We’ve all been on long flights where the kitchen runs out of supplies, whether it’s the snack we were craving or a favorite beverage. On some flights, the bar might even run out of alcohol. But according to one Reddit user, if you’re flying to Salt Lake City, you run a uniquely high risk of the plane running out of Diet Coke.
It is a fitting issue for Utah: the land of “dirty sodas,” cookie shops on every corner and some of the most charitable people in the country. Yet, it is also a place that ranks higher in laziness, lust and anger, and is home to the seventh-least “sinful” population in the nation, according to a new report.
In a recent WalletHub analysis ranking the most “sinful” states, Utah placed 44th, just behind Minnesota and ahead of Iowa.
Utah has not held the top spot as the nation’s least sinful in at least five years; however, 2026 shows an improvement from 2022, where Utah was ranked 42nd overall.
The study’s measure of sin
To determine the rankings, WalletHub measured sinfulness across seven categories: anger and hatred, jealousy, excesses and vices, greed, lust, vanity, and laziness.
These categories were evaluated through 54 metrics, including violent crimes per capita, bullying rates, road rage rankings, obesity, drug overdose deaths and even the number of plastic surgeons per capita.
The Beehive State ranked 30th in anger and hatred, 39th in jealousy, 49th in excesses and vices, 50th in greed, 40th in lust and 41st in laziness. While Utahns are among the least greedy and rank near the bottom for vices, they sit in the middle of the pack for anger, lust and laziness.
“Every state has its share of residents with positive qualities. However, citizens across the nation have their own moral struggles, from violent outbursts and bullying to compulsive gambling, excessive lust and self-destructive consumption,” said Chip Lupo, an analyst for WalletHub, in a statement to Deseret News.
“When these incidents start to make up a high share of a state’s population, the majority of the state’s residents suffer as a result,” Lupo continued.
The most ‘sinful’ leaders
Nevada, California and Louisiana were the top three most sinful states in the nation.
Unsurprisingly, Nevada — home to “Sin City” — took the top spot. The state leads the nation in casinos and gambling-related arrests per capita, according to WalletHub. However, gambling isn’t the only vice; Nevada also has the most prostitution arrests and the second-highest number of fast-food restaurants.
“Nevada’s pre-occupation with its vices leaves little room for altruism, as the state has the second-lowest volunteer rate in the country,” Lupo said.
California earned second place largely due to violence, recording the third-most mass shootings and the most elder abuse complaints. It also leads the nation in vanity, topping Google searches for plastic surgery, liposuction and breast augmentation.
Louisiana followed in third, cited for high rates of white-collar crime and identity theft and fraud complaints per capita, both fueled by greed.
What makes a state more sinful?
Experts suggest that a state’s sinfulness is a mix of legislation and culture.
“Culture sets the baseline tolerance for ‘sin,’ while law formalizes it through regulation, taxation or prohibition,” said Richard Flight, associate professor at Coastal Carolina University.
In Utah, a cultural “vice” might look like a long line in the Swig drive-thru or a line of cars on a Sunday morning leading up to the resorts in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
“Every state has its share of residents with positive qualities. However, citizens across the nation have their own moral struggles, from violent outbursts and bullying to compulsive gambling, excessive lust and self-destructive consumption. When these incidents start to make up a high share of a state’s population, the majority of the state’s residents suffer as a result.”
— WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo
In a statement sent to Deseret News, Steven Meyers, professor at Roosevelt University, noted that laws impact behavior.
“When states make a behavior or activity legal, people’s use will increase because many barriers are removed and the market then expands to satisfy demand,” Meyers said.
He added that while state laws matter, “within-group differences” — such as family and neighborhood norms — are often more influential than state-to-state differences.
Breaking habits
If individuals struggle with spending, excessive drinking or snacking or gambling, Flight suggests treating these habits as a “social issue.” Joining a group or a 12-step program can turn a private difficulty into a group-supported journey.
To put out the flame of road rage and anger, AAA suggests breathing before reacting, ignoring or avoiding aggressive drivers, and leaving early to allow enough time to arrive safely.
So while Utah might not be ranking near the home of “Sin City” anytime soon, there is always room for a little more patience on the freeway and more support from friends and family.