(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Mountaineers are always free, and pride themselves on being the kinds of independent, self-sufficient people who can take care of themselves, and pull themselves up by their bootstraps when the going gets tough, right?

Maybe not so much, judging by a study of the “Most and Least Independent States (2026)” by WalletHub. In this case, “independent” means not just having personal freedom, but self-reliance.

Researchers took a look at dependence ranging from finances and federal government assistance to addiction and even physical and mental health woes that damage self-sufficiency. West Virginia sits near the bottom — 45th, with only South Carolina, Alaska, Mississippi, Louisiana and Kentucky doing worse.

Data shows West Virginia 45th for financial dependency, 50th for government dependency, 47th for job-market dependency, 17th for international trade dependency and 36th for vice dependency. The Mountain State is 50th for the percentage of households with a rainy day or emergency fund; 49th for median household income adjusted for the cost of living; 48th for federal dependence; and 47th for the percentage of households receiving public assistance and SNAP benefits.

“Idaho is the most independent state in America, due in part to its strong self-sustaining economy that relies very little on foreign exports,” said WalletHub editor Chip Lupo. “The state also is the 11th-lowest in poverty nationwide, reflecting strong financial stability and has the 17th-highest share of people who saved for emergencies in the past 12 months. In addition, fewer millennials in Idaho live with their parents compared to most states, highlighting greater independence among young adults.”

West Virginia’s population is older, with very little effort being made to attract and retain young families; we are poorer, with very little effort being made to provide the education and jobs that might provide a little light at the end of that tunnel; and lawmakers have had a horrible time agreeing to focus on expansion and diversification of the economy, rather than a cripplingly narrow political agenda. There is a lot working against us.

But the narrative we have been fed for generations by vile politicians who wanted to KEEP us dependent upon them is that we are strong and independent people who should reject at first sight any attempt to give us a hand up. In fact, seeking ways to improve our position has been cast as a negative.

The truth is, somewhere in all of us IS a strong, smart, capable person who doesn’t know where to start in untying all the cords that keep us from being able to stand on our own. We ARE a state full of competent people able to reason critically and think independently. Imagine what might happen if we stopped letting politicians convince us otherwise.