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 āliberalā was used in a political manner was around 1769, when Scottish economist Adam Smith applied the word to discussions about trade and policy.
Recommended Videos
To believe in liberal principles, for Smith, was to strive for natural liberty and capitalism ā 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 āimproveā the lives of its citizens. Programs like the New Deal, the legalization of unions, and the establishment of social security sought to exemplify this idea ā to mixed results.
Today, in America, though, the liberal identity isnāt 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 Israelās 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 active in the U.S., made glaringly apparent throughout the Trump administration.
The prevalence of misinformation on both sides of the political aisle escalated during former President Donald Trumpās 2016 presidential campaign and persisted through his four years in office and beyond, painting a particularly negative picture of liberals in the eyes of Trump supporters.
Stacker ranked each state first by the percentage of residents who identify as liberal and then by the percentage of the stateās voters who voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, using data from Gallup, 270toWin, and the Cook Political Reportās 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.
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
Ā
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)
#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%)