Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the state’s carbon footprint, according to the October Choose Energy analysis of the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Texas produces about 13% of the nation’s carbon dioxide, according to the numbers.
The Lone Star State’s 683 million metric tons of carbon dioxide produced in 2019 was more than double the amount emitted in California, the second-largest producer.
| State | 2019 | State | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 683.2 | Georgia | 136.5 |
| California | 358.2 | North Carolina | 122.6 |
| Florida | 233.6 | Missouri | 117.0 |
| Pennsylvania | 218.7 | Kentucky | 115.4 |
| Illinois | 203.4 | Virginia | 106.8 |
| Ohio | 196.7 | Alabama | 106.3 |
| Louisiana | 194.9 | New Jersey | 100.8 |
| Indiana | 176.1 | Wisconsin | 94.8 |
| New York | 169.0 | Arizona | 92.5 |
| Michigan | 159.2 | Tennessee | 92.2 |
| State | 2019 | State | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 6.0 | Connecticut | 36.6 |
| Rhode Island | 10.4 | Nevada | 41.7 |
| Delaware | 13.6 | Oregon | 41.8 |
| New Hampshire | 13.9 | New Mexico | 48.9 |
| Maine | 14.4 | Nebraska | 50.5 |
| South Dakota | 16.0 | Maryland | 56.9 |
| Idaho | 20.1 | North Dakota | 57.2 |
| Hawaii | 20.5 | Wyoming | 59.1 |
| Montana | 32.3 | Kansas | 60.5 |
| Alaska | 34.3 | Utah | 61.5 |
Following is a state-by-state look at the amount of carbon dioxide produced during 2019 and the previous year, as well as the percentage increase or decrease from the year 2000 and the percentage increase or decrease from 2018:
| State | 2019 | 2018 | % change from 2000 | % change from 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 106.3 | 112.4 | -25.3 | -5.4 |
| Alaska | 34.3 | 34.5 | -21.4 | -0.7 |
| Arizona | 92.5 | 94.1 | 6.8 | -1.7 |
| Arkansas | 65.1 | 70.8 | 2.7 | -8.1 |
| California | 358.2 | 358.6 | -6.3 | -0.1 |
| Colorado | 91.7 | 90.1 | 7.3 | 1.8 |
| Connecticut | 36.6 | 37.4 | -14.3 | -2.0 |
| Delaware | 13.6 | 14.0 | -18.5 | -2.9 |
| Florida | 233.6 | 242.0 | -2.3 | -3.5 |
| Georgia | 136.5 | 141.9 | -19.6 | -3.8 |
| Hawaii | 20.5 | 20.3 | 9.6 | 1.1 |
| Idaho | 20.1 | 19.0 | 28.0 | 5.5 |
| Illinois | 203.4 | 213.1 | -13.4 | -4.5 |
| Indiana | 176.1 | 189.2 | -26.5 | -6.9 |
| Iowa | 77.3 | 82.4 | -2.7 | -6.2 |
| Kansas | 60.5 | 62.9 | -20.3 | -3.8 |
| Kentucky | 115.4 | 122.8 | -21.6 | -6.0 |
| Louisiana | 194.9 | 194.7 | -11.7 | 0.1 |
| Maine | 14.4 | 14.8 | -35.2 | -2.3 |
| Maryland | 56.9 | 61.7 | -27.6 | -7.8 |
| Massachusetts | 63.3 | 64.1 | -23.1 | -1.2 |
| Michigan | 159.2 | 163.7 | -18.2 | -2.7 |
| Minnesota | 92.1 | 94.8 | -6.2 | -2.8 |
| Mississippi | 62.5 | 63.2 | 1.9 | -1.1 |
| Missouri | 117.0 | 124.8 | -7.7 | -6.2 |
| Montana | 32.3 | 31.3 | 1.6 | 3.3 |
| Nebraska | 50.5 | 52.4 | 21.1 | -3.6 |
| Nevada | 41.7 | 41.4 | -8.5 | 0.9 |
| New Hampshire | 13.9 | 14.2 | -20.2 | -2.1 |
| New Jersey | 100.8 | 105.1 | -19.1 | -4.0 |
| New Mexico | 48.9 | 45.9 | -16.0 | 6.7 |
