US State Flags: The Best, the Worst, and the Most Interesting

A good flag should be simple enough to draw from memory, distinctive from a distance, and meaningful to the people it represents. By that standard, most US state flags fail. But a few are genuinely excellent — and the story of why flags look the way they do says a lot about each state's identity.

The Good Ones

New Mexico has widely been called the best state flag in the country by vexillologists (flag experts). It features the Zia sun symbol — a red circle with four groups of four rays — on a yellow background. The colors represent the state's Spanish and Native American heritage. Simple, distinctive, and meaningful.

Maryland has one of the most unique flags in the world. The four quadrants combine the black and gold of the Calvert family (Maryland's founding family) with the red and white of the Crossland family. It looks nothing like any other flag and is instantly recognizable.

Arizona features a copper star (representing copper mining) against a sunset pattern of red and yellow rays over a blue lower half representing the Colorado River. Striking from a distance, meaningful in its symbolism.

Colorado — Red C with a golden disk on a white and blue background. Simple, distinctive, and immediately recognizable. The C stands for Colorado; the gold represents sunshine; blue and white represent skies and mountains.

Alaska — Designed by a 13-year-old Native Alaskan boy named Benny Benson in 1927. The Big Dipper and North Star on a dark blue background symbolize Alaska's northern location and natural beauty. One of the most moving design stories behind any state flag.

California — The Bear Republic flag with its lone grizzly bear has genuine historical meaning and visual impact. The "California Republic" text refers to the short-lived 1846 Bear Flag Revolt. The bear was based on a real grizzly named Monarch.

The POB Problem (Plain Old Blue)

A vast majority of US state flags are variations of the same design: a state seal on a blue background. Vexillologists call these "seal on a bedsheet" flags — indistinguishable from any distance.

The worst offenders: Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Maine, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Oregon (which has the only state flag with a different design on each side), and about 20 others all look almost identical when flying on a flagpole — a dark blue rectangle with some sort of emblem you can barely see.

The Redesign Movement

Several states have redesigned their flags in recent years.

Mississippi redesigned in 2020, replacing the flag that included a Confederate battle emblem (one of the last in the US to do so). The new flag features a magnolia blossom with a star, in gold, blue, and white. It's one of the most thoughtfully designed new state flags.

Minnesota redesigned in 2024, replacing its seal-on-blue flag with a design featuring the North Star, a loon, and a lake — drawn from a competitive public process that generated thousands of submissions.

Utah also redesigned in 2024, replacing its seal-on-dark-blue flag with a cleaner beehive symbol design.

The Most Historically Significant

Hawaii's flag is the only US state flag to incorporate the Union Jack — a remnant of Hawaii's long trading relationship with Britain before annexation. The eight stripes represent the eight main Hawaiian islands.

Texas's Lone Star flag is the most recognized state flag in the country. The single star represents Texas's history as an independent republic (1836–1845) before joining the United States.

South Carolina's crescent and palmetto tree flag dates to the Revolutionary War. The palmetto tree represents the Fort Moultrie, built from palmetto logs, that repelled a British naval attack in 1776.

The Verdict

The vexillological consensus: New Mexico, Maryland, and Alaska are top-tier. About 30 states have blue backgrounds with a seal. If you can't draw the flag from memory, it's probably not a well-designed flag. The movement toward redesign is gaining momentum — expect more state flags to change in the coming decade.