Which state has the highest # of Snake Species?

Texas has the highest # of Snake Species, at 68, followed by Mississippi (55) and Arizona (52).

Which state has the lowest # of Snake Species?

Hawaii has the lowest # of Snake Species, at 2.

What is the median # of Snake Species across US states?

The median is 23 across the 49 US states with data.

Where does this snake population by state data come from?

Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Snake Population by State - AZ Animals.

State rankings

Snake Population by State

Name: Snake Population by State
Creator: Rankodex

Texas has the highest # of Snake Species (68), followed by Mississippi (55) and Arizona (52). Hawaii has the lowest (2).

Environment49 states · 2 metricsUpdated Aug 23, 2024Original page

1 source

Snake Population by State - AZ Animals

Showing# of Snake SpeciesBetter directionWhether a higher or a lower value is better. A green arrow means higher is better, a red arrow means lower is better, and no arrow means neither.More in the glossary →

49 of 51 states

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# of Snake Species

Darker means higher. Click a place to highlight it.

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All 49 ranked

Highest first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median

Middle half 14 – 38

Average

27.37

49 states

Highest

Texas

Lowest

Hawaii

Data

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

49 states · # = rank by # of Snake Species

#
1	Texas	68	Texas has a huge, diverse snake population that includes 68 different species—and which may swell to more than 100 if one includes sub-species. The vast majority of snakes in Texas are harmless and include the Texas indigo and eastern hognose snakes. The state’s most venomous …
2	Mississippi	55	Mississippi’s warm waters are home to many species, including several venomous ones like the copperhead, eastern coral, and rattlesnake. Despite this, the majority of MIssissippi's snake species are harmless and include the common garter, eastern milk, and black racer.
3	Arizona	52	13 are rattlesnake species. More than 1/3 of the world’s rattlesnake species are believed to live in Arizona.
3	Nevada	52	Snake species found in Nevada include venomous rattlers, cottonmouths, and copperheads, as well as many non-venomous species like the beautiful Arizona Mountain and the California Lyre. The coachwhip, desert glossy, and desert night snake are among Nevada's native species.
5	Louisiana	48	Louisiana’s swamps and bayous provide ideal hunting and hiding grounds for its 48 species of snake. The state has the wet, warm weather they thrive in. You are most likely to see the ring-necked, scarlet king, pine, and Mississippi green water species.
6	Missouri	47	The U.S. has more than 50 snake species, and 47 of them live in Missouri. Here, you’ll find eastern yellow-bellied racers, northern scarlets, prairie ringnecks, and western worms. There are several subspecies of the hognose including the plains and eastern versions. You’ll als…
7	Florida	46	Florida has more species of snake than any other state on the east coast. Its native snakes include the Florida brown snake and the ring-necked snake.
7	Georgia	46	Snakes inhabit the whole of Georgia. Species include brown water, queen, common garter, and ring-necked snakes.
7	Oklahoma	46	Oklahoma is another state with a high number of snake species, seven of which are venomous.
7	New Mexico	46	New Mexico has eight venomous snakes and a large number of non-venomous ones. Its unique native species include the Sonoran coral, New Mexico blind, Chihuahuan night, and plains black-headed snakes.
11	Alabama	43	Alabama has 43 species of snake, including six venomous species: the copperhead, cottonmouth, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, pigmy/pygmy rattlesnake, and eastern coral snake.
12	Arkansas	39	Only six of the 39 species of snake living in Arkansas are venomous. The most common native snakes are the eastern hognose and the black rat.
13	South Carolina	38	Black racers, rough greens, non-venomous water snakes, and eastern diamondback rattlers are just a few of the many snake species presnt in South Carolina.
13	Kansas	38	They are mostly harmless ring-necked, hognose, rat, and garter varieties.
15	North Carolina	37	Gentle green, colorful milk species, racers, and corn snakes are among the state’s most common species. North Carolina has venomous species of snake, including the pygmy rattler and eastern diamondback.
16	Kentucky	34	Kirtland’s, ribbon, northern water, and pine are all species that call Kentucky home.
17	California	33	Many species are endemic to the state. It has six venomous snakes. One native, the saw-scaled viper, may be responsible for more deaths than all other snake species combined.
18	Tennessee	32	Red corn, gray rat, and red-bellied mud snakes are among Tennessee’s native snake species.
18	Indiana	32	They include the eastern hog-nosed, gray rat, and common garter. It is also home to two rattlesnake species.
20	Colorado	30	Only three of Colorado's 30 species of snake are venomous, and all three are rattlesnakes.
20	Nebraska	30	The eastern glossy, speckled king, smooth green, western fox, Graham’s crayfish, and coachwhip are just a few of the snake species found in Nebraska. Four venomous species of snake live in Nebraska, including a copperhead and three pit viper species.
22	Illinois	29	Snake species inhabiting Illinois include the eastern hog-nosed, gray rat, and common garter snakes. Illinois is also home to two rattlesnake species.
23	Ohio	28	Most of Ohio's snakes are common and harmless, including the queen and smooth earth.
24	Iowa	27	Iowa's many snake species include the diamondback water, western ribbon, common garter, and North American racer snake.
25	New Jersey	23	The Garden State of New Jersey has 23 species. They include the northern copperhead, eastern worm, and eastern hognose. New Jersey only has two venomous species.
25	West Virginia	23	West Virginia has many species of snake, which range in size from 6 inches to more than 6 feet, and only two species are venomous. State wildlife officials have pointed out that bees, cows, and horses have caused 15 times as many deaths as snakes in the state.
27	Pennsylvania	21	Pennsylvania’s woodlands are home to many species of snake, but it’s rare to encounter them. The state is also home to three species of water snake.
27	Wisconsin	21	Wisonsin is home to 21 species of snake, 14 of which are classified as rare, threatened, or endangered. These include the western ribbon, North American blue racer, gray rat, and Butler’s garter snake.
29	Delaware	19	All 19 of Delaware's snake species live in the region known as Delmarva, which borders the shores of Maryland and Virginia. These snakes are mostly milk and king varieties.
30	Michigan	18	Eastern garter, Butler’s garter, northern ribbon, and western fox snakes are some of the species that call this Great Lakes state home. The state’s 18 species include only one, the eastern massasauga, which is venomous.
31	New York	17	The garter, milk, and water snakes are the types you’re most likely to see in most parts of the state. New York's poisonous species mostly live in the less populated areas and nature reserves.
31	Minnesota	17	Most of the native snake species in Minnesota are harmless garden visitors. Among these are the plains hognose, northern water, gopher, garter, and smooth green snakes. The state’s only two venomous species—the eastern massasauga and the timber rattler—are mostly found in the …
31	Utah	17	Utah is home to several rattlesnake species as well as several non-venomous species of snake.
31	South Dakota	17	South Dakota is home to many reptile species, including 17 different snake species. However, only one species of venomous snake, the prairie rattlesnake, lives in South Dakota.
35	Maryland	15	With mountains and coastline, Maryland has a good number of native species. They include common water, plain-bellied water, queen, and smooth earth. One of the state’s most attractive snakes is the small, reddish-brown mountain earth snake.
35	Oregon	15	Oregon is home to the rubber boa, sharptail, and California mountain king snakes.
37	Virginia	14	Virginia is home to harmless northern pine, red-bellied, and garter snakes, as well as venomous copperheads, cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes.
37	Massachusetts	14	Massachusetts' snake species are mostly non-venomous. The largest is the black rat snake, which can grow more than 8 feet long. It is both harmless and listed as endangered in the state. DeKay’s brown is a shy snake that occasionally visits gardens to eat slugs.
37	Connecticut	14	Only two of the 14 species of snake in Connecticut are venomous. Connecticut's common species include the eastern milk snake and the northern redbelly.
40	Wyoming	13	Wyoming has 10 non-venomous species of snake, which include milk and smooth green snakes.
41	Washington	12	Washington's many harmless snakes include the western terrestrial garter, gopher, black racer, and striped whipsnake. As in many states, wildlife officials have spent time educating people about the many ways snakes help the environment.
41	Idaho	12	The Gem State is home to 12 species of snake, including the commonly seen garter, gopher, and North American racer snakes.
41	Rhode Island	12	There are no venomous species of snake in Rhode Island, so any snake a person encounters is likely to be harmless.
44	New Hampshire	11	New Hampshire has 11 species of snake, of which five are listed as species in greatest need of conservation. They are the timber rattler, eastern hognose, northern black racer, smooth green, and ribbon snakes. Killing snakes is illegal in New Hampshire.
44	Vermont	11	The largely rural state of Vermont is home to several species of snake. The timber rattlesnake, the state’s only venomous species, is considered critically endangered in the state.
46	Montana	10	The chances of encountering a deadly snake in Montana are low. The state has only one venomous species: the prairie rattlesnake, which is typically seen in the open countryside, but which occasionally visits forests. All other species of snake that live in Montana are harmless.
47	Maine	9	The state has no venomous species. It is home to eastern ribbons, western ribbons, eastern garters, and common garters.
48	North Dakota	8	North Dakota's snake species include one venomous species, which is the prairie rattlesnake.
49	Hawaii	2	Hawaii has no native snakes, and the state has gone to great lengths to prevent the introduction of non-native species that could destroy its environment. The only snake living on land in Hawaii is the Brahminy blind snake, the smallest snake on earth, which is 6 inches long a…

