Stetson Survey Finds Puerto Rico and D.C. Get Statehood Support, Canada and Greenland Do Not

With the current debate over U.S. expansion, a new survey by the Center for Public Opinion Research (CPOR) at Stetson University finds that Americans remain deeply divided on the prospect of adding a 51st state if it’s not Puerto Rico or Washington, D.C.

While Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., emerge as the most favored candidates, a significant portion of the public remains skeptical about any expansion. The survey, conducted from Feb. 21-23, 2025, included a sample of 1,006 U.S. adults, with a +/- 3.7% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.




President Trump has ignited discussions on U.S. expansion by publicly advocating for the annexation of Greenland and Canada. In February, Trump expressed that “Canada would be much better off being the 51st state.” On March 4, Trump stated in a joint address to Congress that the U.S. would assume control of Greenland “one way or another.”

CPOR’s survey found these proposals lack broad public support. Among those who favored adding a 51st state, only 17% selected Greenland. Similarly, support for Canadian statehood was limited at 24%. Among those who supported Canadian annexation, 66% earned less than $50,000 annually, 57% had a high school diploma or less, and 50% identified as Republican.

In the survey, respondents were asked if they supported statehood for a list that included Canada, Greenland, Washington, D.C., and the five U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Thirty-six percent of respondents supported statehood for none of them. Of those, the majority were female (57%), had some college (29%) or a bachelor’s degree (45%), and made over $50,000 annually (63%).

Of respondents who indicated at least one should be a state, Puerto Rico remains the most widely supported option for statehood (55%). Among those who selected Puerto Rico, 44% were Independents, 35% were Democrats and 21% were Republicans.

Washington, D.C., followed closely behind with 51% support, again showing a similar partisan divide. Of those who selected Washington, D.C., 41% were Independents, 37% were Democrats, and 23% were Republicans.

Following Puerto Rico (55%) and Washington D.C. (51%), the support for statehood for the others were: U.S. Virgin Islands (32%); Canada (24%); American Samoa (19%); Guam (18%); Greenland (17%); and lastly the Northern Mariana Islands (7%).




“With the addition of a new state, the state would get representatives in the U.S. House as well as two U.S. senators. This would be particularly important for the U.S. Senate where a major party would need to control more than 51 seats to have a majority,” said Kelly Smith, PhD, associate professor of political science at Stetson University. “Depending upon whether that new state was largely Republican, Democratic, or a competitive state, it would have implications for party control of the Senate.

“The results of the survey highlight how perceptions of U.S. expansion vary by political affiliation, income level, and education,” Smith continued. “While Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., continue to receive the most support for statehood, the broader appetite for expansion remains low, especially regarding the more controversial proposals, such as annexing Canada or Greenland.”