MOST SINFUL STATES: Every state, like every individual, has virtues and vices, and vices are especially hard to conquer during the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the cost of state sins is something all citizens must share as a nation. Harmful behavior on the individual level can result in staggering economic costs, considering that gambling addiction alone costs the U.S. $5 billion per year and smoking costs dwarf that with over $300 billion per year.

In light of these statistics, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022’s Most Sinful States. To determine where in the U.S. has the most moral growth to perform, WalletHub compared the 50 states based on seven sinful behaviors: anger and hatred, jealousy, excesses and vices, greed, lust, vanity and laziness.

The following are statistics from WalletHub’s report which highlight the level of sinfulness in Pennsylvania: The state of PA landed just below average when considering the vice of jealousy, and just above average considering excesses, vices and laziness.

With a score of 1 being the most sinful, Pennsylvania residents scored a 12 when it comes to one of the seven deadly sins, greed. But most of all and scoring within the top five most sinful states, according to this report from WalletHub, Pennsylvanians are most sinful in the areas of vanity and lust.

The data which informed this report fromWalletHub compared the 50 states across 47 key indicators of immoral or illicit behavior. Their data set ranged from violent crimes per capita to excessive drinking to the share of the population with gambling disorders.

For the full report, please visit https://wallethub.com/edu/most-sinful-states/46852.