- Idaho – Idaho comes in second when it comes to a low government-debt ratio in America, but it also has lower-than-average taxes and spending. It only has a couple of laws that constrict motorists, and it’s one of the few states that prohibit random sobriety checkpoints. The state has some of the mildest gun laws and education regulations in America.
- Indiana – Indiana gives licenses to the fewest occupations in the country (as a percentage of the total state workforce) and has deregulated the telecommunications, cable, and natural gas industries. The state also has light regulations for schools but has smoking bans across the board.
- South Dakota – South Dakota is by far the freest state in the country when it comes to economic freedom. It also has a high level of fiscal decentralization, very low tax rates, and low spending. It has been ranked with a relatively low personal freedom because it has high cigarette taxation and smoking bans, and even harsher-than-average laws when it comes to marijuana, gambling, and asset forfeiture.
- New Hampshire – It’s the only state that doesn’t have a seatbelt law for adults, and it has lax gun laws. Taxes and government spending are kept below average rates and government debt has decreased since the Democrats took unified control in 2007.
- The 3d LEAST free state: California – California has high government spending, economic regulation, and tax rates. The state also has some strict laws when it comes to labor, smoking, and gun control.
- The 2nd LEAST free state: New Jersey – When it comes to its personal freedoms, some of the most restrictive laws in the country are for gun control and smoking laws.
- The LEAST free state: New York – New York has the highest taxes in America, especially when it comes to property, selective sales, individual income, and corporate income taxes.
