Most Liberal States 2021 – World Population Review
Blue states are states that have a more liberal population and culture, as opposed to the conservative red states. While there are many more red states than blue states, the blue states tend to have much higher populations, so they have higher numbers in indexes like the electoral college and the number of congressional representatives.
There are also neutral states, usually referred to as swing states because these states could go either Democratic or Republican in an election. Candidates typically do most of their campaigning in the swing states, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, Nevada, and Florida.
The most liberal state in the country is Massachusetts, where the equally progressive city of Boston is located. Next is Hawaii, followed by Vermont, Washington, New York, New Hampshire, California, Maryland, New Jersey, and Maine. This index of how liberal a state is is based on how many liberals there are compared to conservatives.
Just like some states can be more liberal than others, some cities are more liberal than others. These cities tend to have high minority populations and public expressions of LGBTQ+ acceptance. The most liberal city is San Francisco, California, followed by Washington, DC; Seattle, Washington; Oakland, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Detroit, Michigan; New York City, New York; Buffalo, New York; and Baltimore, Maryland. Notice that all of these cities are in blue states.
States can change from liberal to conservative over time due to factors like immigration, empowerment of minority groups (which tend to support liberal policies over conservative ones), and taxation. New York, for example, used to be highly conservative but is now much more progressive.
Below are the ten most liberal states in the United States. The data is based on a 2018 Gallup pull.
Massachusetts is the most liberal state in the U.S., with 35% of voters identifying as liberal. With 21% of voters identifying as conservative, Massachusetts has a liberal advantage of 14 points. Moderates are the largest group in Massachusetts, with 38% of the voting population identifying as moderate. In the 2016 presidential election, 60% of voters voted Democratic.
Massachusetts is also the home state of well-known politicians such as Elizabeth Warren, Michael Dukakis, Jill Stein, and the Kennedys. That state also has many urban areas and a highly educated population two factors that strongly contribute to a liberal environment.
Maine is the second-most liberal state in the country. 33% of voters identify as liberal; however, the liberal advantage is -2 because 35% of voters identify as conservative. In the 2016 presidential election, 47.9% of Maine voted Democratic, while 44.9% voted Republican. Maine is one of the few states where moderates do not outnumber liberals or conservatives, with 29% of voters identifying as moderate.
Vermont is the third-most liberal state in the country, with 32% of voters identifying as liberal. With 28% of voters identifying as conservative, Vermont has a liberal advantage of 4 points, the third-highest country. 56.3% of Vermont voters voted Democratic in the 2016 election, while 30.3% voted Republican. In 2012, Barack Obama won Vermont by 35.6 percentage points.
Vermont is the home of Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist with very leftists views who ran for president unsuccessfully in 2016 and is running again in 2020. He received 71% of the vote in Vermont in 2016.
With 31% of voters identifying as liberal, Washington is the fourth-most liberal state in the United States. 28% of voters identify as conservative, giving Washington a liberal advantage of 3 points. Moderates have the largest percentage of voters, with 37%. In the 2016 presidential election, 52.5% of voters voted Democratic.
New York is the fifth-most liberal state in the U.S. 30% of voters identify as liberal in New York versus 27% who identify as conservative, giving New York a 3-point liberal advantage. New York is geographically split, a majority of upstate areas vote conservative, and the larger metro areas vote liberal. In the 2016 presidential election, 59% of voters voted Democratic.
New Hampshire is the sixth-most liberal state in a tie with New York at 30%. New Hampshire is 28% conservative, giving it a slightly less liberal advantage than New York of 2 points. In the 2016 presidential election, 46.8% of voters voted Democratic, only a 0.3% lead over those who voted Republican (46.5%).
California is the seventh-most liberal state in the United States. 29% of voters identify as liberal, and 29% identify as conservative, giving California a liberal advantage of zero points. 36% of voters in California identify as moderate. As the state with the most electoral votes, Californias vote is a big deal in elections. In the 2016 presidential elections, 61.5% of voters voted Democratic, a 30% lead over the Republican vote.
Oregon is the eighth-most liberal state in the country, with 28% of voters identifying as liberal. Oregon has a liberal advantage of -4 points due to 32% of voters identifying as conservative; however, 35% of voters identify as moderate. In the 2016 presidential election, 50.1% of voters voted Democratic while 39.1% voted Republican. The most Democratic areas of the state were around Eugene and Portland.
In a tie with Oregon is Maryland, which also has 28% of voters identifying as liberal. Maryland voters are 29% conservative, giving the state a -1 point liberal advantage. The largest group of voters is moderate, at 39%. Most of Marylands liberal base is in the Washington D.C. metro area and Baltimore. In the 2016 presidential election, 60.3% of voters voted Democratic.
