Which Star Wars Character Best Represents Each U.S. State?
Each of the country’s 50 states are unique snowflakes, one-of-a-kind places that can’t be compared to anything else… except for maybe Star Wars characters. Estately created the above map using a variety of statistics to match each state with the Star Wars character it shares unique similarities with. We’ve explained our reasoning in each of the state profiles listed below.
WEST COAST
MIDWEST
EAST COAST
ALABAMA — Finn
Finn is a stormtrooper who abandons the First Order in The Force Awakens, and eventually joins up with the Resistance. Finn’s defection is similar to Operation Paperclip, in which hundreds of German rocket scientists left Germany after World War II to come to Huntsville, Alabama to assist the United States with its rocket program.
ALASKA — Wampa
The coldest state in America, Alaska in winter is similar to the icy planet of Hoth. Home to the Rebel’s Echo Base in The Empire Strikes Back, it’s also where Luke Skywalker had a run in with the fearsome Wampa, a ferocious yetti-like creature that killed his Tauntaun and would have devoured him were it not for his burgeoning Jedi skills.
ARIZONA — Obi-Wan Kenobi
A resident of the desert planet Tatooine, this hermetic Jedi Master mentored both Anakin Skywalker (a.k.a. Darth Vader) and Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. Much of Arizona is made up of desert, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics it has more people employed per capita as guidance counselors than any other state.
ARKANSAS — Jabba the Hutt
Arkansas and Jabba the Hutt make a good match because Arkansas is now America’s fattest state, with an obesity rate well over 35%. Unfortunately, such a distinction doesn’t come with the prize of a free pet rancor to keep in the basement.
CALIFORNIA — C-3PO
The protocol droid C-3PO is a fluent in over six million forms of communication, and California employs more people per capita as translators than any other state in the country. California also has more collegiate robotics programs than any other state.
COLORADO — Bantha
Banthas are hairy beasts with curved horns that roam Tatooine and serve as transport for Tusken Raiders. They are similar in appearance to bighorn sheep, which are found in greatest abundance in Colorado.
CONNECTICUT — Baby Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia
According to the CDC, Connecticut has seen the greatest increase in twin births between 1980-2009. Don’t tell Darth Vader, but his wife gave birth to twins—Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia
DELAWARE — Y-Wing Starfighter
Delaware may not be known for its farmland, but it has more business listings for “crop dusters” per capita than any other state. These aerial enemies of small insects are the Y-Wing Starfighters of Eastern Seaboard agriculture, showcasing both durability and a large payload for bombing runs.
FLORIDA — Boushh
Floridians are the most duped state when it comes to identity theft, and nobody was more duped by someone’s identity than Jabba the Hut when Princess Leia arrived at his palace disguised as the bounty hunter Boush in Return of the Jedi. Plus, demanding double payment for a Wookiee while threatening everyone with a thermal detonator is such a Florida thing to do.
GEORGIA — Unkar Plutt
For those who enjoy rummaging through the wreckage of classic machinery Old Car City in Georgia, the largest junkyard for classic cars, is a true joy. For those who prefer pilfering electronics and scrap metal from wrecked Imperial Star Destroyers to exchange for meager food rations there’s the planet of Jakku. Have fun doing business with the vile Unkar Plutt.
HAWAII — Maz Kanata
Women in Hawaii live longer than men or women anywhere else in the United States. Will they live more than a thousand years like the Force-sensitive smuggler Maz Kanata? Probably not. Do they have romantic feelings for Wookiees like Maz Kanata does? No clue.
IDAHO — Ewoks
Idaho isn’t completely tree covered like the forest moon of Endor is, but National Forest land makes up a higher percentage of Idaho than in any other state. The state would make prime habitat for Ewoks, as it’s already been named the sixth best state for Bigfoot to live in.
ILLINOIS — Malakili
As ferocious as the Rancor was, and even though the beast devoured numerous people, its caretaker Malakili was emotionally devastated when Luke Skywalker killed it. Illinois’ large number of animal trainers (most per capita in America) would no doubt feel some empathy for the hulking crybaby, Malakili.
INDIANA — Rey
The orphaned scavenger with an affinity for spherical droids didn’t grow up with a sword in her hands, but once she gets her hands on Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber she learns the Force is strong with her. The same could be said for fencers in Indiana. Since 1990, members of the Notre Dame women’s fencing team have won more individual national championships than any other NCAA program.
IOWA — Gamorreans
With over 20 million pigs raised each year in Iowa, the state is welcoming of pig-faced creatures, much like Jabba the Hutt. The rotund mobster employed a number of pig-faced Gamorreans as guards in his palace.
KANSAS — Salacious B. Crumb
In a recent poll by Business Insider the state voted to have the “worst scenery” was Kansas. No matter how bleak the terrain in Kansas may be, it certainly isn’t any uglier than Jabba the Hutt’s unofficial court jester—Salacious B. Crumb.
