liberal​. Idaho also has some of the strictest abortion laws in the country and a strong anti-tax, anti-regulation approach to governance​.

North Dakota

North Dakota has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, thanks to strong agricultural and energy industries​. The state is deeply Republican, with 67.5% of voters choosing Trump in 2024​. It also has some of the loosest business regulations and a strong emphasis on personal responsibility and limited government intervention​.