Washington ranked 8th most patriotic state in the country

Washington is known for its lush trees and mountainous landscape, but according to a recent comparison, the Evergreen State also is pretty distinguished in its patriotism, too.

In an attempt to find out how states compared in displaying national pride, WalletHub, a personal finance website, decided to do some research.

Using 13 "key indicators of patriotism," the website ranked Washington state overall as the eighth most patriotic state in America.

But the state didn't earn its ranking because it led in flag purchases or red, white and blue-themed bumper stickers. Instead, WalletHub employed measurements of military and civic engagement, like the number of military enlistees or the number of adults who voted in the 2016 presidential election, to rate each state.

"A 'good patriot,' in a sociological sense, would be someone who deeply loves their country and expresses that love through active and committed citizenship that has positive consequences," wrote Professor of Sociology Thomas Cushman on WalletHub's website.

Washington earned at total score of 59.57, establishing itself as No. 1 in civics education requirement, No. 8 in volunteer hours per resident, and No. 9 in veterans per 1,000 civilian adults.

To view the full report and see how other states ranked, visit https://wallethub.com/edu/most-patriotic-states/13680/.

This story was originally published July 3, 2018 at 4:29 PM.