Get customized results?

We’ll ask a few questions to find more savings.

Let's go No thanks

Carbon Dioxide Emissions by State

Discover how much carbon dioxide your state produces

Updated:January 29, 2025

Are you moving to a new address?

For business
Trustpilot
Trustpilot

Updated January, 2025

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the state’s carbon footprint, according to Choose Energy’s carbon dioxide emissions analysis of data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA’s most recent report shows that Texas produced 13.4% of the nation’s carbon dioxide in 2022.

The Lone Star State’s 663 million metric tons of carbon dioxide produced in 2022 was more than double the carbon emitted in California, the second-largest producer. The following report breaks down which states produced the most and least carbon dioxide in 2022, all shown in million metric tons.

States emitting the most carbon dioxide

State Total MMT CO2 - 2022
Texas 663.0
California 326.2
Florida 231.0
Pennsylvania 213.5
Ohio 196.2
Louisiana 191.8
Illinois 183.7
New York 166.1
Indiana 163.2
Michigan 154.0

States emitting the least carbon dioxide

State Total MMT CO2 - 2022
Vermont 5.5
Rhode Island 10.2
Delaware 12.7
New Hampshire 13.8
Maine 14.9
South Dakota 15.6
Hawaii 18.1
Idaho 20.7
Montana 29.5
Connecticut 37.0

Following is a breakdown of the 2022 carbon dioxide emissions by state, as well as the percentage increase or decrease from the year 2000 and the percentage increase or decrease from 2021:

Carbon dioxide emissions by state

State Carbon dioxide emissions 2022 - MMT Annual percentage (%) change Percentage (%) change since 2000
Alabama 109.3 0.9 -23.2
Alaska 41.3 4.0 -5.2
Arizona 81.4 -1.5 -6.0
Arkansas 63.2 2.4 -0.2
California 326.2 0.7 -14.6
Colorado 88.7 4.8 4.0
Connecticut 37.0 2.0 -13.4
Delaware 12.7 0.0 -23.9
Florida 231.0 2.5 -3.4
Georgia 124.8 0.9 -26.5
Hawaii 18.1 5.4 -2.6
Idaho 20.7 2.0 32.0
Illinois 183.7 0.2 -21.5
Indiana 163.2 -1.4 -31.8
Iowa 71.5 0.4 -8.1
Kansas 62.1 4.4 -18.0
Kentucky 109.6 -1.1 -25.4
Louisiana 191.8 2.1 -13.0
Maine 14.9 4.2 -32.8
Maryland 50.6 -3.2 -35.5
Massachusetts 59.2 5.7 -28.1
Michigan 154.0 4.5 -20.5
Minnesota 84.4 1.8 -13.9
Mississippi 65.1 3.8 6.1
Missouri 112.9 -3.1 -10.9
Montana 29.5 4.1 -7.0
Nebraska 48.1 2.3 15.4
Nevada 40.4 2.6 -11.5
New Hampshire 13.8 4.0 -21.0
New Jersey 92.5 4.4 -25.4
New Mexico 46.5 1.6 -20.3
New York 166.1 5.3 -21.7
North Carolina 116.6 1.3 -21.8
North Dakota 57.0 1.6 11.7
Ohio 196.2 1.6 -26.4
Oklahoma 87.1 -0.3 -13.0
Oregon 37.6 -1.6 -9.4
Pennsylvania 213.5 -0.1 -23.3
Rhode Island 10.2 -4.5 -13.5
South Carolina 67.3 -2.4 -17.9
South Dakota 15.6 3.9 9.9
Tennessee 91.1 -1.1 -29.2
Texas 663.0 0.1 -1.4
Utah 60.1 -3.1 -8.2
Vermont 5.5 -0.6 -18.8
Virginia 96.2 -1.8 -21.9
Washington 74.7 1.8 -11.2
West Virginia 79.2 -10.2 -31.6
Wisconsin 90.6 -1.8 -15.9
Wyoming 56.2 3.3 -11.5
United States 4,934.4 0.8 -15.8

Another way of measuring carbon emissions

Because some states have a larger population, they produce greater amounts of carbon dioxide. We control for this by measuring the carbon dioxide per capita — metric tons of emissions per person in each state.

States with the lowest per capita carbon emissions

State Per capita CO2 emissions in 2022
Maryland 8.2
California 8.4
New York 8.4
Massachusetts 8.5
Vermont 8.5
Oregon 8.9
Rhode Island 9.3
Washington 9.6
New Hampshire 9.9
New Jersey 10.0

States with the highest per capita carbon emissions

State Per capita CO2 emissions in 2022
Wyoming 96.6
North Dakota 73.2
Alaska 56.3
West Virginia 44.6
Louisiana 41.8
Montana 26.3
Nebraska 24.4
Kentucky 24.3
Indiana 23.9
Iowa 22.3

Which states are improving their carbon footprint?