KENTUCKY — Sarlacc
While it lacks tentacles or a digestive track like the Sarlacc, Kentucky is home to the longest cave in the world—405 miles in length.
LOUISIANA — Yoda
After hundreds of years of training Jedis Yoda relocated to the swamps of Dagobah to escape the Imperial forces and await a young pupil capable of reviving the Jedi Order. Many parts of Louisiana resemble Dagobah—the state contains about 40 percent of wetlands found in the lower 48. Are there little green Jedi masters hiding in them? Maybe.
MAINE — Droopy McCool
No creature played the chindinkalu flute like Droopy McCool of the Max Rebo Band, and nobody has Googled “flute” more in the past 12 years than people in Maine.
MARYLAND — Dr. Cornelius Evazan
The pig-faced bar fly who brags of facing a death sentence in 12 systems received those sentences thanks to the cruel medical experiments he conducted as a plastic surgeon. According the U.S. Census, Maryland has the most plastic surgeons per capita, although none of them have been struck down by Obi-Wan Kenobi for picking a fight with Luke Skywalker in the Mos Eisley Cantina.
MASSACHUSETTS – 2-1B Droid
Massachusetts has more doctors per capita than any other state so it’s only fitting it’s represented by a 2-1B Droid, a specially designed robot used to treat a range of ailments and injuries.
MICHIGAN — Emperor Palpatine
According to the Center for Public Integrity, Michigan has the worst government transparency, and accountability laws and practices in the country. While bad, this lack of government integrity doesn’t quite live up to the despotic rule of Emperor Palpatine.
MINNESOTA — Lando Calrissian
Is the connection because Cloud City is so much like Minnesota’s St. Cloud? No. Is it because Minnesota is home to so many card players and smugglers? Nope. Minnesota was selected because its residents Google the malt liquor Colt 45 more than any other state, and Billy Dee Williams, the actor who played Lando Calrissian, was the beverage’s most famous spokesperson.
MISSISSIPPI — Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker grew up never knowing the identity of his father, a disturbing bit of information he only learns later in life. The identity of fathers is apparently an issue in Mississippi, as residents there Google “paternity test” more than people in any other U.S. state.
MISSOURI — Boba Fett
Boba Fett is the galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter, a career choice that’s popular in The Show Me State. According to the Yellow Pages there are more bounty hunters for hire than in any other state.
MONTANA — AT-ST Walker
Two-legged AT-ST Walkerw were employed by Imperial forces in the Battle of Endor, but they proved no match for the Ewoks’ cunning and primitive weapons. The closest thing humans have to them are emus, a cousin of the ostrich, and according to the USDA the state of Montana has more emus per capita than any other state.
NEBRASKA — Admiral Kendel Ozzel
Nebraskans Google “Heimlich Maneuver” more than people in any other state, but probably not because Darth Vader has them in a fatal Force choke for coming out of lightspeed too close to the rebel base on Hoth.
NEVADA — Tusken Raiders
Speaking of murder, Tatooine’s population of Tusken Raiders—or Sand People—dabble in that, but they spend most their time robbing people in the desert. Robbery is a popular activity in the desert state of Nevada as well, with the most robberies per capita in the country.
NEW HAMPSHIRE — Han Solo
Even though New Hampshire leads the nation in cigarettes smuggled out of its borders none of New Hampshire’s smugglers risked the wrath of Imperial forces, endured being frozen in carbonite, or navigated an asteroid field like the smuggler Han Solo has.
NEW JERSEY — Jar Jar Binks
Out of the hundreds of characters in the Star Wars franchise the most detested by fans is Jar Jar Binks, the well-intentioned, but bumbling Gungan outcast. Sadly, the Garden State is also much maligned—40% of Americans polled said they have an unfavorable opinion of New Jersey, the highest in the country. For the record, Estately is pro-New Jersey.
NEW MEXICO — The Death Star
The Death Star was the Empire’s ultimate weapon, a moon-sized weapon that could destroy an entire planet. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, New Mexico is home to the bulk of America’s nuclear weapons, a stockpile that could surely destroy a planet if put to use.
NEW YORK — Moff Jerjerrod
Moff Jerjerrod was tasked with completing the second Death Star, and claimed he was behind schedule because he needed more men, much like New York state, which is 51.5% female, the highest in the country.
NORTH CAROLINA — Dianoga
North Carolina leads the nation in snake bites, but most of these involve small reptiles like copperheads. So far there are no recorded bites by Dianogas, those pesky, one-eyed carnivores that inhabit the Death Star’s trash compactors.
NORTH DAKOTA — Tauntauns
Much like life on the icy planet of Hoth, there are a few bleak realities to life in North Dakota. For one, much of the year is spent in freezing cold. Secondly, people in North Dakota report getting far more sleep than people in other states. That’s where the Tauntaun comes in. These domesticated snow lizards make for great transportation in snow and ice, and if you get caught outside in freezing temperatures at night you can cut them open with your lightsaber and sleep inside, just like Luke Skywalker did in The Empire Strikes Back.
