America’s Infrastructure Under Pressure
From crumbling highways to rural areas without reliable internet, America's infrastructure issues are diverse and far-reaching. Using the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings—which evaluate transportation, energy, and internet access—we've gone and identified the 25 states that struggle the most with infrastructure.
Ranked from #25 (the "best of the worst") to #50 (the very worst), this data-driven countdown reveals the state of affaires in each state.
25: Montana
Transportation Rank: 11
Energy Rank: 8
Internet Access Rank: 43
Montana scores high in transportation and energy, but its rural landscape contributes to poor internet access—dragging down its overall infrastructure ranking.
James St. John, Wikimedia Commons
26: Wyoming
Transportation Rank: 6
Energy Rank: 11
Internet Access Rank: 45
Wyoming performs well in physical infrastructure but struggles with digital connectivity—particularly with its broadband access in remote communities.
27: Connecticut
Transportation Rank: 40
Energy Rank: 44
Internet Access Rank: 4
Excellent internet access? Check. But where Connecticut falls short is with its outdated transportation systems and poor energy efficiency.
formulanone from Huntsville, United States, Wikimedia Commons
28: Maryland
Transportation Rank: 45
Energy Rank: 28
Internet Access Rank: 10
Maryland benefits from solid internet infrastructure but is weighed down by serious transportation issues, most notably heavy traffic congestion.
Matthew Binebrink, Wikimedia Commons
29: Oklahoma
Transportation Rank: 36
Energy Rank: 14
Internet Access Rank: 27
Energy reliability is a strong point in Oklahoma, but challenges in transportation maintenance and internet access keep it ranked among the bottom half of states.
30: Ohio
Transportation Rank: 15
Energy Rank: 32
Internet Access Rank: 30
Ohio’s roads are better than many states', but its aging energy infrastructure and uneven internet coverage hurt its overall score.
Pi.1415926535, Wikimedia Commons
31: Wisconsin
Transportation Rank: 31
Energy Rank: 16
Internet Access Rank: 38
While Wisconsin fares reasonably in energy, its middling transportation and poor internet access drag its ranking down.
Richard Hurd from Green Bay, USA, Wikimedia Commons
32: North Carolina
Transportation Rank: 25
Energy Rank: 33
Internet Access Rank: 31
North Carolina's infrastructure is under pressure from rapid population growth—especially in energy and digital access.
Michael Tracey, Wikimedia Commons
33: Alabama
Transportation Rank: 21
Energy Rank: 17
Internet Access Rank: 42
Alabama’s physical infrastructure is solid, but digital inequality—particularly rural broadband gaps—is a key concern.
Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons
34: New York
Transportation Rank: 32
Energy Rank: 36
Internet Access Rank: 26
New York’s mega-population size stretches its infrastructure thin. The state also has aging transportation and energy systems.
Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons
35: California
Transportation Rank: 37
Energy Rank: 47
Internet Access Rank: 7
Despite strong internet access, California faces major energy issues (blackouts, wildfire risk) and overburdened transport systems.
Marshall Astor from San Pedro, United States, Wikimedia Commons
36: South Carolina
Transportation Rank: 39
Energy Rank: 21
Internet Access Rank: 33
Limited transit options and poor rural broadband access put South Carolina in the bottom half for infrastructure.
Akhenaton06, Wikimedia Commons
37: Missouri
Transportation Rank: 38
Energy Rank: 24
Internet Access Rank: 34
While Missouri shows moderate energy performance, its transportation and internet systems need significant upgrades.
Brian Hillegas, Wikimedia Commons
38: Virginia
Transportation Rank: 30
Energy Rank: 34
Internet Access Rank: 37
Virginia sits in the lower tier mainly due to underwhelming digital infrastructure and outdated energy delivery systems.
Ron Cogswell, Wikimedia Commons
39: Massachusetts
Transportation Rank: 44
Energy Rank: 45
Internet Access Rank: 15
One of the worst-ranked for both transportation and energy, Massachusetts is saved from a lower spot by its decent internet access.
AbhiSuryawanshi, Wikimedia Commons
40: Maine
Transportation Rank: 42
Energy Rank: 30
Internet Access Rank: 32
Maine’s rugged geography complicates transportation and internet expansion, limiting overall infrastructure effectiveness.
Photo by and (c)2014 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), Wikimedia Commons
41: Arkansas
Transportation Rank: 27
Energy Rank: 39
Internet Access Rank: 41
While Arkansas performs fairly in transportation, it has serious shortcomings in energy reliability and internet reach.
42: New Mexico
Transportation Rank: 34
Energy Rank: 13
Internet Access Rank: 47
New Mexico scores well in energy production but ranks among the worst for internet access, especially in rural areas.
Ron Reiring, Wikimedia Commons
43: Pennsylvania
Transportation Rank: 47
Energy Rank: 31
Internet Access Rank: 36
Pennsylvania’s aging roadways and public transit infrastructure severely hinder its overall ranking.
44: Michigan
Transportation Rank: 41
Energy Rank: 40
Internet Access Rank: 40
Once a leader in industry, Michigan’s outdated infrastructure across the board now makes it one of the worst-ranked states.
Derek Gauci, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
45: Rhode Island
Transportation Rank: 50
Energy Rank: 43
Internet Access Rank: 28
Rhode Island ranks dead last in transportation and near the bottom in energy, despite decent digital access.
Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons
46: Alaska
Transportation Rank: 14
Energy Rank: 50
Internet Access Rank: 44
Alaska’s extreme geography complicates infrastructure delivery—particularly energy and broadband—even though its roads are relatively strong.
Jack Connaher, Wikimedia Commons
47: Mississippi
Transportation Rank: 46
Energy Rank: 46
Internet Access Rank: 48
Mississippi suffers from deeply inadequate infrastructure across all sectors, especially internet and power delivery.
48: Louisiana
Transportation Rank: 48
Energy Rank: 42
Internet Access Rank: 49
Louisiana's vulnerability to hurricanes and aging infrastructure systems make it one of the most infrastructure-challenged states.
Michael Maples, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wikimedia Commons
49: Hawaii
Transportation Rank: 33
Energy Rank: 49
Internet Access Rank: 46
Despite a strong tourism economy, Hawaii struggles with high energy costs and limited internet access across its islands.
Caracas1830, Wikimedia Commons
50: West Virginia
Transportation Rank: 49
Energy Rank: 48
Internet Access Rank: 50
Crumbling transportation, unreliable energy, and the worst broadband access in the nation are why West Virginia ranks last overall in infrastructure.
Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant), Wikimedia Commons
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