Nationally, carbon dioxide emissions have fallen 15.8% since 2000, but have risen .8% since 2021.

Maryland has experienced the most significant decrease in emissions since 2000, cutting carbon levels by 35.5%.

States with the greatest decrease in carbon dioxide emissions since 2000

State CO2 emissions 2000 - MMT CO2 emissions 2022 - MMT Percentage (%) change since 2000
Maryland 78.5 50.6 -35.5
Maine 22.2 14.9 -32.8
Indiana 239.2 163.2 -31.8
West Virginia 115.7 79.2 -31.6
Tennessee 128.7 91.1 -29.2
Massachusetts 82.3 59.2 -28.1
Georgia 169.6 124.8 -26.5
Ohio 266.6 196.2 -26.4
Kentucky 147.0 109.6 -25.4
New Jersey 124.0 92.5 -25.4

Unfortunately, levels haven’t gone down in every state. The following are states where carbon dioxide emissions have increased since 2000:

States with the greatest increase in carbon dioxide emissions since 2000

State CO2 emissions 2000 - MMT CO2 emissions 2022 - MMT Percentage (%) change since 2000
Idaho 15.7 20.7 32.0
Nebraska 41.6 48.1 15.4
North Dakota 51.0 57.0 11.7
South Dakota 14.2 15.6 9.9
Mississippi 61.3 65.1 6.1
Colorado 85.3 88.7 4.0

Fourteen states experienced a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from 2021 to 2022, every other state experienced an increase in emission levels. Massachusetts increased carbon emissions the most, with a 5.7% rise in emission levels.

Top 10 states with the greatest increase in CO2 emissions since 2021

State Percentage (%) change since 2021
Massachusetts 5.7
Hawaii 5.4
New York 5.3
Colorado 4.8
Michigan 4.5
Kansas 4.4
New Jersey 4.4
Maine 4.2
Montana 4.1
Alaska 4.0

Where does the carbon dioxide originate?

Nationally, transportation is responsible for the largest chunk of carbon dioxide emissions — 37.3%. But the generation of electricity is the second-largest offender, with 31%.

Following is a percentage breakdown by sector for each state’s carbon dioxide emissions:

