Which States Have the Fewest Coronavirus Restrictions?

football game in Alabama

Butch Dill/Stringer/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images North America

Cheapism is editorially independent. We may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site.
football game in Alabama
Butch Dill/Stringer/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images North America

Dis-Eased

The response across the United States to coronavirus containment has been varied, to say the least. New York and California led the way early on with strict lockdowns, business closings, and mask requirements, and other states followed gradually. As the situation has evolved, all states have at least partially reopened, a WalletHub study finds, but the country is still not back to business as usual — and many states have put a hard pause on easing restrictions further until there's more progress against fighting COVID-19. Here's how the states rank across 17 metrics of  coronavirus restrictions such as mask requirements, bans on large gatherings, and reopening of schools, bars, and restaurants with service limits such as outdoor seating only or reduced capacity. States are listed from most restrictive to least restrictive.


Related: Are People in Your State Staying Home?

Aerial view of Honolulu Harbor
Naomi Rahim/Getty Images

51. Hawaii (Most Restrictive)

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Banned; gatherings allowed for up to five
School restart: State-ordered regional closing in effect
Restaurants: Limited dine-in or other service limits
Bars: New service limits imposed


Related: 15 Ways the Coronavirus Has Changed Americans' Daily Lives

sign at venice beach about social distancing
Mario Tama/Staff/Getty Images News/Getty Images North America

50. California (2nd-Most Restrictive)

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Banned (all gatherings)
School restart: State-ordered regional closing in effect
Restaurants: Closed except for takeout/delivery or newly closed to dine-in service
Bars: Closed


Related: Beach vs. Pool: Which Is Safer Right Now?

Norfolk Virginia
Sky Noir Photography by Bill Dickinson/Getty Images
Boston
Chiara Salvadori/Getty Images

48. Massachusetts

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limited to 25 or fewer participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Limited dine-in or other service limits
Bars: Closed


Related: 41 Things to Do to Before Lockdown Ends

Young boy with Covid mask in Seguaro National Park, Arizona
Digital-dave/Getty Images

47. Arizona

Mask in public: Required for certain employees
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Limited dine-in or other service limits
Bars: Closed


Related: Pandemic Phrases That Have Infected Our Vocabulary

Bar Harbor in Acadia national Park, Maine
Peter Unger/Getty Images

46. Maine

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Closed 

Denver
Brad McGinley Photography/Getty Images
man walking dog in Oregon
EyeWolf/Getty Images

44. Oregon

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Banned; gatherings allowed for up to 10 indoors
School restart: State-ordered regional closing in effect
Restaurants: Limited dine-in or other service limits
Bars: New service limits imposed

Pittsburgh
Ken Redding/Getty Images
Jersey City, New Jersey
Dong Wenjie/Getty Images

42. New Jersey

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limited to 25 or fewer participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Closed

A warning sign stands among usually crowded tourist attractions in Washington DC
Photo by Laura Kalcheff/Getty Images

41. District of Columbia

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: State-ordered regional closing in effect
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Closed


Related: COVID-19 Skeptics Who Contracted the Virus

Hartford, Connecticut
Murat Taner/Getty Images

40. Connecticut

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limited to 25 or fewer participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Closed

playground in Vermont
vermontalm/Getty Images
First Ward Park in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina
Dan Reynolds Photography/Getty Images

38. North Carolina

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limited to 25 or fewer participants
School restart: Hybrid or remote instruction only
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Closed

Somerset, KY
by Jonathan D. Goforth/Getty Images

37. Kentucky

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Banned; gatherings allowed for 10 or fewer
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Limited dine-in or other service limits
Bars: New service limits imposed


Related: How Unhealthy Was Your State When the Coronavirus Hit?

seattle waterfront
oksanaphoto/Getty Images

35. Washington (tie)

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Banned; gatherings allowed for up to five
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Limited dine-in or other service limits
Bars: Closed

sign in New Mexico
JannHuizenga/Getty Images
San Antonio
RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/Getty Images

34. Texas

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Banned; gatherings allowed for up to 10
School restart: State-ordered in-person instruction, part-time or full-time
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Closed

empty Times Square New York
Photo by Roberto Saltori/Getty Images
Providence, Rhode Island
Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

