The Best States for Environment (2026)
Maine ranks #1 for environment in 2026 with a score of 77.1/100, followed by Vermont (76.3), Washington (73.1), Idaho (70.0), and Oregon (64.2). Scores combine EPA air quality, EIA renewable energy percentage, and FEMA natural disaster risk data. Louisiana ranks last at 16.0.
- Runner-up
- Vermont 76.3
- Last place
- Louisiana 16.0
Environment score by state
Darker states score higher. Hover, focus, or tap a state to see its rank, score, and grade in the panel.
Key Takeaways
Maine leads the nation in environment with a score of 77.1, 0.8 points ahead of #2 Vermont. The top 3 is rounded out by Washington at 73.1.
The Northeast dominates: 5 of the top 10 states are in the Northeast. Maine, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island lead the way for the region.
The 61.1-point gap between #1 Maine and #50 Louisiana is one of the widest spreads across all categories. The median state scores 40.6, meaning half of all states fall below this threshold.
The bottom 5 — Missouri, California, Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisiana — are concentrated in the South, with 3 of 5 from that region. Louisiana ranks last with a score of 16.0, signaling persistent challenges in environment.
Maine's #1 environment ranking aligns with its strong overall position at #9 in our composite rankings. High environment performance often correlates with strength in other categories, reinforcing Maine's position as a top-tier state.
All 50 states ranked by environment
The top 20 are listed first; open the rest of the table for all 50.
| # State | Grade | Environment score | Overall score | Key metrics | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maine | A+ | 77.1 | 71.6 | AQI 34 · 78% renewable · 12.7 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 2Vermont | A+ | 76.3 | 74.0 | AQI 34 · 99% renewable · 16.4 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 3Washington | A+ | 73.1 | 61.8 | AQI 28 · 74% renewable · 41.5 disaster risk | West |
| 4Idaho | A+ | 70.0 | 78.4 | AQI 34 · 70% renewable · 21.7 disaster risk | West |
| 5Oregon | A+ | 64.2 | 50.9 | AQI 32 · 67% renewable · 40.4 disaster risk | West |
| 6Montana | A | 62.9 | 75.0 | AQI 27 · 53% renewable · 49.8 disaster risk | West |
| 7New York | A | 58.4 | 54.9 | AQI 36 · 30% renewable · 3.8 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 8Hawaii | A | 56.9 | 64.8 | AQI 24 · 30% renewable · 54 disaster risk | West |
| 9Massachusetts | A | 54.4 | 70.0 | AQI 37 · 24% renewable · 3.6 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 10Rhode Island | A | 53.4 | 62.0 | AQI 35 · 12% renewable · 2.4 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 11South Dakota | B+ | 53.3 | 79.3 | AQI 35 · 80% renewable · 66.1 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 12Minnesota | B+ | 51.0 | 70.4 | AQI 36 · 36% renewable · 26.7 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 13New Mexico | B+ | 50.8 | 30.6 | AQI 40 · 53% renewable · 27.4 disaster risk | West |
| 14Alaska | B+ | 49.5 | 44.3 | AQI 25 · 33% renewable · 100 disaster risk | West |
| 15Virginia | B+ | 48.0 | 67.7 | AQI 37 · 10% renewable · 5.5 disaster risk | South |
| 16Kansas | B+ | 48.0 | 55.1 | AQI 40 · 61% renewable · 41.3 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 17Iowa | B+ | 46.7 | 69.2 | AQI 43 · 67% renewable · 38.3 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 18Wyoming | B+ | 46.6 | 79.9 | AQI 35 · 33% renewable · 38 disaster risk | West |
| 19Maryland | B | 46.1 | 53.6 | AQI 40 · 12% renewable · 0 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 20Colorado | B | 45.9 | 64.7 | AQI 42 · 39% renewable · 17.9 disaster risk | West |
Show all 50 states ↓Show fewer ↑
| # State | Grade | Environment score | Overall score | Key metrics | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21New Hampshire | B | 45.2 | 83.4 | AQI 37 · 14% renewable · 15.6 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 22Nebraska | B | 44.1 | 71.1 | AQI 34 · 34% renewable · 48.5 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 23Michigan | B | 42.0 | 42.7 | AQI 40 · 13% renewable · 10.5 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 24Nevada | B | 41.5 | 45.8 | AQI 41 · 32% renewable · 25.7 disaster risk | West |
| 25Texas | B | 40.8 | 52.2 | AQI 43 · 37% renewable · 24 disaster risk | South |
| 26Wisconsin | B | 40.6 | 70.6 | AQI 37 · 13% renewable · 25.4 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 27North Dakota | C+ | 38.5 | 75.5 | AQI 38 · 41% renewable · 52.7 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 28Indiana | C+ | 38.4 | 59.2 | AQI 41 · 15% renewable · 16.9 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 29Connecticut | C+ | 38.3 | 66.9 | AQI 39 · 5% renewable · 15.6 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 30Pennsylvania | C+ | 38.0 | 56.9 | AQI 40 · 6% renewable · 13.4 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 31New Jersey | C+ | 37.4 | 55.0 | AQI 40 · 8% renewable · 16.6 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 32Oklahoma | C+ | 37.3 | 43.0 | AQI 46 · 52% renewable · 34.6 disaster risk | South |
| 33Tennessee | C+ | 36.2 | 57.1 | AQI 40 · 14% renewable · 25 disaster risk | South |
| 34Ohio | C+ | 35.2 | 52.1 | AQI 43 · 6% renewable · 8.3 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 35North Carolina | C | 34.6 | 59.1 | AQI 41 · 13% renewable · 24 disaster risk | South |
| 36Florida | C | 34.0 | 59.9 | AQI 41 · 10% renewable · 22.5 disaster risk | South |
