Best States for Outdoor Enthusiasts (2026)
Wyoming ranks #1 for outdoor enthusiasts with a score of 95.0 out of 100, ahead of Montana (81.7) and Vermont (81.1).
Rankings weighted toward outdoor access (parks, public land, recreation), environmental quality, safety, health infrastructure, and affordable housing — for those who prioritize access to nature and an active lifestyle.
- Outdoor Access weight
- 30%
- Environment weight
- 15%
- Safety weight
- 15%
Top 10 States for Outdoor Enthusiasts
#1 to #5
Score · grade- 1WyomingOutdoor Access: 95.7 · Environment: 46.6 · Safety: 86.195.0A+
- 2MontanaOutdoor Access: 71.7 · Environment: 62.9 · Safety: 60.981.7A
- 3VermontOutdoor Access: 55.6 · Environment: 76.3 · Safety: 77.781.1A
- 4IdahoOutdoor Access: 50.2 · Environment: 70.0 · Safety: 86.678.6A+
- 5MaineOutdoor Access: 45.0 · Environment: 77.1 · Safety: 94.575.7A
#6 to #10
Score · grade- 6AlaskaOutdoor Access: 100.0 · Environment: 49.5 · Safety: 29.573.0C
- 7New HampshireOutdoor Access: 43.0 · Environment: 45.2 · Safety: 94.368.8A+
- 8South DakotaOutdoor Access: 45.8 · Environment: 53.3 · Safety: 71.868.2A+
- 9OregonOutdoor Access: 53.4 · Environment: 64.2 · Safety: 59.663.4C
- 10Rhode IslandOutdoor Access: 37.4 · Environment: 53.4 · Safety: 90.862.8B
All 50 States Ranked for Outdoor Enthusiasts
| # State | Grade | Outdoor Enthusiasts score | Overall | Outdoor Access | Environment | Safety | Region | Cities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wyoming | A+ | 95.0 | 79.9 | 95.7 | 46.6 | 86.1 | West | Cities → |
| 2Montana | A | 81.7 | 75.0 | 71.7 | 62.9 | 60.9 | West | Cities → |
| 3Vermont | A | 81.1 | 74.0 | 55.6 | 76.3 | 77.7 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 4Idaho | A+ | 78.6 | 78.4 | 50.2 | 70.0 | 86.6 | West | Cities → |
| 5Maine | A | 75.7 | 71.6 | 45.0 | 77.1 | 94.5 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 6Alaska | C | 73.0 | 44.3 | 100.0 | 49.5 | 29.5 | West | Cities → |
| 7New Hampshire | A+ | 68.8 | 83.4 | 43.0 | 45.2 | 94.3 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 8South Dakota | A+ | 68.2 | 79.3 | 45.8 | 53.3 | 71.8 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 9Oregon | C | 63.4 | 50.9 | 53.4 | 64.2 | 59.6 | West | Cities → |
| 10Rhode Island | B | 62.8 | 62.0 | 37.4 | 53.4 | 90.8 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 11North Dakota | A+ | 59.9 | 75.5 | 39.1 | 38.5 | 70.2 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 12Minnesota | B+ | 58.6 | 70.4 | 30.7 | 51.0 | 77.1 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 13Washington | B | 57.4 | 61.8 | 35.4 | 73.1 | 63.9 | West | Cities → |
| 14Hawaii | B+ | 56.7 | 64.8 | 36.3 | 56.9 | 75.7 | West | Cities → |
| 15Colorado | B+ | 55.8 | 64.7 | 44.5 | 45.9 | 50.4 | West | Cities → |
| 16Massachusetts | B+ | 55.3 | 70.0 | 32.0 | 54.4 | 76.4 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 17Utah | A | 55.1 | 75.4 | 38.3 | 28.5 | 76.0 | West | Cities → |
| 18Iowa | B+ | 52.5 | 69.2 | 22.4 | 46.7 | 79.8 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 19Nebraska | A | 51.4 | 71.1 | 22.0 | 44.1 | 78.0 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 20Connecticut | B+ | 50.9 | 66.9 | 23.8 | 38.3 | 90.1 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 21New York | C+ | 50.9 | 54.9 | 30.2 | 58.4 | 63.0 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 22Wisconsin | B+ | 50.4 | 70.6 | 23.9 | 40.6 | 81.6 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 23Virginia | B+ | 48.0 | 67.7 | 20.1 | 48.0 | 79.3 | South | Cities → |
| 24Nevada | C | 45.4 | 45.8 | 39.3 | 41.5 | 55.9 | West | Cities → |
| 25Kansas | C+ | 45.2 | 55.1 | 30.4 | 48.0 | 52.7 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 26Florida | B | 44.3 | 59.9 | 27.8 | 34.0 | 73.1 | South | Cities → |
| 27Pennsylvania | B | 43.3 | 56.9 | 19.8 | 38.0 | 78.1 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 28Arizona | C | 42.7 | 47.8 | 37.7 | 25.9 | 63.2 | West | Cities → |
| 29New Mexico | F | 42.2 | 30.6 | 44.3 | 50.8 | 32.9 | West | Cities → |
| 30Delaware | C+ | 39.3 | 53.6 | 23.9 | 33.5 | 65.0 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 31California | D | 36.7 | 40.2 | 40.8 | 24.7 | 54.7 | West | Cities → |
