Simplicity just might be key when it comes to designing a great flag (sorry, Nebraska). Here's a ranking of all the state flags in the U.S., from first to worst.
- Updated
According to the North American Vexillological Association, a group dedicated to the study of flags, there are five basic elements that make up a great flag.
As stated in its guide "Good Flag, Bad Flag," those five principles are:
- Keep it simple.
- Use meaningful symbolism.
- Stick to 2-3 basic colors.
- Don't use lettering or seals.
- Be distinctive, but relatable.
To see if the average person agreed, in 2001 NAVA used an online survey that was open to its members and the public to rank the best flags among U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Respondents were asked to score each flag from 0 to 10, based solely on their personal tastes.Â
For the most part, NAVA's basic flag rules held true.
"Association members favored strong, simple, distinctive flags, choosing New Mexico, Texas, and Quebec in first, second and third place, all with scores above 8," NAVA stated in a report on its survey findings. "They scorned the 'seal-on-a-bedsheet' design common to more than half of U.S. state flags, forcefully relegating those flags to the bottom of the heap with scores averaging less than 4."
The report also stated that responses from the general public closely matched those of NAVA members.
"Their [the public's] insightful comments showed a strong intuitive grasp of flag design and confirmed the Association’s expert opinions on design principles. One doesn’t need to be a flag expert to know a good flag design."
With that in mind, here's the official ranking of all 50 state flags of the U.S.
Note: This survey was conducted in 2001, prior to recent protests calling for removing the Confederate battle flag from the Mississippi state flag. Many Mississippi cities and schools are currently refusing to fly the state flag.
Note: Georgia had recently changed its flag at the time of the survey and has since updated its flag again. Louisiana, Oklahoma and Utah each have corrected minor mistakes or inconsistencies in their official flags, but have maintained the same general design.
12. Mississippi
- Wikimedia Commons
- Updated
Score:Â 6.30
Date adopted:Â April 23, 1894, and Feb. 7, 2001 (official adoption of flag that had been used since 1894)
14. Rhode Island
- Wikimedia Commons
- Updated
Score:Â 6.12
Date adopted:Â July 27, 1640, formally Nov. 1, 1897
50. Georgia (2001-2003 flag)
- Wikimedia Commons
- Updated
Score:Â 2.36
Adopted:Â 2001
*Georgia changed its state flag in 2003.
Unranked: Georgia's current state flag
- Wikimedia Commons
- Updated
Georgia adopted this design as its state flag in 2003, meaning it was not included in NAVA's 2001 survey.
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According to the North American Vexillological Association, a group dedicated to the study of flags, there are five basic elements that make up a great flag.
As stated in its guide "Good Flag, Bad Flag," those five principles are:
- Keep it simple.
- Use meaningful symbolism.
- Stick to 2-3 basic colors.
- Don't use lettering or seals.
- Be distinctive, but relatable.
To see if the average person agreed, in 2001 NAVA used an online survey that was open to its members and the public to rank the best flags among U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Respondents were asked to score each flag from 0 to 10, based solely on their personal tastes.Â
For the most part, NAVA's basic flag rules held true.
"Association members favored strong, simple, distinctive flags, choosing New Mexico, Texas, and Quebec in first, second and third place, all with scores above 8," NAVA stated in a report on its survey findings. "They scorned the 'seal-on-a-bedsheet' design common to more than half of U.S. state flags, forcefully relegating those flags to the bottom of the heap with scores averaging less than 4."
The report also stated that responses from the general public closely matched those of NAVA members.
"Their [the public's] insightful comments showed a strong intuitive grasp of flag design and confirmed the Association’s expert opinions on design principles. One doesn’t need to be a flag expert to know a good flag design."
With that in mind, here's the official ranking of all 50 state flags of the U.S.
Note: This survey was conducted in 2001, prior to recent protests calling for removing the Confederate battle flag from the Mississippi state flag. Many Mississippi cities and schools are currently refusing to fly the state flag.
Note: Georgia had recently changed its flag at the time of the survey and has since updated its flag again. Louisiana, Oklahoma and Utah each have corrected minor mistakes or inconsistencies in their official flags, but have maintained the same general design.