What correlates with # of Snake Species?

Pearson r against 2,096 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 have a higher # of Snake Species tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

# of Reptile SpeciesMost Biodiverse States
r = +0.91 · very strong · n = 49
Plot
Cooling Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages)
r = +0.85 · very strong · n = 48
Plot
Average July Temperature (°F)Climate by State (1991–2020 Averages)
r = +0.82 · very strong · n = 49
Plot
Average Annual SunlightSunniest States in the U.S.
r = +0.80 · very strong · n = 48
Plot
Average Annual Sunlight 1971-2000Best Weather by State
r = +0.80 · very strong · n = 48
Plot
Average High TemperatureAverage Temperatures by State
r = +0.79 · very strong · n = 49
Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher # of Snake Species tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

Health and SafetyBest States to Raise a FamilyA rank: rank 1 is the best
r = +0.86 · very strong · n = 49
Plot
Most & Least Intelligent States Index (Guru99)Dumbest States in the United States
r = −0.84 · very strong · n = 30
Plot
Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages)
r = −0.80 · very strong · n = 48
Plot
Health Care RankBest States to RetireA rank: rank 1 is the best
r = +0.78 · very strong · n = 49
Plot
Financial Safety Rank WalletHubSafest States in the USA rank: rank 1 is the best
r = +0.75 · very strong · n = 49
Plot
Total Safety Score (WalletHub)Safest States in the US
r = −0.74 · very strong · n = 49
Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest # of Snake Species?: Texas has the highest # of Snake Species, at 68, followed by Mississippi (55) and Arizona (52).
Which state has the lowest # of Snake Species?: Hawaii has the lowest # of Snake Species, at 2.
What is the median # of Snake Species across US states?: The median is 23 across the 49 US states with data.
Where does this snake population by state data come from?: Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Snake Population by State - AZ Animals.