State ranking · Transportation
Transportation Rankings
Uses population concentration and urban depth as the current proxy for transit availability.
Published Apr 22, 2026 · Reviewed Jul 6, 2026 · US360 analysis of the published state dataset
Methodology
Where can you live with less driving?
Weights, planned factors and limitations are published before the table so the result can be judged fairly.
Factors and weights
- population50%
- industry depth25%
- cost index25%
Planned factors — not yet sourced
- Transit ridership
- Average commute time
- Vehicle registration cost
- Road condition index
Limitations
- Transit is a metro-level service. A state score cannot describe a rural county in the same state.
Full ranking
All state hubs, scored identically
| Rank | State | Score | Population (50%) | Industry breadth (25%) | Cost of living index (25%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TexasSouth | 74 | 7830.5 million | 50Energy · Technology · Healthcare | 9093 |
| 2 | CaliforniaWest | 73 | 10039 million | 50Technology · Entertainment · Agriculture | 42139 |
| 3 | FloridaSouth | 60.8 | 5722.6 million | 50Tourism · Healthcare · International trade | 79103 |
| 4 | New YorkNortheast | 51.8 | 5019.6 million | 50Finance · Media · Healthcare | 57125 |
| 5 | OhioMidwest | 51 | 2911.8 million | 50Healthcare · Manufacturing · Logistics | 9687 |
| 6 | PennsylvaniaNortheast | 50.5 | 3213 million | 50Healthcare · Energy · Higher education | 8895 |
| 7 | IllinoisMidwest | 50 | 3112.5 million | 50Finance · Transportation · Manufacturing | 8895 |
| 8 | GeorgiaSouth | 48.8 | 2711 million | 50Logistics · Film production · Fintech | 9192 |
| 9 | MichiganMidwest | 48.3 | 2510 million | 50Automotive · Advanced manufacturing · Healthcare | 9390 |
| 10 | North CarolinaSouth | 48 | 2710.8 million | 50Banking · Biotechnology · Advanced manufacturing | 8895 |
| 11 | IndianaMidwest | 44.3 | 166.9 million | 50Advanced manufacturing · Life sciences · Logistics | 9588 |
| 12 | TennesseeSouth | 44.3 | 177.1 million | 50Healthcare · Music and entertainment · Logistics | 9390 |
| 13 | MissouriMidwest | 44 | 156.2 million | 50Logistics · Healthcare · Agribusiness | 9687 |
| 14 | VirginiaSouth | 43 | 218.7 million | 50Data centres · Federal contracting · Shipbuilding | 80102 |
| 15 | WisconsinMidwest | 42.5 | 145.9 million | 50Manufacturing · Dairy and food processing · Healthcare | 9291 |
| 16 | AlabamaSouth | 42.3 | 125.1 million | 50Aerospace · Automotive manufacturing · Healthcare | 9588 |
| 17 | OklahomaSouth | 41.8 | 94.1 million | 50Energy · Aerospace · Agriculture | 9984 |
| 18 | South CarolinaSouth | 41.8 | 135.4 million | 50Automotive · Aerospace · Tourism | 9192 |
| 19 | ArizonaWest | 41.5 | 187.4 million | 50Semiconductors · Healthcare · Tourism | 80102 |
| 20 | KentuckySouth | 41.5 | 104.5 million | 50Automotive · Logistics · Bourbon and food production | 9687 |
| 21 | LouisianaSouth | 41 | 104.6 million | 50Energy · Petrochemicals · Tourism | 9489 |
| 22 | New JerseyNortheast | 41 | 239.3 million | 50Pharmaceuticals · Logistics · Finance | 68114 |
| 23 | ArkansasSouth | 40.5 | 73.1 million | 50Retail logistics · Agriculture · Aerospace parts | 9885 |
| 24 | MinnesotaMidwest | 40.5 | 135.7 million | 50Medical devices · Healthcare · Food production | 8697 |
| 25 | MississippiSouth | 40.5 | 62.9 million | 50Manufacturing · Agriculture · Shipbuilding | 10083 |
| 26 | IowaMidwest | 40 | 73.2 million | 50Agriculture · Insurance · Renewable energy | 9687 |
