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Freedom, explained.
Plain-language guides to the laws that actually shape your freedom — each one answered up front, backed by named sources, and connected to the current index so you can see where every state stands.
Showing 17 guides
The 2026 State Freedom Index: All 50 States Ranked
All 50 states scored 0–100 across ten freedoms. The full 2026 ranking — the freest and least-free states, the most polarized freedoms, migration patterns, and how it compares to Cato.
Do People Actually Move to Freer States? The Migration Data
We paired our 2026 freedom scores with Census migration data for all 50 states. Freer states do gain people (r = 0.53) — but it’s a tendency, not a law, with real exceptions.
The Freest Countries in the World (2026)
All 197 countries scored 0–100 across ten universal freedoms. Denmark leads, China and Nicaragua trail — and the United States ranks only #32. Here is the full picture.
US States vs. the World: How America’s Freedom Really Compares
The US ranks #32 in the world on freedom — but its states span 33 points internally. Here’s where America leads the world, where it lags, and why the state matters more.
Drug Laws by State: Marijuana, Psilocybin & Kratom in 2026
Four legal tiers, three substances, and fifty different answers. Where marijuana, psilocybin, and kratom are legal - and why the federal contradiction matters more than most people realize.
Gun Carry Laws by State: Constitutional & Open Carry in 2026
29 states dropped the permit requirement in barely two decades. Where permitless and open carry are legal, why a permit is still worth having, and the rules that survive everywhere.
Self-Defense Laws by State: Stand Your Ground & Castle Doctrine
Every state says you need not flee your own home. Beyond the front door the country splits three ways - and that single distinction decides more self-defense cases than any other rule.
Gun Restrictions by State: Assault Weapons, Magazines & Red Flag Laws
Ten states ban the rifles their laws call assault weapons, 22 can remove firearms by court order, and most cap magazines at ten rounds. The restrictive side of the map.
State Tax Burden: Income, Sales & Property Taxes Compared
Nine states take nothing from your paycheck. Five charge nothing at the register. Not one is a tax haven - here is where the money actually comes from instead.
All 17 explainers
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