32. Rhode Island

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limited to 25 or fewer participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: New service limits imposed

Lewes, Delaware
mdgmorris/Getty Images
Minneapolis
Bradley Olson / EyeEm/Getty Images

30. Minnesota

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Banned; gatherings allowed for up to five
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

New Hampshire
Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

29. New Hampshire

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

Montana
Jordan Siemens/Getty Images

28. Montana

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Ali Majdfar/Getty Images

27. West Virginia

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limited to 25 or fewer participants
School restart: State-ordered regional closing in effect
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

school closed sign outside Grand Rapids, Michigan
Ayman Haykal/Getty Images
Baltimore, Maryland
Atlantide Phototravel/Getty Images

25. Maryland

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

Pensacola Beach, Florida
Jim McKinley/Getty Images

24. Florida

Mask in public: Required for certain employees
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: State-ordered in-person instruction, part-time or full-time
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Closed


Related: How COVID-19 Is Changing Retirement in America

Indianapolis
Photo by Scott Dunn/Getty Images

23. Indiana

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

New Orleans
Alan Pierce / EyeEm/Getty Images

22. Louisiana

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Closed 

Nashville, Tennessee
Photo by Mike Kline (notkalvin)/Getty Images

21. Tennessee

Mask in public: City and town officials set policy
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

empty Chicago streets
Jorge Villalba/Getty Images

20. Illinois

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

Marysville, Kansas
Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

19. Kansas

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

Mississippi State Capitol, Jackson, Mississippi
Jeremy Woodhouse/Getty Images

18. Mississippi

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Banned; gatherings allowed for up to five
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: New service limits imposed

Cincinnati, Ohio
Photo by Mike Kline (notkalvin)/Getty Images

17. Ohio

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: Limited to 25 or fewer participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: New service limits imposed

Las Vegas
Ethan Miller/Staff/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images North America
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
John Coletti/Getty Images

15. South Carolina

Mask in public: City and town officials set policy
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Limited dine-in or other service limits
Bars: New service limits imposed

Mobile, Alabama
George Dodd / EyeEm/Getty Images

14. Alabama

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

Anchorage Alaska
Blue Poppy/Getty Images

13. Alaska

Mask in public: Required for certain employees
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

Columbia Missouri
larrybraunphotography.com/Getty Images

12. Missouri

Mask in public: No action
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

Boise, Idaho
Anna Gorin/Getty Images

11. Idaho

Mask in public: No action
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

Atlanta
Dan Reynolds Photography/Getty Images

10. Georgia

Mask in public: Required for certain employees
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened


Related: This U.S. Airline Has Cut 76% of Its Routes

girl walking with American flag in rural area
Inti St Clair/Getty Images

9. Nebraska

Mask in public: Required for certain employees
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

Madison, Wisconsin
Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

8. Wisconsin

Mask in public: Required
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

North Dakota, Bismarck
John Elk III/Getty Images

7. North Dakota

Mask in public: No action
Large gatherings: Never banned
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

Eureka Springs, Arkansas
JeremyMasonMcGraw.com/Getty Images
Casper, Wyoming
John Elk/Getty Images

5. Wyoming

Mask in public: Required for certain employees
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

Des Moines Iowa
Monte Goodyk/Getty Images

4. Iowa

Mask in public: City and town officials set policy
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: State-ordered in-person instruction, part-time or full-time
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

Oklahoma
John Elk/Getty Images

3. Oklahoma

Mask in public: No action
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Reopened for limited dine-in
Bars: Fully reopened

 Salt Lake City, Utah
Mike Kemp/Getty Images

2. Utah

Mask in public: Required for certain employees
Large gatherings: Limit expanded to more than 25 participants
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Fully reopened
Bars: Fully reopened

Rapid City, South Dakota
Blaine Harrington III/Getty Images

1. South Dakota (Least Restrictive)

Mask in public: No action
Large gatherings: All restrictions lifted
School restart: Varies by school/district
Restaurants: Never closed
Bars: Fully reopened