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They say everything’s bigger in Texas. Well, so is its carbon footprint, according to a ChooseEnergy.com® analysis of the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Texas produces about 12.7 percent of the nation’s carbon dioxide, according to the numbers.

The Lone Star State’s 653.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide produced in 2016 was more than 80 percent higher than was generated in California, the second-largest producer.

Following are the states that produced the most carbon dioxide emissions (in million metric tons):

State 2016 State 2016
Texas 653.8 Georgia 136.2
California 361.4 Kentucky 123.9
Florida 230.1 North Carolina 120.6
Pennsylvania 217.4 Missouri 117.7
Louisiana 209.1 Alabama 115.1
Ohio 206.3 New Jersey 110.8
Illinois 204.1 Virginia 104.2
Indiana 181.9 Tennessee 103.1
New York 163.7 Oklahoma 96.9
Michigan 151.8 Wisconsin 95.6

Following are the states that produced the least CO2:

State 2016 State 2016
Vermont 6.0 Alaska 34.9
Rhode Island 9.7 Nevada 36.7
Delaware 13.3 Oregon 38.0
New Hampshire 13.8 New Mexico 48.4
South Dakota 15.0 Nebraska 48.6
Maine 16.5 North Dakota 54.3
Idaho 18.4 Maryland 57.6
Hawaii 18.4 Utah 58.8
Montana 30.5 Kansas 62.1
Connecticut 34.3 Arkansas 62.4

Following is a state-by-state look at the amount of carbon dioxide produced during 2016 and the previous year, as well as the percentage increase or decrease from the year 2000 and the percentage increase or decrease from 2015:

State 2016 2015 % change from 2000 % change from 2015
Alabama 115.1 119.8 -19.1 -3.9
Alaska 34.9 36.2 -21.2 -3.4
Arizona 87.0 90.9 1.1 -4.3
Arkansas 62.4 59.1 -2.0 5.5
California 361.4 363.6 -5.5 -0.6
Colorado 89.0 90.3 5.2 -1.4
Connecticut 34.3 36.5 -20.2 -5.9
Delaware 13.3 13.4 -20.1 -0.8
Florida 230.1 231.4 -4.0 -0.6
Georgia 136.2 137.1 -19.5 -0.6
Hawaii 18.4 18.6 -1.7 -0.8
Idaho 18.4 17.8 17.2 3.3
Illinois 204.1 219.2 -12.7 -6.9
Indiana 181.9 188.1 -23.7 -3.3
Iowa 73.1 75.8 -5.9 -3.5
Kansas 62.1 63.1 -18.6 -1.7
Kentucky 123.9 130.2 -15.1 -4.8
Louisiana 209.1 218.2 -9.5 -4.2
Maine 16.5 16.8 -26.4 -2.0
Maryland 57.6 59.5 -25.7 -3.2
Massachusetts 64.2 65.6 -22.2 -2.1
Michigan 151.8 162.6 -21.7 -6.7
Minnesota 89.3 87.7 -8.9 1.8
Mississippi 68.9 65.1 12.0 5.9
Missouri 117.7 123.3 -6.6 -4.5
Montana 30.5 32.2 -3.0 -5.4
Nebraska 48.6 50.6 16.7 -4.1
Nevada 36.7 35.2 -19.2 4.2
New Hampshire 13.8 15.1 -21.3 -9.0
New Jersey 110.8 111.9 -10.6 -0.9
New Mexico 48.4 50.2 -16.8 -3.6
New York 163.7 168.3 -23.0 -2.8
North Carolina 120.6 120.4 -19.2 0.1
North Dakota 54.3 57.1 6.8 -5.0
Ohio 206.3 214.5 -22.5 -3.8
Oklahoma 96.9 101.4 -3.3 -4.4
Oregon 38.0 38.1 -8.3 -0.2
Pennsylvania 217.4 233.2 -21.7 -6.8
Rhode Island 9.7 10.9 -17.0 -10.6
South Carolina 71.7 73.4 -12.2 -2.3
South Dakota 15.0 14.2 5.7 6.0
Tennessee 103.1 99.8 -19.5 3.3
Texas 653.8 625.8 -0.6 4.5
Utah 58.8 63.2 -9.8 -7.0
Vermont 6.0 6.1 -11.8 -2.7
Virginia 104.2 103.0 -15.3 1.2
Washington 78.9 75.7 -5.2 4.2
West Virginia 94.6 92.0 -17.7 2.8
Wisconsin 95.6 99.6 -11.5 -4.0
Wyoming 60.7 64.8 -3.9 -6.4
District of Columbia 2.8 3.0 -34.9 -6.7
U.S. 5,161.0 5,249.3 -11.8 -2.6

Another way of measuring carbon emissions

Because some states are more populous, 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. Following are the 10 states with the lowest per capita carbon emissions:

State Percapita carbon State Percapita carbon
New York 8.3 Vermont 9.6
California 9.2 Maryland 9.6
Rhode Island 9.2 Connecticut 9.6
Oregon 9.3 New Hampshire 10.3
Massachusetts 9.4 Washington 10.8

Following are the 10 states with the highest emissions per capita:

State Percapita carbon State Percapita carbon
Wyoming 103.7 Montana 29.3
North Dakota 71.8 Kentucky 27.9
West Virginia 51.7 Indiana 27.4
Alaska 47.1 Nebraska 25.5
Louisiana 44.6 Oklahoma 24.7

Which states are improving their carbon footprint? Which aren’t?

