The people of North Dakota are the most trusting of their government, or so says new information released by Gallup. From June - December 2013, 600 residents in each state were asked, "How much trust and confidence do you have in the government of the state where you live when it comes to handling state problems - a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all?"

77% of North Dakotans surveyed responded with "Great deal/Fair amount of trust", making North Dakota number one in the country. Wyoming came in a close second with 76% of people answering the same. Not surprisingly, Illinois came in dead last, with corruption being cited as a major factor for the lack of trust.

In their analysis, Gallup found in general, trust is higher in states that are less populated than their more populous counterparts. The study also goes on to explain that residents' trust is a major factor in how well the states government functions, saying "voters must believe that those they elect to public office will act in the best interests of the citizens, and elected leaders who do not engender their constituents' trust will likely not serve for long."

The top five states include:

  • North Dakota (77%)
  • Wyoming (76%)
  • Utah (75%)
  • South Dakota (74%)
  • Nebraska (73%)

The bottom five states include:

  • Illinois (28%)
  • Rhode Island (40%)
  • Maine (40%)
  • Pennsylvania (46%)
  • Louisiana (48%)

Do you think the results accurately reflect the mood of the state?

More From Hot 975