Map Options

Color Scheme:
Map Type:
Download SVG:
map placeholder
West Virginia
26%
Kentucky
24.6%
Louisiana
23.1%
Tennessee
22.6%
Arkansas
22.3%
Mississippi
22.2%
Indiana
21.8%
Ohio
21.1%
Alaska
21%
Alabama
20.9%
Missouri
20.8%
Oklahoma
20.1%
Michigan
19.3%
South Dakota
19.3%
South Carolina
18.8%
Pennsylvania
18.7%
Wyoming
18.7%
North Dakota
18.3%
Nevada
17.6%
Georgia
17.5%
New Mexico
17.5%
Kansas
17.4%
Maine
17.3%
Montana
17.2%
North Carolina
17.2%
Iowa
17.1%
Delaware
17%
Virginia
16.4%
Florida
16.1%
Oregon
16.1%
Wisconsin
16%
Vermont
15.8%
New Hampshire
15.7%
Texas
15.7%
Arizona
15.6%
Illinois
15.5%
Nebraska
15.4%
Rhode Island
14.9%
Colorado
14.6%
Minnesota
14.5%
District of Columbia
14.3%
Idaho
14.3%
New York
14.1%
Maryland
13.8%
Massachusetts
13.7%
New Jersey
13.7%
Washington
13.5%
Hawaii
12.8%
Connecticut
12.7%
California
11.3%
Utah
8.9%

Smoking Rates by State 2024

Smoking Rates by State 2024

Tobacco is the common name of several plants of the Nicotiana genus and is the general term for any product made using cured tobacco leaves, such as cigarettes. Because tobacco contains nicotine, it can become addictive and users often find it difficult to quit using tobacco products. According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills more than 8 million people per year, including both smokers and those who are exposed to second-hand smoke. In the United States, tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death. Tobacco use increases the risk of several health problems. These include blood clots, coronary heart disease, heart attacks, certain types of cancer, and lung disease. Tobacco use also leads to tooth and gum decay and wrinkled skin.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are disparities in tobacco use between socioeconomic classes. “In the U.S., people living below the poverty level and people having lower levels of educational attainment have higher rates of cigarette smoking than the general population.” Additionally, those in lower-income areas have less access to primary health care and health insurance, and fewer resources to help them quick smoking, increasing their chances of being diagnosed with later stages of cancer and diseases from smoking. The tobacco industry also systematically target low-income populations and specific demographics with price discounts, direct-mail marketing, and in-store promotions.

State
% Who Smoke
West Virginia26%
Kentucky24.6%
Louisiana23.1%
Tennessee22.6%
Arkansas22.3%
Mississippi22.2%
Indiana21.8%
Ohio21.1%
Alaska21%
Alabama20.9%

West Virginia has the highest rate of tobacco use at 26%. People living in rural areas are more likely to smoke than others and are more likely to consume more than 15 cigarettes per day, according to an analysis by the American Lung Association. West Virginia, and many of the top ten states, all have vast rural areas.

The ten states with the lowest rates of tobacco use, in order, are: Utah (8.90%), Puerto Rico (11.30%), California (11.30%), Connecticut (12.70%), Hawaii (12.80%), Washington (13.50%), Massachusetts (13.70%), New Jersey (13.70%), Maryland (13.80%), and New York (14.10%). Utah has the lowest rate of tobacco use in the United States at 8.9%. Utah is the only state to have a tobacco usage rate in the single digits. Throughout the United States, however, tobacco use has been decreasing over the years thanks to smoke-free policies; increased support and programs to help people quit smoking; and campaigns spreading the awareness of health risks associated with tobacco use.

Smoking Rates by State 2024

Notes:
- Data released in 2018 for 2017 data year.
- "Never" smokers reported having smoked less than 100 cigarettes in their life.
- "Former" smokers reported having smoked 100 or more cigarettes ever but none in the past 30 days.
- "Current" smokers reported having smoked 100 or more cigarettes ever and one or more cigarettes in the past 30 days.
- "Tried to Quit" are current smokers who stopped smoking for one day or more in the past year because they were trying to quit.