| 37Delaware | C | 33.5 | 53.6 | AQI 41 · 6% renewable · 19.9 disaster risk | Northeast |
| 38Georgia | C | 32.1 | 55.4 | AQI 45 · 12% renewable · 13.4 disaster risk | South |
| 39Illinois | C | 31.0 | 47.6 | AQI 43 · 20% renewable · 31.2 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 40Kentucky | C | 28.9 | 44.8 | AQI 41 · 9% renewable · 33.6 disaster risk | South |
| 41West Virginia | C | 28.8 | 42.8 | AQI 40 · 8% renewable · 36.7 disaster risk | South |
| 42Utah | C | 28.5 | 75.4 | AQI 44 · 15% renewable · 28.3 disaster risk | West |
| 43Alabama | D | 28.3 | 48.5 | AQI 42 · 9% renewable · 31.1 disaster risk | South |
| 44Arizona | D | 25.9 | 47.8 | AQI 45 · 16% renewable · 31.5 disaster risk | West |
| 45Arkansas | D | 25.8 | 40.1 | AQI 42 · 12% renewable · 39.6 disaster risk | South |
| 46Missouri | D | 25.3 | 51.0 | AQI 42 · 16% renewable · 44.5 disaster risk | Midwest |
| 47California | D | 24.7 | 40.2 | AQI 48 · 52% renewable · 56.3 disaster risk | West |
| 48Mississippi | D | 22.7 | 41.9 | AQI 43 · 5% renewable · 36.4 disaster risk | South |
| 49South Carolina | F | 21.1 | 49.0 | AQI 44 · 8% renewable · 39.2 disaster risk | South |
| 50Louisiana | F | 16.0 | 30.0 | AQI 43 · 5% renewable · 52 disaster risk | South |
Best and worst states for environment
Top 10 States for Environment
ScoreFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best state for the environment in 2026?
Maine ranks #1 for environment in 2026 with a score of 77.1/100, followed by Vermont (76.3) and Washington (73.1). Rankings combine three key metrics: median air quality index from EPA AirData (40% weight, inverted — lower AQI is better), renewable energy percentage from EIA State Electricity Profiles (30%), and natural disaster risk from FEMA's National Risk Index (30%, inverted — lower risk is better). Maine benefits from clean air, strong renewable energy adoption, and low disaster exposure. Environmental quality affects health, recreation, and long-term sustainability for residents.
Which states have the worst environmental quality?
The states with the worst environmental scores in 2026 are Louisiana (16.0/100), South Carolina (21.1), and Mississippi (22.7). These states face challenges including poorer air quality from industrial activity or wildfires, lower adoption of renewable energy sources, and/or higher natural disaster risk from hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, or earthquakes. The gap between the best and worst environment scores is 61.1 points. Environmental quality directly affects health outcomes — states with poor air quality tend to have higher rates of respiratory disease and lower life expectancies, creating a compounding disadvantage.
How is the environment score calculated?
The environment score combines three metrics from federal agencies: median air quality index from EPA AirData (40% weight, inverted so lower AQI scores better — lower AQI means cleaner air), renewable energy percentage from EIA State Electricity Profiles (30% weight — higher renewable adoption scores better), and natural disaster risk from FEMA's National Risk Index (30% weight, inverted so lower risk scores better). Each metric is normalized to a 0-100 scale. Environment carries a 4% weight in the composite score. This combination captures both the quality of the air you breathe and the long-term sustainability and safety of living in that state.
Do environmental rankings affect health outcomes?
Yes, significantly. States with clean air, low pollution, and access to green spaces tend to have better health outcomes including lower rates of asthma, respiratory disease, and certain cancers. The correlation between environmental quality and health scores is noticeable in our data — many states that rank well for environment also rank well for health. Poor air quality, which is captured in our environmental score through EPA AirData, is linked to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, and premature death. Beyond air quality, natural disaster risk creates acute health and safety threats, and states with higher disaster exposure face recurring costs that divert resources from other public services.
Which states lead in renewable energy adoption?
States leading in renewable energy tend to be in the West and Northeast, where wind, solar, and hydroelectric resources are abundant and state policies have incentivized clean energy investment. Renewable energy percentage — capturing what share of a state's electricity comes from wind, solar, hydro, biomass, and geothermal — accounts for 30% of the environment score. States with strong renewable energy programs score higher even if other environmental factors are moderate. Renewable adoption reduces air pollution and contributes to energy independence, though it's worth noting that the energy transition is happening at different speeds across states depending on existing infrastructure, fossil fuel industry presence, and state policy.
How the Environment Score Is Calculated
Our environment score combines median air quality index from EPA AirData (40%, inverted — lower AQI is better), renewable energy percentage from EIA State Electricity Profiles (30%), and natural disaster risk from FEMA's National Risk Index (30%, inverted — lower risk is better). Environment carries a 4% weight in the composite. States with clean air, high renewable energy adoption, and low disaster risk score highest. Western states with strong renewable energy programs and rural states with low pollution tend to lead.