50 State Flag Rankings
- statesnrates
- Sep 25, 2023
- 7 min read
This week we ranked all of the US state flags. Below we’ve listed some fun facts about each flag along with the full tier list of the States n' Rates rankings.
1. New Mexico
Of all the flags, we think this one absolutely takes the cake. The colors are great. The design is simple. This flag embodies and represents its state very well. The cross in the middle of the flag represents a modern take of an ancient symbol for the sun.
2. California
Here at States n’ Rates, we loved the flags with animals on them. Of course, California has the best flag with an animal on it. The bear on the flag is a grizzly bear. His name is Monarch and he represents strength.
3. Utah
There is a lot of good to say about this flag. It’s modern. It’s clean. This flag was just signed into law on March 21, 2023. The old Utah flag will still be flown as a historical symbol in tandem with the new flag during certain government events.
4. Michigan
As with California, we liked the animals represented on Michigan’s state flag. This flag also features 3 phrases in Latin. They mean “one out of many,” “I will defend,” and “if you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.”
5. Indiana
We thought this design was really cool. The design is unique and the colors are pleasing. The stars also have significant meaning to the state. Indiana was the 19th state to be admitted to the union. There are 13 stars on the outer ring that represent the first 13 states. There are 5 stars in the inner circle that represent the next 5 states. The large star in the middle represents Indiana.
6. North Dakota
This flag embodies the American spirit. The eagle is holding an olive branch and arrows. The olive branch represents peace. The Latin on the banner in the eagle’s mouth says “many uniting into one,” which refers to the 13 states uniting into one nation.
7. Colorado
The colors of the Colorado flag have specific meaning. The red symbolizes the earth, the blue symbolizes the Colorado skies, the gold symbolizes the sun, and the white symbolizes the snow capped mountain of Colorado.
8. South Carolina
The crescent above the palmetto tree is not the moon. It is actually a symbol that was used during the revolutionary war to let the people of Charleston know if and when the British were coming.
9. Wyoming
The Wyoming state flag chose the colors of red, white, and blue to match the United States’ flag. The red represents the Native Americans and the blood shed during war, the blue represents fidelity, justice, and virility. The white symbolizes purity and uprightness.
10. Louisiana
This current flag for Louisiana is the 10th flag to have represented the state. The current flag was adopted in 1912.
11. Alaska
The Alaska flag features the Alaskan sky with the big dipper and the North Star, which represents Alaska as the northernmost state. The blue background color represents the Alaskan sky and Alaska’s state flower (the forget-me-not).
12. Texas
The Texas flag was adopted in 1839 prior to Texas becoming a part of the union. This makes the Texas flag the only state flag to have represented an independent country.
13. Pennsylvania
The origin of this flag goes back to the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin created a series of military flags in 1714, which were later utilized during the American Revolution. In 1799, the Pennsylvania government officially adopted the current flag.
14. Arkansas
Like Indiana, the stars on the Arkansas flag are symbolic as Arkansas being the 25th state admitted to the union. The diamond shape symbolizes Arkansas being the country’s first diamond producing state.
15. Georgia
Along with Florida and Mississippi, Georgia is one of the only states to have “In God We Trust” on the flag. Georgia’s flag also features 13 stars to represent Georgia as one of the 13 original colonies.
16. North Carolina
The first date on the North Carolina flag (May 20, 1775) is the day North Carolina signed the Declaration of Indepence. North Carolina was the first of the 13 colonies to declare independence. The second date on the flag (April 12, 1776) is the day of the Halifax Resolves, which was North Carolina taking official action to declare independence.
17. Arizona
The 13 rays on the top half of the flag represent the 13 colonies. The large star in the middle represents Arizona as the nation’s largest copper producer. The blue bottom half is the same color blue as the United States flag.
18. Iowa
Iowa was a French territory, so this flag pays homage to the French flag with the three stripes. The eagle represents the United States and the words on the banner make up Iowa’s state motto.
19. Oklahoma
This flag was designed by the Daughters of the American Revolution and was adopted in 1925. The olive branch represents peace and white settlers. The pipe represents peace and native peoples.
20. Vermont
The Vermont flag features the state seal on a blue background. The pine boughs represent New England. The cow represents dairy farming. The deer represents flourishing wildlife. The wheat represents agricultural tradition.
21. Missouri
This flag features a total of 48 stars making it the state flag with the most stars.
22. West Virginia
The white of this flag represents purity and the blue border represents the state’s dedication to the Union. At the center of the flag is the state seal.