| 32Michigan | D | 36.1 | 42.7 | 17.8 | 42.0 | 63.9 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 33Indiana | B | 34.9 | 59.2 | 9.8 | 38.4 | 79.9 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 34North Carolina | B | 34.6 | 59.1 | 13.5 | 34.6 | 63.1 | South | Cities → |
| 35New Jersey | C+ | 34.3 | 55.0 | 6.5 | 37.4 | 81.8 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 36Maryland | C+ | 33.6 | 53.6 | 11.8 | 46.1 | 60.3 | Northeast | Cities → |
| 37Ohio | C+ | 32.6 | 52.1 | 10.0 | 35.2 | 72.6 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 38West Virginia | D | 31.4 | 42.8 | 16.7 | 28.8 | 80.9 | South | Cities → |
| 39Illinois | C | 29.9 | 47.6 | 5.8 | 31.0 | 73.4 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 40Georgia | B | 29.7 | 55.4 | 7.6 | 32.1 | 71.2 | South | Cities → |
| 41Missouri | C+ | 29.3 | 51.0 | 15.0 | 25.3 | 58.1 | Midwest | Cities → |
| 42Oklahoma | D | 29.3 | 43.0 | 12.7 | 37.3 | 56.4 | South | Cities → |
| 43Kentucky | C | 28.9 | 44.8 | 9.9 | 28.9 | 80.2 | South | Cities → |
| 44Tennessee | B | 28.8 | 57.1 | 13.3 | 36.2 | 52.2 | South | Cities → |
| 45Texas | C+ | 26.6 | 52.2 | 4.7 | 40.8 | 61.8 | South | Cities → |
| 46Mississippi | D | 26.6 | 41.9 | 14.7 | 22.7 | 79.0 | South | Cities → |
| 47South Carolina | C | 26.1 | 49.0 | 8.9 | 21.1 | 60.0 | South | Cities → |
| 48Alabama | C | 25.3 | 48.5 | 6.6 | 28.3 | 66.3 | South | Cities → |
| 49Arkansas | D | 23.3 | 40.1 | 14.7 | 25.8 | 48.9 | South | Cities → |
| 50Louisiana | F | 14.3 | 30.0 | 10.3 | 16.0 | 45.5 | South | Cities → |
Best States for Outdoor Enthusiasts in 2026: What the Data Shows
Wyoming leads our rankings for outdoor enthusiasts with a score of 95.0 out of 100. Close behind are Montana (81.7) and Vermont (81.1). These top-ranked states consistently score well across the categories that matter most to outdoor enthusiasts: outdoor access, environment, safety.
Key findings
The gap between the #1 and #50 state is 80.7 points — a substantial difference that translates to real quality-of-life differences. The median state scores 45.2/100, meaning the top half of states cluster in the 45-95 range. For outdoor enthusiasts, the most important category is Outdoor Access (30% weight), followed by Environment (15%) and Safety (15%). States that score above 70 in these top categories almost always place in the top 15.
Regional patterns
For outdoor enthusiasts, Western states lead with an average persona score of 60.3, followed by the Northeast (54.2), Midwest (45.7), and South (29.8).
Surprise rankings
Alaska jumps from #42 overall to #6 for outdoor enthusiasts — a gain of 36 spots. Meanwhile, Tennessee drops from #24 to #44, losing 20 spots when outdoor enthusiasts priorities are applied.
States facing challenges
At the bottom of the list, Louisiana (14.3), Arkansas (23.3), and Alabama (25.3) face the biggest challenges for outdoor enthusiasts. Lower scores in outdoor access and environment are the primary drivers.
Methodology
These rankings use the same real government data as our overall state rankings — from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, CDC and Department of Education — but re-weighted to reflect the priorities of outdoor enthusiasts. The top-weighted categories are Outdoor Access (30%), Environment (15%), Safety (15%). Categories with 0% weight are not included in the calculation. See our full methodology for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best state for outdoor enthusiasts in 2026?
Wyoming ranks #1 for outdoor enthusiasts with a persona-weighted score of 95.0/100. The top 3 are Wyoming, Montana, Vermont.
What are the worst states for outdoor enthusiasts?
The lowest-ranked states for outdoor enthusiasts are Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama. These states score lower on the categories most important to outdoor enthusiasts.
How are "best for outdoor enthusiasts" rankings calculated?
We re-weight the 11 scoring categories based on what matters most to outdoor enthusiasts. Rankings weighted toward outdoor access (parks, public land, recreation), environmental quality, safety, health infrastructure, and affordable housing — for those who prioritize access to nature and an active lifestyle.