ORLANDO, Fla. – This month, WalletHub has revealed its ranking of the best states to drive in — and Florida didn’t make the top cut this time around.
The study itself looks at factors like traffic, safety, gas prices, local mechanics and more to figure out which areas were placed among the best.
Overall, the top-ranked state turned out to be Vermont, which scored high across most of the categories.
“Vermont is the best state to drive in, in part due to the success it’s had in decreasing deaths on the road. Between 2022 and 2023 (the most recent years for which data is available), the state’s traffic fatality rate decreased by nearly 10%, the 12th-highest percentage in the country. Vermont also has the fewest motor vehicle thefts per capita.
In addition, Vermont has the lowest prevalence of incidents due to phone use and the fifth-lowest prevalence of harsh braking. Combined with well-maintained roadways, this helps reduce the danger of accidents. But if you do get into a crash in Vermont, you’ll be happy to know that only 11.8% of drivers are uninsured.
Vermont residents also can save a lot of money on their vehicle expenses. The Green Mountain State has the third-lowest average car insurance rate in the nation. It also has the fourth-lowest auto maintenance costs and the second-lowest miscellaneous vehicle operating costs."
WalletHub, "Best & Worst States to Drive in" (2026)
But the Sunshine State didn’t fall too far from the top, instead coming in at No. 6 nationwide.
According to the results, Florida ranked No. 2 overall when it comes to residents having access to vehicles and maintenance. Similarly, the state ranked high (No. 8) for safety.
[BELOW: Check out Florida’s best elementary schools, ranked]
And while Florida didn’t come in at the top spot this year, one of its major metros — Miami — actually managed to score No. 15 globally for the best cities in terms of traffic.
“The best states to drive in are ones that are relatively rural, with smaller populations, a low cost of living, well-maintained roads and safe motorists,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo explained.
Other notable Florida placements on WalletHub’s latest ranking include the following:
- Lowest percent of rush-hour traffic congestion: No. 5
- Most auto-repair shops per capita: No. 5
- Most car washes per capita: No. 1 (tied with California, Texas, Illinois and New Jersey)
Meanwhile, the full state-by-state ranking is as follows:
| Rank | State | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 63.08 |
| 2 | Iowa | 62.36 |
| 3 | Kansas | 62.04 |
| 4 | Nebraska | 61.69 |
| 5 | Indiana | 61.29 |
| 6 | Florida | 61.17 |
| 7 | Alabama | 60.94 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 60.80 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 60.71 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 60.08 |
| 11 | Georgia | 60.03 |
| 12 | North Dakota | 59.98 |
| 13 | Texas | 59.91 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 59.87 |
| 15 | Ohio | 59.80 |
| 16 | South Dakota | 59.53 |
| 17 | Arkansas | 59.50 |
| 18 | West Virginia | 59.01 |
| 19 | Maine | 58.59 |
| 20 | Idaho | 58.38 |
| 21 | Virginia | 58.30 |
| 22 | Connecticut | 58.16 |
| 23 | Utah | 58.06 |
| 24 | New York | 57.52 |
| 25 | Illinois | 57.42 |
| 26 | New Mexico | 57.40 |
| 27 | New Jersey | 57.15 |
| 28 | Arizona | 56.87 |
| 29 | Wyoming | 56.71 |
| 30 | Kentucky | 56.29 |
| 31 | Louisiana | 55.78 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 55.67 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | 55.22 |
| 34 | Mississippi | 55.20 |
| 35 | South Carolina | 55.08 |
| 36 | Oregon | 54.56 |
| 37 | Michigan | 54.36 |
| 38 | Delaware | 53.61 |
| 39 | Alaska | 53.35 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 53.08 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | 52.98 |
| 42 | Nevada | 52.80 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 52.53 |
| 44 | Missouri | 52.35 |
| 45 | Colorado | 51.68 |
| 46 | Maryland | 49.71 |
| 47 | California | 47.67 |
| 48 | Montana | 47.12 |
| 49 | Washington | 44.07 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 43.34 |