Maryland legalized gay marriage, pushed for major gun restrictions, and imposed tax increases, among other progressive policies.
Hawaii is tied with both Maryland and Oregon has the eighth-most liberal state in the United States. 28% of voters in Hawaii identify as liberal, and 22% identify as conservative, giving Hawaii a liberal advantage of 6 points, the second-highest in the country. Moderates are the largest group in Hawaii, with 45% of voters identify as moderate, which is also the largest percentage of any state in the country. In 2016, 62.2% of Hawaii voters voted Democratic in the presidential election.
The top ten most liberal urban areas in the United States, starting with the most liberal city in America, include the following:
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Most Liberal States 2021 - World Population Review
- Canadas ruling Liberals sweep byelections in boost to Mark Carney - The Guardian - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Carneys Liberals sweep 3 special elections in Canada as voters back his stand against Trump - AP News - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- With its back-to-school video, Portland Public Schools touches a nerve for both liberals and conservatives - OregonLive.com - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- What the Liberals' byelection sweep says about voters - CityNews Kitchener - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Carneys Liberals sweep 3 special elections in Canada as voters back his stand against Trump - Temple Daily Telegram - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Chicoutimi byelection hands seat to Mark Carneys Liberals in the shadow of the trade war - Montreal Gazette - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Carneys Liberals win three special elections amid US trade tensions By Investing.com - Investing.com Nigeria - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Carneys Liberals reclaim a majority after sweeping three federal byelections - BNN Bloomberg - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- A clean sweep for the federal Liberals as they win three byelections - Yahoo News Canada - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Carneys Liberals reclaim a majority after sweeping three federal byelections - CTV News - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Video: Liberals sweep by-elections across the country - The Globe and Mail - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- In the News: Liberal Byelection Sweep and Defections Give Liberals a Two Seat Majority, 2026 BMO CAPP Energy Symposium Kicks Off Today - EnergyNow - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Liberals won more than 50% of the vote in all three Aug. 31 byelections - CityNews Toronto - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- What is at stake for both the Liberals and Conservatives in the federal byelections? - CTV News - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- CP NewsAlert: Carney Liberals win byelection in Chicoutimi-Le Fjord - The Lethbridge Herald - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Liberals won more than 50% of the vote in all three Aug. 31 byelections - Lethbridge News Now - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Liberals won more than 50% of the vote in all three Aug. 31 byelections - CHEK News - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Liberals Win Federal Byelections in Toronto and Chicoutimi - Barrie 360 - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Liberals sweep trio of byelections in Chicoutimi, Toronto and Vancouver - CFJC Today Kamloops - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Byelection battle: Three key ridings put Liberals to the test - CP24 - September 2nd, 2026 [September 2nd, 2026]
- Fawning liberals laid ground for the Jason Arday farce - The Times - August 12th, 2026 [August 12th, 2026]
- Liberals and Labor Keeping Stadium Costs Secret - tasgreensmps.org - August 12th, 2026 [August 12th, 2026]
- GOLDSTEIN: Its absurd for Jewish Canadians to treat Liberals as allies - Toronto Sun - August 12th, 2026 [August 12th, 2026]
- Opinion: So far, the Ontario Liberals leadership race is an exercise in meaningless platitudes - The Globe and Mail - August 12th, 2026 [August 12th, 2026]
- Victorian Liberals promise weekly red bin garbage collections for all, calling fortnightly system disgusting - The Guardian - August 12th, 2026 [August 12th, 2026]
- 'Not insurmountable' for Liberals to swing Conservative MP Larry Brock's seat in byelection: pollster - National Post - August 12th, 2026 [August 12th, 2026]
- Naledi Pandor on liberals, Akademia and UCT - Politicsweb - August 12th, 2026 [August 12th, 2026]
- 'Massive mountain to climb': Duniam's departing advice for Liberals - ABC News & Headlines Australian Broadcasting Corporation - August 12th, 2026 [August 12th, 2026]
- The Right vs. The Right: Conservative Liberals in the Age of Trump - CounterPunch.org - August 5th, 2026 [August 5th, 2026]
- Liberals Are Now Fighting a Two-Front War - The Atlantic - August 5th, 2026 [August 5th, 2026]
- Liberals extend lead as economic concerns and Trump dominate mindset. (Nanos) - Nanos Research - August 5th, 2026 [August 5th, 2026]
- Liberals in new bid to force urgent parliamentary hearing involving Lus Neves - Portugal Resident - August 5th, 2026 [August 5th, 2026]
- Conservatives lose fundraising bazooka as Liberals close the gap in first half of 2026 - The Hill Times - August 5th, 2026 [August 5th, 2026]
- Why are liberals melting down over DHS criticizing rogue judges but not the rulings? - Washington Examiner - August 5th, 2026 [August 5th, 2026]
