The Red State Blues

The Red State Blues
Why America’s Worst-Run States Keep Voting for More of the Same
By:  Dr. X – 

 

In the 2024 election, all seven swing states went red, handing Donald Trump a second term. On paper, this might suggest that Republican-led states are thriving, but the data tells a different story. By almost every metric of prosperity, health, and education, red states lag behind their blue counterparts. So why do voters keep rewarding failure?

The Red-State Disadvantage: A Data-Driven Breakdown

1. The Economic Paradox

Despite the GOP’s reputation for economic competence, red states dominate the ranks of America’s poorest:

• 9 of the 10 lowest-income states are red (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis).
• 9 of the 10 highest income states are blue (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis).

Lowest Per- Capita Income		Highest Per - Capita Income
Mississippi	Red	Massachusetts	Blue
West Virginia	Red	Connecticut	Blue
Alabama	Red	New York	Blue
New Mexico	Blue	New Jersey	Blue
Kentucky	Red	Wyoming	Red
South Carolina	Red	California	Blue
Arkansas	Red	Washington	Blue
Louisiana	Red	Colorado	Blue
Idaho	Red	New Hampshire	Blue
Georgia	Red	Maryland	Blue

• 9 of the 10 highest-poverty states are red (U.S. Census Bureau).
• 9 of the 10 lowest-poverty states are blue.

Highest Poverty Rate		Lowest Poverty Rate
Louisiana	Red	Maryland	Blue
Mississippi	Red	Vermont	Blue
New Mexico	Blue	New Jersey	Blue
West Virginia	Red	Virginia	Blue
Kentucky	Red	Connecticut	Blue
Arkansas	Red	Washington	Blue
Alabama	Red	Colorado	Blue
Oklahoma	Red	Minnesota	Blue
South Carolina	Red	Utah	Red
Texas	Red	New Hampshire	Blue

2. The Education Gap

Higher education correlates with higher earnings—yet red states consistently underinvest:

• 8 of the 10 least educated states are red, and 1 blue state is least educated. (WalletHub).
• All 10 of the most educated states are blue (WalletHub)

Least Educated States		Most Educated States
Indiana	Red	Massachusetts	Blue
Texas	Red	Maryland	Blue
New Mexico	Blue	Vermont	Blue
Alabama	Red	Colorado	Blue
Kentucky	Red	Connecticut	Blue
Nevada	Swing	Virginia	Blue
Oklahoma	Red	New Jersey	Blue
Arkansas	Red	New Hampshire	Blue
Louisiana	Red	Washington	Blue
Mississippi	Red	Minnesota	Blue

• All 10 states with the most college grads are blue. (USAFacts).
• 9 of the 10 states with the least college grads are red, with the 10th being a swing state (USAFacts).

Highest % College Grads		Lowest % College Grads
Massachusetts	Blue	Wyoming	Red
Colorado	Blue	Indiana	Red
Vermont	Blue	Oklahoma	Red
New Jersey	Blue	Nevada	Swing
Maryland	Blue	Alabama	Red
Connecticut	Blue	Kentucky	Red
Virginia	Blue	Louisiana	Red
New Hampshire	Blue	Arkansas	Red
New York	Blue	Mississippi	Red
Washington	Blue	West Virginia	Red

3. A Health Crisis

Red states fare worst in both preventable illness and life expectancy:

• All 10 least healthy states are red (Forbes Advisor).
• 9 of 10 healthiest states are blue. (Forbes Advisor)

Least Healthy States		Most Healthy States
West Virginia	Red	Hawaii	Blue
Mississippi	Red	Utah	Red
Tennessee	Red	Connecticut	Blue
Arkansas	Red	Minnesota	Blue
Kentucky	Red	Massachusetts	Blue
Alabama	Red	Colorado	Blue
Louisiana	Red	New Jersey	Blue
Oklahoma	Red	New Hampshire	Blue
Ohio	Red	Washington	Blue
Indiana	Red	New York	Blue

• 9 of the 10 shortest-lived states are red (per the CDC).
• 9 of the 10 states with the longest life expectancy are blue (Per the CDC).

Longest Life Expectancy		Shortest Life Expectancy
Hawaii	Blue	Mississippi	Red
Washington	Blue	West Virginia	Red
Minnesota	Blue	Louisiana	Red
California	Blue	Alabama	Red
Massachusetts	Blue	Kentucky	Red
New Hampshire	Blue	Tennessee	Red
Vermont	Blue	Arkansas	Red
Oregon	Blue	Oklahoma	Red
Utah	Red	New Mexico	Blue
Connecticut	Blue	South Carolina	Red

4. The (One) Bright Spot

Happiness is subjective—but even here, red states split the difference:

• 8 of the 10 unhappiest states are red. (World Population Review)
• 5 of the 10 happiest are red—their sole win in this analysis. (World Population Review)

Happiest States		Least Happy States
Hawaii	Blue	Louisiana	Red
Maryland	Red	Arkansas	Red
New Jersey	Blue	West Virginia	Red
Utah	Red	Tennessee	Red
Delaware	Blue	New Mexico	Blue
Minnesota	Blue	Alaska	Blue
Connecticut	Blue	Alabama	Red
Idaho	Red	Oklahoma	Red
Nebraska	Red	Mississippi	Red
Massachusetts	Blue	Kentucky	Red

Conclusion: A Cycle of Decline

The pattern is clear: red states perform worse in nearly every measure of well-being. Yet instead of demanding better governance, their voters double down on the policies that failed them.

Is it cultural resentment? Misinformation? A rejection of expertise? Whatever the reason, the result is the same: a self-perpetuating cycle of poverty, sickness, and stagnation. And until that changes, the red state blues will keep playing on repeat.