The climate of the US is incredibly devised, especially between states that have different cultures, views, and ways of life. And we are quick to point at those different than us, as the source of all that is wrong with the U.S. But none of us are perfect, and we all have plenty of things we can work on. Another way to look at it, we are all committing sins. So in that honor, our friends at WalletHub conducted a study to name the most sinful states in 2023. And, not great news, South Carolina ranked in the top 10 of this list.
What exactly is a sin? The Oxford Dictionary defines since as “an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.” And these sins can be costly. On one hand, gambling costs the U.S. about $5 billion per year, according to WalletHub. Though it brings in much more than that in tourism money. WalletHub also says that another sin, smoking, costs us over $300 billion per year. The Bible talks about the 7 deadly sins which according to Britanica are:
1. vainglory, or pride,
2. greed, or covetousness
3. lust, or inordinate or illicit sexual desire
4. envy
5. gluttony, which is usually understood to include drunkenness,
6. wrath, or anger
7. sloth
But back to the states. Some states are more well-behaved than others. So in order to determine the states that most give in to their desires, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 47 key indicators of immoral or illicit behavior. The data set ranges from violent crimes per capita to excessive drinking to the share of the population with gambling disorders. Keep reading to see the most sinful states including South Carolina in the top 10.
1. Nevada
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 58.36
Anger & Hatred: 10
Jealousy: 4
Excesses & Vices: 8
Greed: 1
2. California
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 57.87
Anger & Hatred: 12
Jealousy: 22
Excesses & Vices: 41
Greed: 4
3. Louisiana
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 51.12
Anger & Hatred: 5
Jealousy: 1
Excesses & Vices: 1
Greed: 23
4. Florida
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 52.62
Anger & Hatred: 38
Jealousy: 6
Excesses & Vices: 40
Greed: 37
5. Pennsylvania
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 52.16
Anger & Hatred: 37
Jealousy: 16
Excesses & Vices: 33
Greed: 9
6. Texas
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 52.01
Anger & Hatred: 30
Jealousy: 10
Excesses & Vices: 35
Greed: 43
7. Tennessee
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 51.43
Anger & Hatred: 2
Jealousy: 13
Excesses & Vices: 4
Greed: 5
8. Illinois
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 50.38
Anger & Hatred: 7
Jealousy: 11
Excesses & Vices: 27
Greed: 36
9. South Carolina
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 50.19
Anger & Hatred: 3
Jealousy: 7
Excesses & Vices: 13
Greed: 12
10. New York
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 48.51
Anger & Hatred: 18
Jealousy: 19
Excesses & Vices: 46
Greed: 48
11. Maryland
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 47.83
Anger & Hatred: 36
Jealousy: 8
Excesses & Vices: 28
Greed: 32
12. North Carolina
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 47.53
Anger & Hatred: 31
Jealousy: 20
Excesses & Vices: 12
Greed: 10
13. Oklahoma
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 47.05
Anger & Hatred: 15
Jealousy: 28
Excesses & Vices: 17
Greed: 3
14. Alabama
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 47.05
Anger & Hatred: 6
Jealousy: 12
Excesses & Vices: 11
Greed: 35
15. Arizona
Wallet Hub Vice Index: 46.09
Anger & Hatred: 25
Jealousy: 14
Excesses & Vices: 31
Greed: 37