- Liberals Are Ceding Ground to the Far Right on Ceuta Border Crossings - The Intercept - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Conservatives Perfected the Ideal Legal Tactic. Its Time for Liberals to Use It. - Slate - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Joe Rogan warns liberals against trying to turn Texas blue, says it would wreck the state's 'delicate balance' - Yahoo - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- How the Braveheart tribe of young Liberals descended from the Hills only to have their kilts lifted by Icac - The Guardian - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Stop letting the liberals vs populists story turn the far-right into the only alternative - EUobserver - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Fundraising gap between Conservatives, Liberals shrinks in second quarter of year - The Globe and Mail - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Trevor Phillips: London liberals are only now realising how hated they are in Britain - The Telegraph - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Some Liberals secretly hope Poilievre will never leave, his unpopularity is working in their favour - hilltimes.com - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Liberals Maintain Six-Point Lead as Trump Tariff Threat and Wildfires Reshape the Public Agenda - Abacus Data - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Rob has the bucks cash: NSW Liberals used Reformers funds to pay for personal expenditure, Icac hears - The Guardian - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Liberals block hearings on Gordie Howe bridge deal as government MP admits confusion - Toronto Star - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Two candidates vying to be first woman to lead the Nova Scotias Liberals - CityNews Halifax - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- Gina Rinehart and the Liberals: Why Australias richest person left - AFR - August 4th, 2026 [August 4th, 2026]
- LILLEY: Liberals want CBC to fight misinformation. That should worry every Canadian - Toronto Sun - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- Conservatives are dying at higher rates than liberals. A new study points to mistrust in medicine - Daily Kos - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- How Europes liberals are embracing the politics of security - EUobserver - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- Liberals lead by nine in projection update - The Writ - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- Liberals most supported by Canadians over 60 due to fears of Trump - Juno News - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- Both the Liberals and One Nation refuse to see the contemporary world as it really is - SMH.com.au - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- Michel Savard will no longer be a candidate for the Quebec Liberals after controversial comments - CityNews Montreal - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- Liberals, Nationals to Deliver West Gippsland Hospital - Mirage News - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- Both the Liberals and One Nation refuse to see the contemporary world as it really is - The Age - July 24th, 2026 [July 24th, 2026]
- The Carney Liberals Still Lead, but the Political Ground Beneath Them Is Not as Solid as It Looks - inFocus with David Coletto - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Why Ukrainian liberals love conscription Hypocritical propagandists aren't forced to fight - UnHerd - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- People Are Reacting To This Study About Conservatives Dying Faster Than Liberals - Yahoo - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Liberals re-examine gender quotas in slew of proposals to make party fit-for-purpose political machine - The Guardian - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Liberals wont say if foreign homebuyer ban will be extended as renewal window narrows - Toronto Star - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Opinion | Trump DOJ imposes quota on prosecutors as it targets immigrants and liberals - MS NOW - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Conservatives spent nearly double the Liberals in losing election year - The Globe and Mail - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Sean Frasers political comeback and the tough-on-crime federal Liberals - The Globe and Mail - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Assembly of First Nations leaders accuse Liberals of playing politics with drinking water bill - CBC - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Tanveer Shahnawaz wins nomination for federal Liberals in Beaches-East York - Beach Metro Community News - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- He makes RFK Jr look like a moderate: Meet the Liberals great white hope - The Saturday Paper - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- What would Menzies do? Liberals seek plan to stave off extinction - AFR - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Liberals announce their Beaches-East York by-election candidate - Island Social Trends - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Liberals announce their North Vancouver-Capilano by-election candidate - Island Social Trends - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- Radical agenda with more to come: Liberals looming battle for nations future - The Australian - July 20th, 2026 [July 20th, 2026]
- US liberals license antisemitism when framed as Israel criticism psych study - The Times of Israel - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]
- Libman: Too soon to write off the Quebec Liberals - Montreal Gazette - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]
- One Nation enters the fray in Tasmania while Liberals suffer big swing since last poll - DemosAU - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]
- Liberals Adjourn Debate on Conservatives' Call for Probe of Vancouver Condo Bailout and Brookfield Connection - The Bureau | Sam Cooper - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]
- Liberals set to hold nomination for upcoming Toronto byelection - The Spec - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]
- Liberals set to hold nomination for upcoming Toronto byelection - Winnipeg Free Press - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]
- Liberals set to hold nomination for upcoming Toronto byelection - TorontoToday.ca - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]
- Liberals set to hold nomination for upcoming Toronto byelection - meadowlakeNOW - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]
- How ICACs Operation Rosny will give NSW Liberals months of hell - AFR - July 11th, 2026 [July 11th, 2026]