Countries More Similar to Alabama than the US

_{Have you ever wondered which U.S. states resemble countries more closely than others? The Country – US State Comparisons are designed to quantify just that — measuring how similar each U.S. state is to different countries around the world relative to the United States. This index provides a data-driven way to make those comparisons. It equally weights five major factors: demographics, culture, politics, technology, and geography. Over 1,000 different data points are used to generate the results.}

Top 10 Countries More Similar to Alabama than the US

Alabama has a hotter climate than most areas of the United States. Furthermore, it has a much higher percentage of people with African ancestry than overall US population. In addition, it is not as wealthy and its infrastructure is not as well developed as other states. As a result, 7 of the 10 are located in Africa.

1. Guinea is located in West Africa, on the Atlantic Coast. In Guinea and Alabama, religion is deeply woven into identity, law, and culture, unlike the more secular trend in much of the U.S. Structural poverty and underinvestment are big problems in both places. The rural lifestyle and agriculture-dependent economies are also shared traits.
2. Central African Republic, like Alabama, has a hotter and wetter climate than the overall United States. It is also one of the poorest countries globally, so it has some parallels to Alabama, which is one of the poorest states. Both places are deeply religious, with Christianity playing a major role in public discourse.
3. Guyana is the only country located in South America on this list. Alabama and Guyana have histories deeply shaped by slavery, and that legacy still influences their demographics, economies, and social structures today. Although Guyana’s population is more diverse than Alabama’s, a high percentage of its people have African ancestry.
4. Gambia is another country in West Africa on this list. Both Gambia and Alabama face rural underdevelopment, limited access to public services, and uneven economic growth. Both maintain conservative, traditional gender norms and resistance to progressive social change. In addition, both have small strips of coastline along the Atlantic.
5. Democratic Republic of Congo and Alabama have a history of violent, extractive governance that benefited a narrow elite while impoverishing a racial underclass. While Alabama is far better off than Congo, some areas reflect “developing country” levels of public service gaps. Both face loss of young talent due to lack of opportunity.
6. Jamaica, 7. Sierra Leone, 8. Bahamas, 9. Liberia, 10. Zambia

Top 10 Countries Less Similar to Alabama than the US

Six of the 10 countries with less traits in common with Alabama than the United States overall are located in Europe. Most are located at a higher latitude and therefore have a more colder climate. Furthermore, these countries are a lot less conservative politically than Alabama.

1. Canada is located to the north of the United States and has a much colder climate than Alabama. In addition, Canadians tend to be more liberal than people in Alabama. Canada invests more in equitable public education, while Alabama’s system is deeply shaped by local inequalities and historical segregation.
2. Australia has a much drier climate than Alabama. In addition, Australia is surrounded by coastline, while Alabama only has a narrow strip along the Gulf of Mexico. Australia provides public healthcare and a broader welfare state, while Alabama relies more on market forces and charity, leading to worse health outcomes.
3. Switzerland and Alabama have almost opposite models of society. Switzerland is globally admired for social cohesion, neutrality, wealth, and decentralization. In contrast, Alabama struggles with inequality, racial tension, and low public investment. Alabama is one of America’s most religious states, while Switzerland has many atheists.
4. Spain is another European country on this list. Alabama has relatively few Latinos, so a low percentage of its people speak Spanish, compared to the rest of the United States. Although both Alabama and Spain are predominately Christian, Alabama has one of the highest percentages of Protestants in the United States, while Spain is mostly Catholic.
5. New Zealand is one of the most progressive, secular, egalitarian countries in the world, while Alabama is one of the most conservative, religious, and unequal states in the U.S. In addition, it has few people with African ancestry, since most of its citizens have roots in Europe or native Maori ancestry.
6. Netherlands, 7. Austria, 8. Luxembourg, 9. Argentina, 10. Germany

Full Ranking of Countries and Territories More Similar to Alabama than the US

All data accurate as of 2025.