How Well Could Utah Actually Survive On Its Own As A Nation?

A little over a week ago, we were all getting ready to celebrate our long 4^th of July weekend. If you've listened to me at all on the radio, you know I slightly bristle at that designation, preferring to refer to the day as it is officially known as Independence Day.

I know, it's not a big deal, but, by using the official name of the holiday, we continue to promote the idea that the founders of the United States were desiring independence from a government they viewed as tyrannical.

Following the Revolutionary War, the country was largely a union of independent states, with a weak central government formed by the Articles of Confederation, and during those times, most states functioned autonomously.

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Of course, that changed when the country adopted the U.S. Constitution after nine of the 13 states ratified that document in 1788.

Could Utah Go It Alone?

I have pondered from time to time, how well would we be doing if we were still functioning as a confederacy of largely independent states. If the other 49 states suddenly announced, "You're on your own," how long would Utah last?

According to a recent analysis by LifeMap Insights, the question isn't as crazy as it sounds. The study imagined every state becoming its own independent nation and ranked all 50 based on how well they could survive without Uncle Sam.

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Unfortunately, the complete rankings aren't easy to come by anymore, but if Utahns are worried they might be bartering fry sauce for canned peaches by Labor Day, they can probably relax.

Utah consistently ranks among America's most self-reliant states. In its 2026 report of the Most and Least Independent States, WalletHub recently named it the nation's second most independent state, citing its strong economy, low unemployment, low reliance on government assistance, and a population that generally manages to pay its bills without asking Washington to spot them twenty bucks.

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Would Utah have challenges on our own? Certainly. We'd miss having an ocean. International shipping would require making nice with somebody else's coastline, and our grocery stores might discover that avocados don't magically appear on shelves.

On the other hand, Utah has plenty going for it. The state generates ample electricity, boasts a booming technology industry, produces valuable minerals, and sits at the crossroads of the Intermountain West. Add in world-class outdoor recreation and enough national parks to make tourists willingly drive across Nevada, and Utah wouldn't exactly be starting from scratch.

Read More: Utah By In Large independent From Debt Delinquency 

The real winners of states becoming independent would probably be the usual heavyweights like Texas and California, with their enormous economies, ports and agricultural output. But Utah wouldn't be the kid picked last in this geopolitical dodgeball game.

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Viva Independence!