Nationally, carbon dioxide emissions have fallen nearly 12 percent compared with 2000 levels. Emissions have fallen 2.6 percent across the country since 2015.

The state where levels have fallen the greatest since 2000 is Maine. Following are the 20 states where levels decreased by the greatest amounts.

State % decrease State % decrease
Maine -26.4 Connecticut -20.2
Maryland -25.7 Delaware -20.1
Indiana -23.7 Tennessee -19.5
New York -23.0 Georgia -19.5
Ohio -22.5 Nevada -19.2
Massachusetts -22.2 North Carolina -19.2
Michigan -21.7 Alabama -19.1
Pennsylvania -21.7 Kansas -18.6
New Hampshire -21.3 West Virginia -17.7
Alaska -21.2 Rhode Island -17.0

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

State % increase State % increase
Idaho 17.2 South Dakota 5.7
Nebraska 16.7 Colorado 5.2
Mississippi 12.0 Arizona 1.1
North Dakota 6.8

Only one state, Rhode Island, had a double-digit percentage decrease in carbon dioxide emissions since 2015. Following are the leaders in cutting emissions percentage-wise during that period:

State % decrease State % decrease
Rhode Island -10.6 Kentucky -4.8
New Hampshire -9.0 Missouri -4.5
Utah -7.0 Oklahoma -4.4
Illinois -6.9 Arizona -4.3
Pennsylvania -6.8 Louisiana -4.2
Michigan -6.7 Nebraska -4.1
Wyoming -6.4 Wisconsin -4.0
Connecticut -5.9 Alabama -3.9
Montana -5.4 Ohio -3.8
North Dakota -5.0 New Mexico -3.6

Twelve states, led by South Dakota, showed increases during the period:

State % increase State % increase
South Dakota 6.0 Tennessee 3.3
Mississippi 5.9 Idaho 3.3
Arkansas 5.5 West Virginia 2.8
Texas 4.5 Minnesota 1.8
Washington 4.2 Virginia 1.2
Nevada 4.2 North Carolina 0.1

Where does the carbon dioxide originate?

Nationally, transportation is responsible for the largest chunk of carbon dioxide emissions, 36.7 percent. But generation of electricity is the second-largest offender, with 34.8 percent.

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

State Commercial Electric power Residential Industrial Transportation
Alabama 1.9% 48.0% 1.6% 18.3% 30.1%
Alaska 5.8% 7.9% 4.3% 48.1% 34.0%
Arizona 3.3% 50.9% 2.5% 5.3% 38.0%
Arkansas 4.7% 48.4% 2.7% 13.2% 31.1%
California 5.2% 10.1% 6.7% 19.1% 58.9%
Colorado 4.4% 39.6% 8.4% 16.0% 31.6%
Connecticut 11.4% 20.4% 18.3% 5.4% 44.6%
Delaware 7.0% 26.9% 6.3% 25.2% 34.6%
Florida 3.2% 46.0% 0.5% 5.2% 45.0%
Georgia 3.4% 42.2% 5.0% 9.8% 39.7%
Hawaii 1.8% 35.7% 0.2% 7.2% 55.1%
Idaho 7.4% 6.8% 8.9% 18.3% 58.5%
Illinois 6.5% 32.5% 10.8% 16.6% 33.5%
Indiana 2.9% 46.0% 4.2% 23.1% 23.8%
Iowa 4.8% 33.8% 5.6% 26.6% 29.2%
Kansas 3.9% 40.0% 5.4% 20.6% 30.1%
Kentucky 2.2% 58.6% 2.3% 10.9% 26.0%
Louisiana 1.0% 17.3% 0.9% 58.2% 22.6%
Maine 9.8% 9.1% 17.8% 9.1% 54.2%
Maryland 9.0% 29.8% 9.5% 3.8% 47.9%
Massachusetts 10.9% 16.7% 17.7% 5.3% 49.4%
Michigan 6.7% 36.3% 12.3% 11.6% 33.0%
Minnesota 7.1% 29.6% 9.0% 19.1% 35.1%
Mississippi 2.3% 37.6% 2.1% 14.8% 43.3%
Missouri 3.6% 52.5% 4.8% 6.9% 32.3%
Montana 4.5% 52.4% 4.8% 12.5% 25.8%
Nebraska 3.8% 43.6% 4.5% 19.7% 28.5%
Nevada 6.2% 37.9% 6.3% 8.7% 40.9%
New Hampshire 10.1% 17.2% 18.3% 5.5% 48.9%
New Jersey 9.1% 17.7% 12.2% 8.6% 52.4%
New Mexico 3.5% 47.6% 4.3% 15.3% 29.3%
New York 13.2% 17.0% 18.7% 5.1% 46.1%
North Carolina 4.4% 42.1% 4.2% 8.6% 40.7%
North Dakota 1.8% 53.2% 1.7% 27.9% 15.3%
Ohio 5.3% 39.1% 7.8% 17.2% 30.5%
Oklahoma 3.1% 36.5% 3.3% 23.5% 33.6%
Oregon 5.6% 20.5% 6.6% 13.5% 53.8%
Pennsylvania 4.9% 37.7% 8.5% 21.0% 27.9%
Rhode Island 8.8% 26.4% 18.6% 6.5% 39.7%
South Carolina 3.0% 38.4% 2.5% 10.6% 45.5%
South Dakota 4.9% 17.4% 6.3% 25.9% 45.5%
Tennessee 3.6% 34.8% 3.5% 15.7% 42.4%
Texas 1.9% 31.7% 1.7% 30.3% 34.4%
Utah 4.5% 46.7% 6.2% 12.5% 30.1%
Vermont 14.3% 0.1% 21.9% 7.1% 56.6%
Virginia 5.5% 32.2% 5.5% 11.2% 45.6%
Washington 5.5% 12.1% 6.4% 13.9% 62.0%
West Virginia 1.8% 72.8% 1.7% 10.8% 12.9%
Wisconsin 6.2% 40.3% 9.1% 13.6% 30.8%
Wyoming 1.8% 66.4% 1.4% 17.6% 12.8%
DC 34.2% 0.0% 23.1% 1.1% 41.6%
US 4.5% 34.8% 5.8% 18.2% 36.7%