State carbon dioxide emissions by sector

State Total MMT CO2 Commercial sector Electric power sector Residential sector Industrial sector Transportation sector
Alabama 109.3 2.3% 45.9% 1.8% 16.5% 33.5%
Alaska 41.3 5.4% 6.9% 3.9% 51.0% 32.8%
Arizona 81.4 4.0% 40.1% 3.2% 5.7% 47.0%
Arkansas 63.2 5.5% 48.0% 3.1% 13.2% 30.2%
California 326.2 6.0% 10.8% 7.7% 19.1% 56.4%
Colorado 88.7 5.1% 32.9% 9.6% 13.9% 38.5%
Connecticut 37.0 11.4% 25.0% 19.2% 4.2% 40.2%
Delaware 12.7 6.5% 15.8% 8.0% 28.8% 40.9%
Florida 231.0 2.9% 40.1% 0.6% 5.1% 51.2%
Georgia 124.8 3.8% 32.4% 6.2% 10.0% 47.6%
Hawaii 18.1 2.3% 31.8% 0.2% 5.2% 60.4%
Idaho 20.7 8.0% 8.5% 11.5% 16.2% 55.7%
Illinois 183.7 8.4% 26.5% 13.5% 19.1% 32.5%
Indiana 163.2 4.0% 42.0% 5.4% 25.0% 23.5%
Iowa 71.5 6.7% 28.8% 7.6% 29.4% 27.6%
Kansas 62.1 4.8% 37.5% 6.6% 22.2% 28.9%
Kentucky 109.6 2.6% 50.8% 3.1% 12.8% 30.7%
Louisiana 191.8 1.2% 16.7% 1.1% 56.3% 24.7%
Maine 14.9 11.8% 11.6% 17.8% 10.4% 48.4%
Maryland 50.6 10.8% 20.7% 12.0% 5.4% 51.2%
Massachusetts 59.2 13.7% 11.5% 21.8% 5.6% 47.3%
Michigan 154.0 7.6% 36.4% 13.5% 11.9% 30.6%
Minnesota 84.4 9.6% 23.6% 12.6% 19.8% 34.5%
Mississippi 65.1 2.6% 41.1% 2.4% 18.1% 35.8%
Missouri 112.9 4.1% 50.3% 6.1% 7.1% 32.5%
Montana 29.5 6.0% 45.2% 6.6% 15.4% 26.8%
Nebraska 48.1 4.5% 42.7% 5.4% 19.2% 28.2%
Nevada 40.4 5.9% 32.9% 6.8% 7.6% 46.7%
New Hampshire 13.8 10.4% 17.3% 18.4% 5.4% 48.6%
New Jersey 92.5 11.0% 15.5% 16.4% 10.0% 47.1%
New Mexico 46.5 4.0% 38.7% 5.0% 18.8% 33.5%
New York 166.1 13.4% 16.4% 20.4% 4.7% 45.1%
North Carolina 116.6 5.6% 34.4% 4.7% 8.7% 46.7%
North Dakota 57.0 2.4% 49.0% 2.1% 31.3% 15.3%
Ohio 196.2 6.5% 36.2% 9.4% 18.3% 29.6%
Oklahoma 87.1 3.8% 29.3% 4.4% 27.4% 35.0%
Oregon 37.6 6.9% 19.7% 8.2% 12.4% 52.7%
Pennsylvania 213.5 5.7% 34.8% 9.4% 23.7% 26.4%
Rhode Island 10.2 9.1% 27.3% 20.7% 5.8% 37.1%
South Carolina 67.3 3.4% 36.7% 3.2% 10.1% 46.6%
South Dakota 15.6 5.8% 17.0% 7.3% 26.3% 43.6%
Tennessee 91.1 4.8% 26.0% 4.9% 15.1% 49.2%
Texas 663.0 2.2% 28.1% 2.1% 34.5% 33.1%
Utah 60.1 5.4% 44.2% 7.5% 11.1% 31.8%
Vermont 5.5 16.8% 0.1% 24.1% 7.7% 51.3%
Virginia 96.2 6.4% 23.8% 6.6% 11.6% 51.6%
Washington 74.7 6.7% 12.7% 8.3% 15.3% 57.0%
West Virginia 79.2 2.2% 64.9% 2.2% 14.8% 15.8%
Wisconsin 90.6 8.3% 34.3% 11.6% 13.2% 32.6%
Wyoming 56.2 1.9% 62.9% 1.7% 20.8% 12.6%
United States 4,934.4 5.3% 31% 6.9% 19.5% 37.3%

Where does your state rank among the largest producers?

While generating electricity produces the highest percentage of carbon dioxide emissions in most states, West Virginia experiences that to the extreme because it relies heavily on coal. Meanwhile, Louisiana generates more than half of its CO2 from industrial uses. See where your state ranks among the largest producers in each sector:

Commercial sector

State Commercial carbon emissions
Vermont 16.8%
Massachusetts 13.7%
New York 13.4%
Maine 11.8%
Connecticut 11.4%
New Jersey 11.0%
Maryland 10.8%
New Hampshire 10.4%
Minnesota 9.6%
Rhode Island 9.1%

Electricity generation sector

State Electric power carbon emissions
West Virginia 64.9%
Wyoming 62.9%
Kentucky 50.8%
Missouri 50.3%
North Dakota 49.0%
Arkansas 48.0%
Alabama 45.9%
Montana 45.2%
Utah 44.2%
Nebraska 42.7%

Residential sector

State Residential carbon emissions
Vermont 24.1%
Massachusetts 21.8%
Rhode Island 20.7%
New York 20.4%
Connecticut 19.2%
New Hampshire 18.4%
Maine 17.8%
New Jersey 16.4%
Illinois 13.5%
Michigan 13.5%

Industrial sector

State Industrial carbon emissions
Louisiana 56.3%
Alaska 51.0%
Texas 34.5%
North Dakota 31.3%
Iowa 29.4%
Delaware 28.8%
Oklahoma 27.4%
South Dakota 26.3%
Indiana 25.0%
Pennsylvania 23.7%

Transportation sector

State Transportation carbon emissions
Hawaii 60.4%
Washington 57.0%
California 56.4%
Idaho 55.7%
Oregon 52.7%
Virginia 51.6%
Vermont 51.3%
Florida 51.2%
Maryland 51.2%
Tennessee 49.2%

Need more information?

Are you a journalist or researcher writing about carbon dioxide emissions who needs to know more about historical rates? Send us details about what you need, and we’ll get back to you with an answer and a relevant quote from one of our rate experts.

Photo credit: Shutterstock