Greenest States (2026)

Eco-friendliness and personal finance are related. Our environmental and financial needs are the same in many areas: providing ourselves with sustainable, clean drinking water and food, for example. We also spend money through our own taxes in support of environmental security.

Last year, the U.S. experienced 27 weather and climate disasters that did $1 billion or more in damage each, with the total damage from all events adding up to $182.7 billion. While some disasters are unavoidable, others are exacerbated by humans.

We should all try to do our part to save the world for future generations. In order to highlight the greenest states and call out those doing a poor job of caring for the environment, WalletHub compared each of the 50 states based on 28 key metrics.

Main Findings

Most Environmentally Friendly States

Note: *No. 1 = Greenest

With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

In-Depth Look at the Greenest States

Vermont

Vermont is the greenest state in America, in part because it has the most organic-farm acreage per capita. Organic farms are ones that don’t hurt the environment through use of things like pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, herbicides and growth hormones, among others.

In addition, Vermont has the lowest carbon dioxide emissions per capita and the third-lowest methane emissions per capita. These are two of the main greenhouse gasses that green policies seek to reduce.

The Green Mountain State is also paving the way for a future where more people drive clean vehicles, as it has the highest number of alternative fuel stations per capita. When it comes to actual adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, it ranks 14th in the country.

Hawaii

Hawaii is the second-greenest state and it has the second-least air pollution, according to the United Health Foundation. It also has the eighth-lowest overall energy consumption per capita, and the second-lowest gasoline consumption. The state’s robust public transportation helps reduce gas consumption, too. Plus, the state’s residential solar power installations have the highest capacity per capita compared to other states, contributing to its energy efficiency.

In addition, Hawaii has the highest recycling participation rate. The Aloha State also boasts the lowest drinking water violations in the country, highlighting its dedication to environmental preservation and public health.

California

California is the third-greenest state, having some of the lowest overall energy consumption and the fifth-lowest gasoline consumption per capita. One of the reasons for the low gas consumption is the fact that nearly 33% of California’s population uses green transportation (public transportation, carpools, biking or walking) to get to and from work, the ninth-highest percentage in the country.

The Golden State ranks among the top states when it comes to reducing emissions, too, having some of the lowest carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions per capita. Another major hallmark of its environmental leadership is energy efficiency, as California has the highest energy efficiency score in the country. This strong performance helps reduce overall energy consumption, lower utility costs for residents, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions, further strengthening the state’s commitment to sustainability.

Blue States vs. Red States

The methodology can be found on the full version of the article on WalletHub.