OHIO — Kylo Ren
With the release of The Force Awakens the world got a brand new super villain hiding behind a black mask. However, many audience members became fixated on Kylo Ren’s emo tendencies—dressing in black, moping about, resenting his parents, etc. Ohioans are very concerned about emo-related things, particularly themselves. People in Ohio Google “Am I emo?” more than people in any other state.
OKLAHOMA — Jawas
Jawas roam the deserts of Tatooine capturing droids. Oklahoma residents don’t steal droids, they steal basketball teams from other states named for airplanes (Seattle SuperSonics). Seattle has not forgotten.
OREGON — Space Slug
The Pacific Northwest is home to the banana slug, the largest slug species in North America. These yellow, slimy creatures inhabit the rain-soaked forests of Oregon, whereas Space Slugs inhabit giant asteroids. Unlike Space Slugs, there have been recorded instances of flying Mynocks inhabiting the digestive tracts of banana slugs.
PENNSYLVANIA — Bossk
Pennsylvania has the most licensed hunters of any state in the nation, and Bossk is one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy.
RHODE ISLAND — Elan Sleazebaggano
Rhode Islanders do a lot of drugs, or at least more drugs per capita than people in the other 49 states. However, none have traveled to Coruscant to try the poorly-named death sticks, a popular drug patrons at the Outlander Club purchase from the drug dealer Elan Sleazebaggano.
SOUTH CAROLINA — Greedo
The first shots in the Civil War were fired by Confederate soldiers in South Carolina on Fort Sumter. The most controversial shot fired in Star Wars was by Greedo at Han Solo, at least that was the case after George Lucas made edited the original version of Star Wars.
SOUTH DAKOTA – BB-8
B-B8 is an adorable little bowling ball-shaped droid that possesses a map leading to a certain famous Jedi in The Force Awakens, and if you’re looking for the whereabouts of America’s disappearing bowling alleys you’ll find more of them per capita in South Dakota than you will in any other state.
TENNESSEE – Stormtroopers
When it comes to bad guys dressing in white and hiding behind a mask, there are some real similarities between Imperial Stormtroopers and the Klu Klux Klan. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Tennessee has the most active Klu Klux Klan chapters of any U.S. state (10).
TEXAS — Darth Vader
Since 1976, no state has executed more people than Texas, and Darth Vader certainly executes his fair share of people as well. Couple that with the fact that hanging is still legal in Texas, and Darth Vader’s frequent use of the Force choke to asphyxiate underlings, and you have at least something in common for Texas and Vader to talk about if they go out on a first date.
UTAH — Princess Leia
Utah is absolutely obsessed with Star Wars, topping all states in statistics regarding online searches for, and Facebook interest in, Star Wars-related things. This includes Google searches for Princess Leia’s costume from the scene in Jabba’s Palace.
VERMONT — Wookiees
Vermonters own the dubious distinction of being America’s hairiest state, with a higher rate of reported body hair than any other state. This may be beneficial during those cold Northeast winters, but it could also make them more open to hanging out with Wookiees, and certainly more tolerant of their shedding.
VIRGINIA — Poe Dameron
Virginia has more Air Force and Navy squadrons combined than any other U.S state so there’s a good chance the equivalent of the best pilot in the Resistance’s Starfighter Corps is among one of those squadrons.
WASHINGTON — Chewbacca
Washington state has by far the most reported Bigfoot sightings of any U.S. state. Is that because Bigfoot roams the woods of Washington or because locals desperately want to see a giant, hairy creature coming their way? Either way, they’d be into hanging out with another hairy giant, even if he has a bit of a temper.
WEST VIRGINIA — Jek Porkins
West Virginia’s obesity rate ranks second highest in the country, but these extra pounds don’t limit the Mountaineer State’s enthusiasm for video games (most Google searches on the topic of any state). If the galaxy did find itself at war, and Earth rallied a ragtag group of fighter pilots from the world’s best video game pilots—like in the The Last Starfighter,—they’d probably find a lot in West Virginia like Jek Porkins. And that’s just more starfighter to love.
WISCONSIN — Wuher
Wisconsin is home to the most bars per capita of any U.S. state. Next time you’re there, raise a glass to Wuher, the gruff bartender at Mos Eisley Cantina, the roughest bar on Tatooine, and possibly in the entire galaxy.
WYOMING —Han Solo (in Carbonite)
Carbonite, used by Darth Vader to freeze and transport Han Solo back to Jabba’s Palace, is a liquid substance made from carbon gas, something Wyoming residents are great at producing. Thanks to their ample CO2 emissions—112.8 metric tons per person—Wyoming is bar far the largest producer of greenhouse gases in the country.
Whether you choose to live in a desert state resembling Tatooine, or a forest state that feels like Endor, when it comes to finding your dream home make sure you search online using Estately.com.
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