The Percentage of Roads in Poor Condition by State
The Northeast and California have the most roads in poor condition
Source: Construction Coverage analysis of Federal Highway Administration data | Image Credit: Construction Coverage
While public investment in roads is growing, many states continue to face significant maintenance challenges—particularly in the Northeast and along the West Coast. Rhode Island leads the nation, with 36.2% of its major roadways rated in poor condition—a slight improvement from years past. Other Northeastern states, including Massachusetts (29.3%), New York (24.3%), Maryland (21.6%), and Connecticut (20.5%), also rank among the worst. These states feature dense urban centers, with some of the country’s oldest housing and infrastructure, yet still rely on heavily trafficked roadways.
Outside the Northeast, California reports 28.4% of its roads in poor condition, reflecting wear from its large, car-dependent population. Hawaii follows closely at 26.5%, despite its small population and geographic footprint.
In contrast, many Midwestern and Southern states report far lower shares of deteriorating roads. Indiana (4.1%), Wyoming (3.0%), and Kansas (2.8%) are among the best-performing states, highlighting a stark regional divide in infrastructure quality. Lower traffic volumes and a higher share of rural roads make maintaining highway infrastructure easier in many of these states.
The analysis was conducted by Construction Coverage, using data from the Federal Highway Administration. For more details on the methodology, see the section below. For complete results, see U.S. States With the Worst Roads on Construction Coverage.
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