| New York | 169.0 | 175.1 | -20.4 | -3.5 |
| North Carolina | 122.6 | 124.2 | -17.8 | -1.3 |
| North Dakota | 57.2 | 59.3 | 11.4 | -3.6 |
| Ohio | 196.7 | 209.0 | -26.3 | -5.9 |
| Oklahoma | 90.8 | 98.0 | -9.3 | -7.3 |
| Oregon | 41.8 | 39.6 | 0.7 | 5.7 |
| Pennsylvania | 218.7 | 220.2 | -21.5 | -0.7 |
| Rhode Island | 10.4 | 11.1 | -11.9 | -6.3 |
| South Carolina | 69.4 | 74.1 | -15.3 | -6.3 |
| South Dakota | 16.0 | 15.5 | 12.3 | 2.9 |
| Tennessee | 92.2 | 93.8 | -28.3 | -1.7 |
| Texas | 683.2 | 684.7 | 1.5 | -0.2 |
| Utah | 61.5 | 61.2 | -6.0 | 0.4 |
| Vermont | 6.0 | 5.9 | -11.3 | 2.8 |
| Virginia | 106.8 | 110.1 | -13.4 | -3.0 |
| Washington | 84.2 | 78.7 | -0.2 | 7.0 |
| West Virginia | 85.4 | 89.1 | -26.2 | -4.1 |
| Wisconsin | 94.8 | 101.2 | -12.0 | -6.3 |
| Wyoming | 59.1 | 63.8 | -6.9 | -7.4 |
| U.S. | 5,158.8 | 5,294.8 | -12.1 | -2.6 |
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.
| State | Percapita carbon | State | Percapita carbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 8.7 | Rhode Island | 9.8 |
| California | 9.1 | Oregon | 9.9 |
| Massachusetts | 9.2 | New Hampshire | 10.2 |
| Maryland | 9.4 | Connecticut | 10.3 |
| Vermont | 9.6 | Maine | 10.7 |
| State | Percapita carbon | State | Percapita carbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 101.9 | Montana | 30.2 |
| North Dakota | 74.8 | Indiana | 26.2 |
| West Virginia | 47.6 | Nebraska | 26.1 |
| Alaska | 46.7 | Kentucky | 25.8 |
| Louisiana | 41.8 | Iowa | 24.5 |
Nationally, carbon dioxide emissions have fallen 12% compared with 2000 levels. And since 2018, emissions have decreased by 2.6% across the country.
The state where levels have fallen the most since 2000 is Maine.
| State | % decrease | State | % decrease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | -35.2 | Alaska | -21.4 |
| Tennessee | -28.3 | New York | -20.4 |
| Maryland | -27.6 | Kansas | -20.3 |
| Indiana | -26.5 | New Hampshire | -20.2 |
| Ohio | -26.3 | Georgia | -19.6 |
| West Virginia | -26.2 | New Jersey | -19.1 |
| Alabama | -25.3 | Delaware | -18.5 |
| Massachusetts | -23.1 | Michigan | -18.2 |
| Kentucky | -21.6 | North Carolina | -17.8 |
| Pennsylvania | -21.5 | New Mexico | -16.0 |
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 | 28.0 | Hawaii | 9.6 |
| Nebraska | 21.1 | Colorado | 7.3 |
| South Dakota | 12.3 | Arizona | 6.8 |
| North Dakota | 11.4 | Arkansas | 2.7 |
There are four states that have experienced a significant percentage increase in carbon dioxide emissions since 2018, including Washington, New Mexico, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
There were also several states that showed a meaningful decrease in emissions since 2018. The top states for decreased carbon emissions were Arkansas, Maryland, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Indiana.
Nationally, transportation is responsible for the largest chunk of carbon dioxide emissions — 37.6%. But the generation of electricity is the second-largest offender, with 31.2%.
