In this article, we will look at the 30 most polluted states in the US.
If you think pollution didn’t exist before the 20th century, you would be wrong. Pollution has existed ever since human beings first congregated and remained in the same place for a long time. In fact, ancient cities were often quite polluted with human debris and waste. From the Middle Ages to more recent times, unsanitary conditions in Europe caused outbreaks of various epidemics, which reduced the human population. However, it was only by the end of the 19th century that pollution became severe and started to grow exponentially. By this time, it had truly become a global problem, one which seems impossible to end. In the middle of the 20th century, there was an awareness of the need to protect our environment, something which had never been talked about before. The industrial revolution and increase in population took pollution to unprecedented levels, and today we are seeing the results in the form of global warming and cities with highly polluted air.
One of the most talked about aspects of pollution is air pollution. So, where does air pollution come from? According to the National Park Service (NPS), there are four sources of air pollution: mobile sources, stationary sources, area sources, and natural sources. Mobile sources include cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains. Stationary sources include power plants, oil refineries, industrial facilities, and factories. Area sources include agricultural areas and cities. Natural sources include wind-blown dust, wildfires, and volcanoes. According to NPS, mobile sources include more than half of the air pollution in the United States. The second highest contributor to air pollution in the United States is stationary sources. This explains why air pollution has become more of a problem in the modern world. In fact, data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that global emissions (the primary cause of air pollution) have grown by more than ten times since 1900.
Global climate is being affected heavily by air pollution, which is wreaking havoc in the world. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reports that sea levels have increased by more than four inches since 1993. Today, we are experiencing extremely high temperatures and urban flooding has become quite frequent.
Pollution and climate change are quite costly, especially for America. According to Morgan Stanley Invest Bank, while climate change has cost the world hundreds of billions of dollars, America has borne the most impact. Between 2015 and 2018, while the world economy lost $650 billion due to climate-related disasters, losses in North America accounted for $415 billion. In addition, the World Bank believes that the global infrastructure investment needed to combat climate change is a whopping $90 trillion by 2030.
In the midst of climate change, some companies have pledged to reduce their carbon emissions. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), focused on producing electric vehicles, has become one of the most valuable automotive companies. In addition, companies such as Chargepoint Holdings, Inc (NYSE:CHPT), are making infrastructure mandatory for making electric vehicles commercially viable. An increasing number of companies, such as NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) are helping the world move away from fossil fuels. However, more needs to be done to counter climate change and pollution. Industrial waste and pollution are two of the leading causes of climate change and very little is being done to counter them. Many cities in the United States consistently rank as the most polluted cities in the world. With that in mind, let’s look at the 30 most polluted states in the US.
Methodology
For our list of the 30 most polluted US states, we used two rankings. The first is Wise Voter’s Air Quality by State, and the second is US News Pollution Ranking by State. Wise Voters ranking accounts for good air quality days, moderate air quality days, and unhealthy air quality days in a year for each state. US News ranking accounts for toxic chemical pollution and long-term chronic health risks in each state. We gave each state a score out of 50 for each ranking. If the state is at the top of a ranking, we assign it a score of 50. If a state is at the bottom of the ranking, we assign it a score of 1. Then we summed the total score of each state to determine the Insider Monkey Score. The higher the score, the less polluted the state is. As a tiebreaker, we used Wise Voter’s ranking.
30 – Mississippi
Insider Monkey Score – 56
Mississippi River is among the nation’s most endangered waterways in 2022. The primary cause for this is pollution and loss of habitat, which shows that Mississippi is one of the most polluted states in the United States. According to Wise Voter, it is the 19th worst state in terms of pollution.
29 – North Carolina
Insider Monkey Score – 54
Our 29th most polluted state in the United States is North Carolina. It is known for its smog caused by ground-level ozone and particle pollution. State-wide carbon emissions are high as coal-burning power plants, cars, and trucks are in abundance. People living in North Carolina often suffer from breathing problems.
28 – Kentucky
Insider Monkey Score – 54
Kentucky is home to some of the most polluted cities in the United States. A recent study by the American Lung Association reported widespread types of air pollution in Louisville city. According to the report, children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with chronic diseases living in the city face a health risk because of particle pollution.
27 – North Dakota
Insider Monkey Score – 54
One of the leading causes of pollution in North Dakota is the oil and gas industry. The state has the capacity to produce over 12% of the nation’s oil. According to the EPA, over 2,200 tons of hazardous toxic air pollutants including benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde are produced by oil and gas industries in North Dakota.
26 – Wyoming
Insider Monkey Score – 52
Up until recently, Cheyenne was among the cities with the cleanest air. However, this is no longer the case as air pollution in Wyoming is increasing, and it is the 26th most polluted state in the United States.
25 – Georgia
Insider Monkey Score – 49
Although Georgia is still among the most polluted states in the United States, it is worth noting that air quality in the state has been improving since the emission of key air pollutants is decreasing.
