INDIANA (WOWO) — A new report from personal-finance company WalletHub ranks the most and least energy-efficient states in the country, highlighting differences in household energy consumption and transportation habits.
Released during National Energy Awareness Month, the 2026 report examines how efficiently Americans use energy in their homes and vehicles. According to WalletHub, the average U.S. family spends at least $2,000 annually on utilities, making energy efficiency an important factor in household expenses.
WalletHub compared residential and automotive energy efficiency across 48 states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii because of data limitations.
California ranked as the most energy-efficient state, followed by Vermont, New York, Washington and Massachusetts. Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Minnesota and Nevada rounded out the top 10.
At the opposite end of the rankings, South Carolina was named the least energy-efficient state, followed by Alabama, West Virginia, Arkansas and Mississippi.
Other states near the bottom included Wyoming, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Louisiana.
According to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, energy efficiency can help households reduce utility costs while also lowering overall energy consumption.
“Energy efficiency doesn’t just help save the planet – it also helps save you money by lowering the amount of electricity, gas, oil or other types of energy you need to consume,” Lupo said.
The report found that California had the lowest residential energy consumption per capita and ranked third in home energy efficiency. California residents also drove an average of 8,297 miles annually, fewer than residents in all but five other states.
WalletHub noted that factors such as public transportation availability, building construction and household energy consumption can influence a state’s overall ranking.
Indiana placed 31st out of 48 states in the ranking available on WalletHub’s website, ranking 36th for home energy efficiency and 24th for automotive energy efficiency. However, the online figures appear to reflect an earlier version of the report, so Indiana’s placement in the newly announced 2026 rankings has not been independently confirmed. The full report and state-by-state rankings are available on WalletHub’s website.