23. Massachusetts
The Massachusetts flag was originally a two-sided flag. The other side featured a shield shape with a pine tree inside to represent the importance of timber in the state.
24. Maine
The Maine flag features the state seal on a blue background. The pine tree and moose represent New England. The farmer represents Maine’s agriculture. The sailor represents Maine’s coastline, fishing, and shipbuilding.
25. Connecticut
Connecticut had statehood for more than 100 years before an official state flag was adopted. The flag features the state seal on a black background. The 3 grapevines represent the 3 settlements of Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford.
26. Mississippi
Mississippi adopted this new flag in 2021 after the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. The old Mississippi flag featured the Confederate flag and was the state’s official flag for 126 years. The magnolia blossom represents hospitality and rebirth.
27. New york
This flag is the state’s seal on a blue background. The two ladies represent liberty and justice. The toppled crown represents freedom from England. The eagle and the globe represent the two worlds of America and Europe meeting.
28. Kansas
The original Kansas state flag was designed to fly from a horizontal bar. This design was unable to be displayed in Washington D.C. with the other state flags because of its different flying orientation. The current flag was adopted in 1927.
29. Montana
This flag was adopted in 1905, but it was first flown during the Spanish-American War. The state name was added to the flag in 1981.
30. Rhode island
The Rhode Island flag is a square shape whereas most other state flags feature a common 2:3 proportion. This flag is one of the few to feature a white background.
31. Maryland
The Maryland flag features the paternal and maternal family crest of George Calvert, the founder of the Maryland colony. It is one of only four state flags to not include the color blue.
32. Tennessee
The 3 stars of the Tennessee flag represent the west, middle, and east regions of the state. The blue represents the eternal unity of the 3 regions.
33. New Jersey
The yellow color of this flag is called Buff. The image depicted on the flag is the state seal. The ceres, plow, shield, and cornucopia represent agriculture.
34. Kentucky
Like many other states, this flag features the state seal on a blue background. The goldenrod represents the state flower. The handshake represents pioneers, statesmen, and unity.
35. South Dakota
The original South Dakota flag was double sided. One side was the state seal on a blue background. The other side featured a sun at the center to represent South Dakota as “the sunshine state.” The modern flag is a combination of these two sides.
36. Nebraska
Nebraska adopted its flag in 1925 and become the last state to officially adopt a flag. The date listed on the flag (March 1, 1867) is the day Nebraska was admitted to the Union and granted statehood.
37. New Hampshire
The New Hampshire flag is the only flag to feature a warship. It has only undergone one change since it was adopted in 1909. The stars represent New Hampshire as the 9th state.
38. Washington
The Daughters of the American Revolution designed this flag in 1914. The seal almost featured Mount Rainier instead of George Washington.
39. Minnesota
The Minnesota state flag was created as the result of a contest for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The contest received over 200 submissions.
40. Illinois
The flag features the state seal, but it was not commonly recognized. In 1970, a version of the flag with the word “Illinois” was officially adopted.
41. Idaho
This flag features the state seal on a blue background. The miner represents the mining industry. The wild syringa represents the state flower. Cornucopia and wheat represent farming and agriculture.
42. Virginia
The woman on the flag is a Roman goddess and she represents victory over tyranny. The flowers on the outside of the seal are red and green Virginia creeper.
43. Delaware
The date on the flag (December 7, 1787) was the day Delaware was admitted into the union. Delaware was one of the first states to ratify the U.S. Constitution. The diamond shape represents Delaware as the diamond state: small but valuable.
44. Oregon
Orgeon is a two-sided flag with the other side featuring a beaver. This is the only flag Oregon has ever adopted.
45. Wisconsin
This flag was originally designed in 1863. However, it was not officially adopted until 1913. The name “Wisconsin” was added to the flag to differentiate it from other states’ similar flags.
46. Hawaii
Hawaii’s flag has been the official flag of a kingdom, protectorate, republic, and territory. It is the only U.S. flag to contain a foreign country’s flag. The 8 stripes represent Hawaii’s 8 major islands.
47. Nevada
From 1929-1991, the Nevada flag carried a typo. The spacing of the letters in “Nevada” did not surround the star in the intended manner.
48. Florida
Florida introduced the red X to its flag in 1900. Historians believe this was a nod to the Confederate flag.
49. Alabama
Like Florida, the Alabama state flag contains a nod to the Confederate flag. In 2016, the flag was removed from display at the U.S. Capitol along with several other state flags for containing Confederate imagery.
50. Ohio
The Ohio flag contains a unique shape and was designed for the Pan-American Exposition in New York. The circle on the flag is an “O” and also represents the buckeye.
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