October 2024 has been designated U.S. National Energy Awareness Month. This comes as figures indicate that the average U.S. family spends at least $2,000 per year on utilities.
To consider how the issue of energy efficiency is geographically distributed throughout the U.S., the personal-finance website WalletHub has released a report on 2024’s Most & Least Energy-Efficient States.
For this exercise, WalletHub compared the energy efficiency of residents’ homes and automobiles in 48 U.S. states.
Due to data limitations, Alaska and Hawaii had to be excluded from the analysis.
The most energy efficient states were found to be:
1. Washington
2. New York
3. California
4. Vermont
5. Utah
6. Massachusetts
7. Oregon
8. Minnesota
9. Rhode Island
10. Colorado
In contrast, the least energy efficient states were identified as:
39. Georgia
40. Kentucky
41. Tennessee
42. Arkansas
43. Louisiana
44. Wyoming
45. Mississippi
46. West Virginia
47. Alabama
48. South Carolina
Assessing the data, Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst, explains why the topic is of importance: “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.”
In terms of advice, Lupo suggests: “While there are some steps you can take to become more energy-efficient on your own, living in the right city can give you a big boost. For example, certain states have much better public transportation systems that minimize your need to drive, at least in big cities. Some places also have better-constructed buildings that retain heat better during the winter or stay cooler during the summer.”
With the specific example of Washington, occupying top spot, Lupo outlines the reasons: “Washington is the most energy-efficient state overall, ranking very well for both home and automobile efficiency. Washington has the third-lowest residential energy consumption overall, and the second-best home energy efficiency.”
Furthermore: “When it comes to vehicles, Washingtonians drive an average of just 7,606 miles per year, the third-fewest in the country. They also have the 20th-best fuel efficiency based on the amount of gas consumed per mile driven.”