Following is a percentage breakdown by sector for each state’s carbon dioxide emissions:
| State | Commercial | Electric power | Residential | Industrial | Transportation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2.1% | 45.6% | 1.9% | 18.5% | 31.8% |
| Alaska | 5.9% | 7.9% | 4.2% | 47.4% | 34.6% |
| Arizona | 3.3% | 47.0% | 2.9% | 5.0% | 41.8% |
| Arkansas | 5.4% | 48.0% | 3.2% | 13.1% | 30.3% |
| California | 5.6% | 8.7% | 7.6% | 19.8% | 58.3% |
| Colorado | 5.2% | 36.5% | 9.8% | 14.6% | 34.0% |
| Connecticut | 11.5% | 21.6% | 20.0% | 4.7% | 42.3% |
| Delaware | 8.0% | 13.0% | 7.3% | 28.8% | 42.9% |
| Florida | 3.0% | 40.4% | 0.6% | 5.1% | 51.0% |
| Georgia | 3.3% | 35.6% | 5.3% | 9.0% | 46.8% |
| Hawaii | 2.8% | 30.7% | 0.3% | 6.4% | 59.8% |
| Idaho | 7.9% | 8.4% | 10.2% | 16.1% | 57.4% |
| Illinois | 7.6% | 28.6% | 12.6% | 17.8% | 33.3% |
| Indiana | 3.5% | 43.0% | 5.1% | 26.2% | 22.2% |
| Iowa | 5.8% | 31.0% | 7.3% | 29.3% | 26.6% |
| Kansas | 4.5% | 33.6% | 7.2% | 22.4% | 32.4% |
| Kentucky | 2.5% | 51.6% | 2.8% | 13.5% | 29.6% |
| Louisiana | 1.2% | 15.7% | 1.1% | 61.2% | 20.7% |
| Maine | 12.4% | 4.9% | 21.0% | 11.5% | 50.2% |
| Maryland | 10.0% | 20.7% | 10.1% | 5.2% | 54.0% |
| Massachusetts | 12.7% | 9.8% | 21.6% | 5.3% | 50.6% |
| Michigan | 7.4% | 34.3% | 13.5% | 11.9% | 32.9% |
| Minnesota | 8.0% | 24.8% | 11.1% | 19.5% | 36.6% |
| Mississippi | 2.6% | 39.2% | 2.6% | 18.1% | 37.5% |
| Missouri | 4.0% | 49.5% | 6.2% | 7.2% | 33.1% |
| Montana | 5.4% | 49.4% | 6.1% | 14.5% | 24.7% |
| Nebraska | 4.7% | 43.6% | 5.7% | 17.5% | 28.5% |
| Nevada | 6.1% | 32.6% | 6.7% | 8.9% | 45.8% |
| New Hampshire | 10.6% | 13.0% | 21.3% | 5.6% | 49.4% |
| New Jersey | 10.0% | 17.2% | 15.1% | 9.4% | 48.2% |
| New Mexico | 4.1% | 41.4% | 5.3% | 16.6% | 32.6% |
| New York | 13.6% | 12.7% | 21.1% | 5.3% | 47.3% |
| North Carolina | 4.2% | 37.6% | 4.2% | 8.1% | 45.9% |
| North Dakota | 2.2% | 49.6% | 2.4% | 29.0% | 16.9% |
| Ohio | 6.3% | 34.3% | 9.3% | 19.2% | 30.9% |
| Oklahoma | 3.8% | 29.7% | 4.7% | 26.6% | 35.2% |
| Oregon | 6.1% | 25.2% | 7.1% | 10.8% | 50.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 5.5% | 34.3% | 8.9% | 23.1% | 28.2% |
| Rhode Island | 9.0% | 27.1% | 19.9% | 6.1% | 37.9% |
| South Carolina | 3.3% | 35.9% | 2.8% | 10.8% | 47.3% |
| South Dakota | 5.8% | 20.0% | 7.9% | 23.9% | 42.4% |
| Tennessee | 4.6% | 26.1% | 4.7% | 15.3% | 49.4% |
| Texas | 2.1% | 27.9% | 2.0% | 34.6% | 33.4% |
| Utah | 5.0% | 46.3% | 7.2% | 11.5% | 30.0% |
| Vermont | 14.8% | 0.0% | 25.8% | 7.5% | 51.9% |
| Virginia | 5.7% | 25.2% | 5.7% | 10.8% | 52.5% |
| Washington | 5.6% | 16.3% | 7.3% | 15.5% | 55.4% |
| West Virginia | 2.1% | 67.6% | 2.0% | 13.9% | 14.4% |
| Wisconsin | 7.1% | 35.1% | 11.4% | 14.1% | 32.3% |
| Wyoming | 1.7% | 61.7% | 1.7% | 21.4% | 13.5% |
| US | 5.0% | 31.2% | 6.7% | 19.5% | 37.6% |
