# Cato Institute US state and governor freedom rankings

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/cato-institute-us-state-and-governor-freedom-rankings
> Updated: 2026-10-27T01:44:15.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

The Cato Institute released its 2026 ‘Freedom in the 50 States’ report, which evaluates U.S. states and governors based on 97 policy indicators across categories such as taxation, education, housing, and gun rights. 

Arizona was ranked as the top state for overall freedom, followed by Montana, Nevada, Florida, and Idaho. Hawaii, New York, and Massachusetts were identified among the least free states. 

For the first time, the report included a ranking of sitting governors based on their policy records. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte ranked first, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul ranked last with an ‘F’ grade. A spokesperson for Governor Hochul contested the findings, stating that the institute’s definition of freedom ‘reflects the position of the scorers, rather than the governor’s performance.’

## Timeline

### 2026-10-27: Cato Institute ranks US states and governors on freedom

The Cato Institute's 2026 report ranks Arizona as the freest US state and Montana's governor as the top leader for freedom, while New York ranks near the bottom.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cato-institute-ranks-us-states-and-governors-on-freedom

### 2026-10-23: Cato Institute report ranks US state and governor freedom

The Cato Institute’s latest report ranks Arizona as the freest U.S. state, noting that nine of the top ten freest states are led by Republicans.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cato-institute-report-ranks-us-state-and-governor-freedom

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Cite as: Cato Institute US state and governor freedom rankings. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/cato-institute-us-state-and-governor-freedom-rankings