| 27 | KansasMidwest | 39.8 | 62.9 million | 50Aviation manufacturing · Agriculture · Logistics | 9786 |
| 28 | West VirginiaSouth | 39 | 31.8 million | 50Energy · Healthcare · Outdoor recreation | 10083 |
| 29 | ColoradoWest | 38.5 | 145.9 million | 50Aerospace · Technology · Outdoor recreation | 76106 |
| 30 | WashingtonWest | 38.5 | 197.8 million | 50Technology · Aerospace · Agriculture | 66116 |
| 31 | NebraskaMidwest | 38 | 42.0 million | 50Agribusiness · Insurance · Data centres | 9489 |
| 32 | New MexicoWest | 37.3 | 42.1 million | 50National laboratories · Energy · Film production | 9192 |
| 33 | MarylandSouth | 36.5 | 156.2 million | 50Bioscience · Federal contracting · Cybersecurity | 66116 |
| 34 | NevadaWest | 36 | 73.2 million | 50Hospitality · Logistics · Advanced manufacturing | 80102 |
| 35 | South DakotaMidwest | 36 | 1919,000 | 50Financial services · Agriculture · Healthcare | 9291 |
| 36 | IdahoWest | 35.8 | 42.0 million | 50Semiconductors · Agriculture · Outdoor recreation | 8598 |
| 37 | North DakotaMidwest | 35.8 | 1784,000 | 50Energy · Agriculture · Autonomous systems | 9192 |
| 38 | UtahWest | 35.8 | 73.4 million | 50Technology · Financial services · Outdoor recreation | 79103 |
| 39 | WyomingWest | 34.8 | 0584,000 | 50Energy · Tourism · Ranching | 8994 |
| 40 | OregonWest | 34.3 | 94.2 million | 50Semiconductors · Forestry · Outdoor apparel | 69113 |
| 41 | ConnecticutNortheast | 33.8 | 83.6 million | 50Insurance · Advanced manufacturing · Bioscience | 69113 |
| 42 | MontanaWest | 33.5 | 11.1 million | 50Agriculture · Tourism · Energy | 82100 |
| 43 | DelawareSouth | 33.3 | 11.0 million | 50Corporate services · Chemicals · Finance | 81101 |
| 44 | MaineNortheast | 32.5 | 21.4 million | 50Marine industries · Healthcare · Tourism | 76106 |
| 45 | New HampshireNortheast | 30.8 | 21.4 million | 50Advanced manufacturing · Healthcare · Tourism | 69113 |
| 46 | Rhode IslandNortheast | 30.5 | 11.1 million | 50Healthcare · Marine trades · Design and education | 70112 |
| 47 | MassachusettsNortheast | 30 | 177.0 million | 50Biotechnology · Higher education · Finance | 36145 |
| 48 | VermontNortheast | 30 | 0647,000 | 50Healthcare · Food production · Tourism | 70112 |
| 49 | AlaskaWest | 26.8 | 0733,000 | 50Energy · Fishing · Tourism | 57125 |
| 50 | Washington, D.C.South | 20.8 | 0679,000 | 50Federal government · Professional services · Higher education | 33148 |
| 51 | HawaiiWest | 13.5 | 21.4 million | 50Tourism · Defense · Agriculture | 0180 |
Trust & transparency
How this ranking is maintained
How reports are created
A researcher drafts from the shared state dataset, a second researcher recomputes every composite, and an editor reviews the wording before publication.
How data is verified
A measure only enters a ranking when the same field exists for all 51 hubs. Anything partial stays a labelled placeholder.
When reports are updated
Annual reports are re-published yearly with a mid-year review. Rankings recompute with the dataset and are reviewed at least twice a year.
Known limitations
State-level figures cannot describe a specific city or neighbourhood, and several important measures are still unsourced. Each report lists its own limits.
Corrections process
Corrections are published on the report page with the date and the change, and the version history records what moved.
Reader feedback
Anyone can flag a figure through the contact page. Flagged figures are re-checked before the next review date.
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