State rankings

Most Beautiful States

Vermont ranks 1st on Greenest States in 2026, followed by Hawaii (2nd) and California (3rd); rank 1 is the best. West Virginia ranks last (50th).

CultureGeography50 states · 10 metricsUpdated Apr 5, 2025Original page
5 sources
50 of 51 states
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Greenest States, 2026

Green is better, red is worse (rank 1 is the best). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 50 ranked

Best first; rank 1 is the best and has the longest bar.

Biggest changes · 2025 → 2026

50 states have a value in both years; rank 1 is the best.

Climbed

Fell

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

50 states · # = rank by Greenest States
#
1Vermont1st
2Hawaii2nd
3California3rd
4New York4th
5Washington5th
6Maryland6th
7Maine7th
8New Hampshire8th
9South Dakota9th
10Colorado10th
11Minnesota11th
12Massachusetts12th
13Connecticut13th
14Oregon14th
15New Jersey15th
16Wisconsin16th
17Michigan17th
18Virginia18th
19Delaware19th
20Rhode Island20th
21Utah21st
22Illinois22nd
23Idaho23rd
24North Carolina24th
25Montana25th
26Florida26th
27Iowa27th
28Pennsylvania28th
29Nevada29th
30Nebraska30th
31Ohio31st
32South Carolina32nd
33Georgia33rd
34New Mexico34th
35Tennessee35th
36Kansas36th
37Missouri37th
38Arizona38th
39Indiana39th
40Arkansas40th
41Texas41st
42Alaska42nd
43North Dakota43rd
44Oklahoma44th
45Wyoming45th
46Mississippi46th
47Kentucky47th
48Alabama48th
49Louisiana49th
50West Virginia50th

What correlates with Greenest States (2026)?

Pearson r against 2,108 other state metrics sharing at least 30 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that rank better on Greenest States tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

  1. Eco-Friendliness ScoreUgliest States
    r = +0.97 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  2. WH 2023 Total ScoreGreenest States
    r = +0.94 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. WH Eco Friendly BehaviorGreenest StatesA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = +0.85 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. Health CareBest States to Live InA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = +0.81 · very strong · n = 49
    Plot
  5. Overall ScoreHealthiest States
    r = +0.80 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Liberal Advantage GallupMost Liberal States
    r = +0.80 · very strong · n = 49
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that rank better on Greenest States tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

  1. Lifestyle Habits & Health Outlook ScoreMost Unhealthy States in the U.S.
    r = −0.82 · very strong · n = 49
    Plot
  2. Republican Vote Share (President, %)Presidential Election Results by State, 2016–2024
    r = −0.80 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. Trump VotesMost Republican States
    r = −0.80 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. Trump % Vote RecievedTrump Approval Rating by State
    r = −0.80 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  5. Conservative % GallupMost Conservative States
    r = −0.80 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Trump Approval RatingTrump Approval Rating by State
    r = −0.80 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state ranks first on Greenest States?
Vermont ranks first on Greenest States in 2026, at 1st, followed by Hawaii (2nd) and California (3rd). Rank 1 is the best state.
Which state ranks last on Greenest States?
West Virginia ranks last of the 50 US states with data in 2026, at 50th.
Where does this most beautiful states data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: The Greenest States in America - MPHonline; Greensest States - WalletHub; Project and Landfill Data by State - EPA; Find Your Next State Park - America's State Parks.

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