Texas ranked one of the worst states for eco-friendly travel

The study by Texas Electricity Ratings analyzed the commuting patterns across all 50 states using 13 different measurements, including examples of traffic levels, journey times, transportation choices, air quality, and vehicle pollution.

Louisiana came last with just 28.43 points out of 100. The Bayou State performed terribly across several areas, especially in electric vehicle ownership, use of alternative transportation, and per-person emissions.

Mississippi barely avoided last place with 28.53 points. Like Louisiana, the state suffers from few public transport options and heavy reliance on vehicles.

Alabama ranked third-worst with 30.89 points, struggling with poor adoption of green transportation and high vehicle emissions. The state has built its transportation system almost entirely around private cars rather than cleaner alternatives.

Texas landed fourth from the bottom with 33.47 points, despite being an economic powerhouse. The state’s sprawling cities, lengthy commutes, and congested highways dragged it down, even with some improvements in areas like Austin.

West Virginia rounded out the bottom five with 33.89 points, with minimal public transportation and few electric vehicles on its roads.

Lowest-Ranked States for Green Commutes

At the opposite end, Oregon came in first place with a score of 65.29 out of 100. The Pacific Northwest state showed impressive numbers for alternative transportation and had lower traffic congestion than most other states.

Vermont is in second place with 63.38 points. The Green Mountain State had shorter commute times and less highway traffic than most of the U.S. Its rural setting and smaller population helped earn the second position in the rankings.

Washington landed in third, scoring 60.98, due to its public transportation in cities like Seattle and more residents driving electric vehicles.

Montana came in fourth with 57.19 points, thanks to excellent air quality and shorter drive times, which gave the state a considerable boost. 

New York finished in the top five with 54.43 points, mainly because of its massive public transportation network in New York City. Even though some New Yorkers face longer commutes, the larger number of people using trains and buses instead of cars pushed the state up the rankings.

Top 10 States with the Greenest Commutes