LOGAN — Utah and Idaho have been named two of the most self-reliant states in the nation, according to a new WalletHub report released ahead of Independence Day.
Utah ranked first overall in WalletHub’s 2025 Most Independent States report, with Idaho close behind at No. 4. The personal finance site compared all 50 states across five areas of dependency, including consumer finances, reliance on government, job market strength, international trade, and personal vices.
Utah led the nation largely due to its low rates of government assistance and substance dependency. The Beehive State ranked first for lowest share of adult smokers and placed third in government dependency and fifth in job-market dependency. Despite ranking just 25th in financial dependency, Utah’s strong overall performance earned it the top spot.
The report highlighted that only 1.6% of Utahns receive public assistance income, and just 5.3% receive food stamps—among the lowest in the country. Utah’s unemployment rate is 3.2%, and it boasts one of the nation’s highest median household incomes, adjusted for cost of living.
“Utah is the most independent state in America, in part because it has an extremely low percentage of people with public assistance income or who receive SNAP or food stamps,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
Idaho, meanwhile, ranked fourth overall, with particularly strong showings in international trade dependency (2nd) and job-market dependency (12th). The state placed 17th for government dependency and 15th for personal vices, but came in lower at 34th for financial dependency.
The report arrives at a time when high inflation continues to challenge Americans’ financial self-sufficiency. WalletHub analysts noted that residents of top-ranked states like Utah and Idaho have weathered economic uncertainty with lower reliance on federal benefits and fewer destructive habits.
The rankings are based on 39 data metrics compiled from federal and private sources as of April 2025.