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 2017, at 26%. Utah had the lowest, at 8.9%. The median was 17.1%. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Highest26West Virginia
Lowest8.9Utah
Median17.151 states

All states, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

West VirginiaWest Virginia: 26 %26KentuckyKentucky: 24.6 %24.6LouisianaLouisiana: 23 %23TennesseeTennessee: 22.6 %22.6ArkansasArkansas: 22.3 %22.3MississippiMississippi: 22.2 %22.2IndianaIndiana: 21.8 %21.8OhioOhio: 21.1 %21.1AlaskaAlaska: 21 %21AlabamaAlabama: 20.9 %20.9MissouriMissouri: 20.8 %20.8OklahomaOklahoma: 20.2 %20.2MichiganMichigan: 19.3 %19.3South DakotaSouth Dakota: 19.3 %19.3PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 18.8 %18.8South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 18.8 %18.8WyomingWyoming: 18.7 %18.7North DakotaNorth Dakota: 18.3 %18.3NevadaNevada: 17.6 %17.6New MexicoNew Mexico: 17.5 %17.5GeorgiaGeorgia: 17.4 %17.4KansasKansas: 17.4 %17.4MaineMaine: 17.3 %17.3MontanaMontana: 17.2 %17.2North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 17.2 %17.2IowaIowa: 17.1 %17.1DelawareDelaware: 17 %17VirginiaVirginia: 16.4 %16.4FloridaFlorida: 16.1 %16.1OregonOregon: 16.1 %16.1WisconsinWisconsin: 16 %16VermontVermont: 15.8 %15.8New HampshireNew Hampshire: 15.7 %15.7TexasTexas: 15.7 %15.7ArizonaArizona: 15.6 %15.6IllinoisIllinois: 15.5 %15.5NebraskaNebraska: 15.4 %15.4Rhode IslandRhode Island: 15 %15ColoradoColorado: 14.6 %14.6MinnesotaMinnesota: 14.5 %14.5District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 14.4 %14.4IdahoIdaho: 14.4 %14.4New YorkNew York: 14.1 %14.1MarylandMaryland: 13.8 %13.8MassachusettsMassachusetts: 13.7 %13.7New JerseyNew Jersey: 13.7 %13.7WashingtonWashington: 13.5 %13.5HawaiiHawaii: 12.8 %12.8ConnecticutConnecticut: 12.7 %12.7CaliforniaCalifornia: 11.3 %11.3UtahUtah: 8.9 %8.9
%. Source: CDC. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankStates2017 (%)Change on 2016
1West Virginia26+1.2 pts
2Kentucky24.6+0.1 pts
3Louisiana23+0.2 pts
4Tennessee22.6+0.5 pts
5Arkansas22.3-1.3 pts
6Mississippi22.2-0.5 pts
7Indiana21.8+0.7 pts
8Ohio21.1-1.4 pts
9Alaska21+2 pts
10Alabama20.9-0.6 pts
11Missouri20.8-1.3 pts
12Oklahoma20.2+0.6 pts
13Michigan19.3-1.1 pts
13South Dakota19.3+1.2 pts
15Pennsylvania18.8+0.8 pts
15South Carolina18.8-1.2 pts
17Wyoming18.7-0.3 pts
18North Dakota18.3-1.5 pts
19Nevada17.6+1.1 pts
20New Mexico17.5+0.9 pts
21Georgia17.4-0.5 pts
21Kansas17.4+0.2 pts
23Maine17.3-2.5 pts
24Montana17.2-1.3 pts
24North Carolina17.2-0.7 pts
26Iowa17.1+0.4 pts
27Delaware17-0.7 pts
28Virginia16.4+1.1 pts
29Florida16.1+0.6 pts
29Oregon16.1-0.1 pts
31Wisconsin16-1.1 pts
32Vermont15.8-1.2 pts
33New Hampshire15.7-2.3 pts
33Texas15.7+1.4 pts
35Arizona15.6+0.9 pts
36Illinois15.5-0.3 pts
37Nebraska15.4-1.6 pts
38Rhode Island15+0.6 pts
39Colorado14.6-1 pts
40Minnesota14.5-0.7 pts
41District of Columbia14.4-0.3 pts
41Idaho14.4-0.1 pts
43New York14.1-0.1 pts
44Maryland13.8+0.1 pts
45Massachusetts13.7+0.1 pts
45New Jersey13.7-0.3 pts
47Washington13.5-0.5 pts
48Hawaii12.8-0.2 pts
49Connecticut12.7-0.7 pts
50California11.3+0.3 pts
51Utah8.9+0.1 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% in 2017, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest adult smoking rate?

Utah, with 8.9% in 2017.

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