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 sees that to the extreme because of its reliance on coal. Louisiana generates most of its CO2 from industrial uses. See where your state ranks among the largest producers in each sector:

Commercial uses

State Commercial State Commercial
Vermont 14.3% Minnesota 7.1%
New York 13.2% Delaware 7.0%
Connecticut 11.4% Michigan 6.7%
Massachusetts 10.9% Illinois 6.5%
New Hampshire 10.1% Nevada 6.2%
Maine 9.8% Wisconsin 6.2%
New Jersey 9.1% Alaska 5.8%
Maryland 9.0% Oregon 5.6%
Rhode Island 8.8% Washington 5.5%
Idaho 7.4% Virginia 5.5%

Generating electricity

State Electric Power State Electric Power
West Virginia 72.8% Utah 46.7%
Wyoming 66.4% Florida 46.0%
Kentucky 58.6% Indiana 46.0%
North Dakota 53.2% Nebraska 43.6%
Missouri 52.5% Georgia 42.2%
Montana 52.4% North Carolina 42.1%
Arizona 50.9% Wisconsin 40.3%
Arkansas 48.4% Kansas 40.0%
Alabama 48.0% Colorado 39.6%
New Mexico 47.6% Ohio 39.1%

Residential uses

State Residential State Residential
Vermont 21.9% Maryland 9.5%
New York 18.7% Wisconsin 9.1%
Rhode Island 18.6% Minnesota 9.0%
New Hampshire 18.3% Idaho 8.9%
Connecticut 18.3% Pennsylvania 8.5%
Maine 17.8% Colorado 8.4%
Massachusetts 17.7% Ohio 7.8%
Michigan 12.3% California 6.7%
New Jersey 12.2% Oregon 6.6%
Illinois 10.8% Washington 6.4%

Industrial uses

State Industrial State Industrial
Louisiana 58.2% Kansas 20.6%
Alaska 48.1% Nebraska 19.7%
Texas 30.3% Minnesota 19.1%
North Dakota 27.9% California 19.1%
Iowa 26.6% Idaho 18.3%
South Dakota 25.9% Alabama 18.3%
Delaware 25.2% Wyoming 17.6%
Oklahoma 23.5% Ohio 17.2%
Indiana 23.1% Illinois 16.6%
Pennsylvania 21.0% Colorado 16.0%

Transportation

State Transportation State Transportation
Washington 62.0% Maryland 47.9%
California 58.9% New York 46.1%
Idaho 58.5% Virginia 45.6%
Vermont 56.6% South Carolina 45.5%
Hawaii 55.1% South Dakota 45.5%
Maine 54.2% Florida 45.0%
Oregon 53.8% Connecticut 44.6%
New Jersey 52.4% Mississippi 43.3%
Massachusetts 49.4% Tennessee 42.4%
New Hampshire 48.9% Nevada 40.9%

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(Last updated April 11, 2019)