Maryland residents have about a 60% chance of making it through turkey and pie without a family feud, according to new data that ranks the state squarely in the middle of America’s holiday survival odds.
What’s Happening: The Thanksgiving Survival Index 2025 gives Maryland families roughly 60% odds of avoiding major blowups during Thursday’s feast—better than battleground states but worse than quieter corners of the country.
- The state lands somewhere between high-risk Pennsylvania (48.8%) and peaceful Nebraska (77.5%)
- Maryland’s moderate political split and Baltimore-Washington football rivalries keep tension simmering
What’s Important: While Maryland dodges the danger zone that swallows California (47.6%) and Nevada (48.3%), families still face coin-flip chances when Ravens fans and Commanders supporters share the same gravy boat.
Between the Lines: Maryland’s middling rank reflects its split personality—part Southern hospitality, part Mid-Atlantic intensity, with just enough political diversity to make dessert dicey.
The Big Picture: States with the tightest political divisions show the worst survival odds. Wisconsin’s razor-thin 0.9-point partisan gap and Pennsylvania’s 1.8-point split both land them in the bottom ten. Meanwhile, West Virginia’s landslide political lean helps it claim the top spot with 88.6% survival odds—even when the moonshine flows freely.
Catch Up Quick: The index uses nine factors including political division, alcohol consumption, divorce rates, and football rivalries to calculate each state’s chances of holiday harmony.
- California ranks dead last with 47.6% survival odds
- West Virginia tops the list at 88.6%
The Sources: Action Network’s Thanksgiving Survival Index 2025
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