Data / Rankings / Adult cigarette smoking rate / US states

US states by adult smoking rate

West Virginia had the highest adult smoking rate of 51 states in 2014, at 26.7%. Utah had the lowest, at 9.7%. The median was 18.1%. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Highest26.7West Virginia
Lowest9.7Utah
Median18.151 states

All states, 2014

CSVChart (SVG)

West VirginiaWest Virginia: 26.7 %26.7KentuckyKentucky: 26.2 %26.2ArkansasArkansas: 24.7 %24.7TennesseeTennessee: 24.2 %24.2LouisianaLouisiana: 24 %24MississippiMississippi: 23 %23IndianaIndiana: 22.9 %22.9South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 21.5 %21.5MichiganMichigan: 21.2 %21.2AlabamaAlabama: 21.1 %21.1OklahomaOklahoma: 21.1 %21.1OhioOhio: 21 %21MissouriMissouri: 20.6 %20.6AlaskaAlaska: 19.9 %19.9DelawareDelaware: 19.9 %19.9MontanaMontana: 19.9 %19.9North DakotaNorth Dakota: 19.9 %19.9PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 19.9 %19.9VirginiaVirginia: 19.5 %19.5WyomingWyoming: 19.5 %19.5MaineMaine: 19.3 %19.3New MexicoNew Mexico: 19.2 %19.2North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 19.1 %19.1South DakotaSouth Dakota: 18.6 %18.6IowaIowa: 18.5 %18.5KansasKansas: 18.1 %18.1FloridaFlorida: 17.7 %17.7New HampshireNew Hampshire: 17.5 %17.5GeorgiaGeorgia: 17.4 %17.4WisconsinWisconsin: 17.4 %17.4NebraskaNebraska: 17.3 %17.3NevadaNevada: 17 %17OregonOregon: 17 %17ArizonaArizona: 16.5 %16.5IllinoisIllinois: 16.5 %16.5District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 16.4 %16.4VermontVermont: 16.4 %16.4MinnesotaMinnesota: 16.3 %16.3Rhode IslandRhode Island: 16.3 %16.3IdahoIdaho: 15.9 %15.9ColoradoColorado: 15.7 %15.7ConnecticutConnecticut: 15.4 %15.4WashingtonWashington: 15.3 %15.3New JerseyNew Jersey: 15.1 %15.1MassachusettsMassachusetts: 14.7 %14.7MarylandMaryland: 14.6 %14.6TexasTexas: 14.5 %14.5New YorkNew York: 14.4 %14.4HawaiiHawaii: 14.1 %14.1CaliforniaCalifornia: 12.9 %12.9UtahUtah: 9.7 %9.7
%. Source: CDC. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankStates2014 (%)Change on 2013
1West Virginia26.7-0.6 pts
2Kentucky26.2-0.3 pts
3Arkansas24.7-1.2 pts
4Tennessee24.2-0.1 pts
5Louisiana24+0.5 pts
6Mississippi23-1.8 pts
7Indiana22.9+1 pts
8South Carolina21.5-0.5 pts
9Michigan21.2-0.2 pts
10Alabama21.1-0.4 pts
10Oklahoma21.1-2.6 pts
12Ohio21-2.4 pts
13Missouri20.6-1.5 pts
14Alaska19.9-2.7 pts
14Delaware19.9+0.3 pts
14Montana19.9+0.9 pts
14North Dakota19.9-1.3 pts
14Pennsylvania19.9-1.1 pts
19Virginia19.5+0.5 pts
19Wyoming19.5-1.1 pts
21Maine19.3-0.9 pts
22New Mexico19.2+0.1 pts
23North Carolina19.1-1.2 pts
24South Dakota18.6-1 pts
25Iowa18.5-1 pts
26Kansas18.1-1.9 pts
27Florida17.7+0.9 pts
28New Hampshire17.5+1.3 pts
29Georgia17.4-1.4 pts
29Wisconsin17.4-1.3 pts
31Nebraska17.3-1.2 pts
32Nevada17-2.4 pts
32Oregon17-0.3 pts
34Arizona16.5+0.2 pts
34Illinois16.5-1.5 pts
36District of Columbia16.4-2.4 pts
36Vermont16.4-0.2 pts
38Minnesota16.3-1.7 pts
38Rhode Island16.3-1.1 pts
40Idaho15.9-1.3 pts
41Colorado15.7-2 pts
42Connecticut15.4-0.1 pts
43Washington15.3-0.8 pts
44New Jersey15.1-0.6 pts
45Massachusetts14.7-1.9 pts
46Maryland14.6-1.8 pts
47Texas14.5-1.4 pts
48New York14.4-2.2 pts
49Hawaii14.1+0.8 pts
50California12.9+0.4 pts
51Utah9.7-0.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who currently smoke cigarettes: they have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoke every day or on some days. Crude prevalence, not age-adjusted.

United States: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), states and DC only. BRFSS publishes the median of the states rather than a national prevalence, so no national value is served. E-cigarettes and other tobacco products are not counted. The series starts in 2011, when BRFSS changed its methods.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), adults who are current smokers, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid%3D%27_RFSMOK3%27+AND+responseid%3D%27RESP046%27+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which state has the highest adult smoking rate?

West Virginia, with 26.7% in 2014, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest adult smoking rate?

Utah, with 9.7% in 2014.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), adults who are current smokers, crude prevalence, overall. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

US states: more rankings