24 – West Virginia
Insider Monkey Score – 48
Water pollution is a pressing issue in West Virginia. Its counties rank among the worst in terms of drinking water. The report “Watered Down Justice”, found West Virginia among many other states with water regulation violations.
23 – South Carolina
Insider Monkey Score – 48
South Carolina, the 23rd most polluted state in the US, faces water pollution. A large number of waterways in the state are considered too polluted to meet water quality standards.
22 – Idaho
Insider Monkey Score – 48
According to the “State of the Air” report, Idaho has some of the most polluted areas in the United States. The air quality in this state has recently started going down, and the primary culprit for this is wildfires.
21 – California
Insider Monkey Score – 45
California is among the most polluted states in America. Air pollution continues to be a major health concern in the state. The leading cause of air pollution in the state is industrial emissions.
20 – New Jersey
Insider Monkey Score – 44
New Jersey faces the problem of particle pollution. There is a seasonal issue of ozone pollution, and wildfires have increased particle pollution recently. New Jersey is the 24th most polluted state according to Wise Voter, and 20th according to US News.
19 – Louisiana
Insider Monkey Score – 42
Industrial water pollution is among the leading health issues in Louisiana. Its waterways have one of the highest amounts of toxic chemicals in the country, with more than 11 million pounds of harmful substances getting dumped in 2020.
18 – Tennessee
Insider Monkey Score – 40
Tennessee is among the most polluted states. In 2021, U.S News and World Report ranked it among the top 10 most polluted states. Wise voter, however, ranks it as the 30th most polluted state.
17 – Colorado
Insider Monkey Score – 40
Colorado has recently had one of the worst air quality days in the world. Emissions from vehicles, wildfires, and toxic pollutants released from industrial facilities are among the leading reasons for pollution in the state.
16 – Arkansas
Insider Monkey Score – 38
Arkansas, the 16th most polluted state in the US, has one of the worst quality drinking water. A 2017 study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found 79 contaminants across the state’s water supply.
15 – Alabama
Insider Monkey Score – 37
Industrial toxic releases are the primary culprit for making Alabama one of the most polluted states in the United States. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the state had the fifth-highest release of toxic chemicals in waterways in 2017. Its Mobile and Cosa rivers are among the most polluted in the US.
14 – Iowa
Insider Monkey Score – 35
Contaminated water is one of the major health and environmental concerns in Iowa. Wise Voter ranks it as the 8th most polluted state, while U.S News ranks it at 27.
13 – Oklahoma
Insider Monkey Score – 35
Oklahoma is one of the most polluted states in the US. Wise Voter ranks it as 7th, and U.S News ranks it as the 28th most polluted state in the country. More recently, the state has been suffering from an issue of groundwater contamination.
12 – Pennsylvania
Insider Monkey Score – 33
Some cities in Pennsylvania are among the worst for particle pollution, making it the 12th most polluted state in the US. The major contributing factor to this is the western wildfires, which have increased in number recently.
11 – Wisconsin
Insider Monkey Score – 32
Animal manure and excess farm fertilizer are contaminating Wisconsin’s land and water. It is ranked as the 13th most polluted state by Wise Voter, and U.S. News ranks it in 19th position.
10 – Michigan
Insider Monkey Score – 28
Michigan is among the ten most polluted states in the U.S. However, both Wise Voter and U.S. News rank it in the 14th position. The leading type of pollution in the state is air pollution caused by emissions from vehicles and industries.
9 – Kansas
Insider Monkey Score – 26
Cities in Kansas are among the worst for air pollution. Vehicle exhausts, power generation, and volatile chemicals are among the leading causes of pollution in the state. Recently, smog has also started to appear in Kansas City, depicting high levels of ozone.
8 – Arizona
Insider Monkey Score – 26
Arizona is one of the most polluted states in the US. Phoenix, in particular, has been recently flagged by the American Lung Association for having bad air quality.
7 – Ohio
Insider Monkey Score – 25
Ohio ranks as the 6th most polluted State in the US, according to U.S News. One of the leading causes of pollution in the state is emissions from the Oil and Gas industry.
6 – Texas
Insider Monkey Score – 25
Texas is among the highest emitters of toxic substances, making it one of the most polluted states in the US. Wise voter ranks it as the 16th most polluted state, whereas U.S News ranks it as the 9th most polluted state.
5 – Indiana
Insider Monkey Score – 22
U.S. News ranks Indiana as the second most polluted state in the U.S. Poor public transportation systems and large coal-fired power stations have made the state one of the worst in terms of air quality.
4 – Delaware
Insider Monkey Score – 19
Some cities in Delaware are among the most polluted ones in the United States. The Philadelphia metro area, in particular, has been reported to have one of the worst air quality in all of the U.S.
3 – Illinois
Insider Monkey Score – 18
Illinois ranks as the fifth most polluted state in Wise Voter’s rankings. The state suffers from water, land, and air pollution.