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

State
% Who Smoke
Current Smokers
% Tried to Quit
Tried to Quit
Former Smokers
Never Smoked
West Virginia26%370,68955.9%206,010373,876680,784
Kentucky24.6%820,72156.6%463,892853,0981,663,337
Louisiana23.1%776,19264.4%496,671772,2361,818,887
Tennessee22.6%1,119,83854.9%614,0731,175,9622,650,681
Arkansas22.3%491,61061.3%298,202563,4761,150,802
Mississippi22.2%472,64856.1%264,717459,3651,198,339
Indiana21.8%1,059,11855.9%591,1131,190,5582,613,609
Ohio21.1%1,842,39654.6%1,004,5942,129,1244,747,215
Alaska21%111,28856.4%62,325135,547282,910
Alabama20.9%761,14063.2%477,936851,0612,024,858
Missouri20.8%948,72652%490,9831,177,9012,440,044
Oklahoma20.1%576,97759.4%341,869702,8431,583,890
Michigan19.3%1,441,67559.9%862,0871,995,2334,031,034
South Dakota19.3%124,34756.6%70,310165,559355,085
South Carolina18.8%711,22960.3%425,8221,001,7092,072,533
Pennsylvania18.7%1,837,17757.7%1,053,0402,638,2845,323,118
Wyoming18.7%82,27857.2%46,852114,056243,116
North Dakota18.3%103,34354.6%55,925141,110321,202
Nevada17.6%394,17754.7%213,046537,0401,310,157
Georgia17.5%1,307,10058.7%766,7661,521,5374,660,276
New Mexico17.5%264,46558.6%154,190361,383886,624
Kansas17.4%360,13757.1%204,313504,0981,207,388
Maine17.3%179,03655.1%98,213327,987527,664
Montana17.2%138,19852.4%72,063219,520447,717
North Carolina17.2%1,320,95659%777,2391,989,7514,371,713
Iowa17.1%400,04952.7%210,459576,4561,365,701
Delaware17%124,01165.6%80,920182,470421,711
Virginia16.4%1,047,46160.2%624,7101,518,9063,829,491
Florida16.1%2,577,42061.6%1,579,5603,991,9889,447,002
Oregon16.1%504,60355%274,275807,1631,824,790
Wisconsin16%689,74750.8%350,1711,102,2422,512,271
Vermont15.8%76,34459.1%44,951142,411264,013
New Hampshire15.7%161,20756.1%90,185312,105555,758
Texas15.7%3,139,19265%2,030,7283,970,86312,872,578
Arizona15.6%796,00459%466,4291,262,6243,058,722
Illinois15.5%1,466,08057.4%839,2482,185,1425,832,199
Nebraska15.4%214,73855.6%119,034343,343836,857
Rhode Island14.9%120,81161.6%73,633230,295457,003
Colorado14.6%587,13759.7%348,6761,026,6352,399,606
Minnesota14.5%594,93054.2%321,2621,079,8042,424,375
District of Columbia14.3%78,86962.2%48,946101,374369,510
Idaho14.3%176,98254.5%96,202294,300762,097
New York14.1%2,058,33159.6%1,224,8163,371,3789,177,289
Maryland13.8%619,22760.2%370,727983,8062,868,717
Massachusetts13.7%717,71657.2%407,8601,315,5643,217,937
New Jersey13.7%914,84163.9%581,4831,684,7924,059,118
Washington13.5%747,86059.5%441,8151,507,8393,288,501
Hawaii12.8%136,40857.6%78,377284,632645,201
Connecticut12.7%338,84964.6%217,014690,8801,631,877
California11.3%3,203,56258.9%1,870,0426,293,77618,762,085
Utah8.9%188,76757.9%108,302318,8011,618,164
showing: 51 rows

Smoking Rates by State 2024

Sources