While generating electricity produces the highest percentage of carbon dioxide emissions in most states, West Virginia experiences that to the extreme because it relies on coal. Louisiana generates more than half of its CO2 from industrial uses. See where your state ranks among the largest producers in each sector:
| State | Commercial | State | Commercial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 14.8% | Minnesota | 8.0% |
| New York | 13.6% | Idaho | 7.9% |
| Massachusetts | 12.7% | Illinois | 7.6% |
| Maine | 12.4% | Michigan | 7.4% |
| Connecticut | 11.5% | Wisconsin | 7.1% |
| New Hampshire | 10.6% | Ohio | 6.3% |
| New Jersey | 10.0% | Oregon | 6.1% |
| Maryland | 10.0% | Nevada | 6.1% |
| Rhode Island | 9.0% | Alaska | 5.9% |
| Delaware | 8.0% | South Dakota | 5.8% |
| State | Electric Power | State | Electric Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 67.6% | Nebraska | 43.6% |
| Wyoming | 61.7% | Indiana | 43.0% |
| Kentucky | 51.6% | New Mexico | 41.4% |
| North Dakota | 49.6% | Florida | 40.4% |
| Missouri | 49.5% | Mississippi | 39.2% |
| Montana | 49.4% | North Carolina | 37.6% |
| Arkansas | 48.0% | Colorado | 36.5% |
| Arizona | 47.0% | South Carolina | 35.9% |
| Utah | 46.3% | Georgia | 35.6% |
| Alabama | 45.6% | Wisconsin | 35.1% |
| State | Residential | State | Residential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 25.8% | Wisconsin | 11.4% |
| Massachusetts | 21.6% | Minnesota | 11.1% |
| New Hampshire | 21.3% | Idaho | 10.2% |
| New York | 21.1% | Maryland | 10.1% |
| Maine | 21.0% | Colorado | 9.8% |
| Connecticut | 20.0% | Ohio | 9.3% |
| Rhode Island | 19.9% | Pennsylvania | 8.9% |
| New Jersey | 15.1% | South Dakota | 7.9% |
| Michigan | 13.5% | California | 7.6% |
| Illinois | 12.6% | Iowa | 7.3% |
| State | Industrial | State | Industrial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 61.2% | Kansas | 22.4% |
| Alaska | 47.4% | Wyoming | 21.4% |
| Texas | 34.6% | California | 19.8% |
| Iowa | 29.3% | Minnesota | 19.5% |
| North Dakota | 29.0% | Ohio | 19.2% |
| Delaware | 28.8% | Alabama | 18.5% |
| Oklahoma | 26.6% | Mississippi | 18.1% |
| Indiana | 26.2% | Illinois | 17.8% |
| South Dakota | 23.9% | Nebraska | 17.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 23.1% | New Mexico | 16.6% |
| State | Transportation | State | Transportation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 59.8% | Maine | 50.2% |
| California | 58.3% | New Hampshire | 49.4% |
| Idaho | 57.4% | Tennessee | 49.4% |
| Washington | 55.4% | New Jersey | 48.2% |
| Maryland | 54.0% | New York | 47.3% |
| Virginia | 52.5% | South Carolina | 47.3% |
| Vermont | 51.9% | Georgia | 46.8% |
| Florida | 51.0% | North Carolina | 45.9% |
| Oregon | 50.8% | Nevada | 45.8% |
| Massachusetts | 50.6% | Delaware | 42.9% |
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(Last updated October 10, 2022)