According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), high emissions of methane, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide are the main culprits behind the stench. Using the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, we calculated the methane emissions per capita, as well as the percentage of each state that’s covered in landfills, from the EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program. We then factored in the natural gas plant liquid production for each state, with data provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Major Land Uses Survey. This left us with one final important metric: cropland. According to the USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, roughly 60 to 85 percent of ammonia emissions in the United States are estimated to come from agricultural sources. Agriculture is also a major source of methane emissions (36 percent) followed by oil and natural gas systems (31 percent), according to the EPA. Together, we compiled and analyzed these numbers through our exclusive algorithm to determine the Smelliness Score for each state. While the stinkiest state had the second highest amount of landfills (phew!), the runner-up had the most methane emissions. Keep reading to discover which state is really the smelliest and learn where your state stands. And for more places that aren’t so fresh and clean, This is the Dirtiest State in the U.S. Methane emissions per capita: 0.14 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0016 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 0.8 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 0.01 And for more places that aren’t very pleasant, This Is the Rudest State in America. Methane emissions per capita: 0.19 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0013 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 2 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 1.15 Methane emissions per capita: 0.31 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0019 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 2.8 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 301 Smelliness Score: 4.43 And for more areas you may not enjoy, This Is the Most Hated State in America. Methane emissions per capita: 0.24 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0038 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 1.6 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 5.44 Methane emissions per capita: 0.1 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0026 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 7 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 7.21 Methane emissions per capita: 0.23 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0019 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 7.6 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 7.88 Methane emissions per capita: 0.32 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0008 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 11 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 2.6 Smelliness Score: 10.05 Methane emissions per capita: 0.26 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0079 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 1.6 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 12.48 Methane emissions per capita: 0.32 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0004 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 17.8 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 136.6 Smelliness Score: 16.03 Methane emissions per capita: 0.25 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.006 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 9.1 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 16.36 Methane emissions per capita: 0.82 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0013 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 2.5 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 8115.9 Smelliness Score: 16.82 Methane emissions per capita: 0.75 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0004 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 3.2 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 9511.4 Smelliness Score: 16.93 Methane emissions per capita: 0.09 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0111 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 4 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 18.56 Methane emissions per capita: 0.19 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0038 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 17.7 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 20.17 Methane emissions per capita: 0.76 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.01 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: N/A Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 2,714.4 Smelliness Score: 22.48 Methane emissions per capita: 0.41 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0039 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 16.1 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 2485.7 Smelliness Score: 23.79 Methane emissions per capita: 0.8 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0035 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 17.2 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 0.2 Smelliness Score: 25.22 Methane emissions per capita: 0.36 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0105 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 9.9 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 25.73 Methane emissions per capita: 0.63 tonsae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0035 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 24.7 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 8.5 Smelliness Score: 30.65 And for more places that aren’t very pretty, This Is the Ugliest State in the U.S. Methane emissions per capita: 1.87 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0058 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 8.7 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 64.6 Smelliness Score: 31.57 Methane emissions per capita: 0.22 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0153 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 9.6 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 22.2 Smelliness Score: 32.18 Methane emissions per capita: 0.57 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0122 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 11.9 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 32.53 Methane emissions per capita: 0.44 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0119 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 14.4 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 33.1 Methane emissions per capita: 0.13 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0205 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 3 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 33.73 Methane emissions per capita: 0.51 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0079 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 21.5 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 11.2 Smelliness Score: 33.81 Methane emissions per capita: 0.44 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0095 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 19.9 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 0.2 Smelliness Score: 34.29 Methane emissions per capita: 0.36 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0166 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 8.3 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 1.4 Smelliness Score: 34.49 Methane emissions per capita: 0.16 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0146 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 14.1 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 34.67 Methane emissions per capita: 0.28 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0058 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 29.1 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 35.26 And if you can’t get enough state rankings and facts, get them sent straight to your inbox by signing up for our daily newsletter. Methane emissions per capita: 0.51 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0083 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 17.5 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 4116.1 Smelliness Score: 35.32 Methane emissions per capita: 0.7 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0136 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 11.8 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 0.6 Smelliness Score: 36.09 Methane emissions per capita: 0.3 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0007 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 39.9 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 0.1 Smelliness Score: 37.07 Methane emissions per capita: 1.35 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0072 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 16.6 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 1121.5 Smelliness Score: 37.53 Methane emissions per capita: 0.27 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0046 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 35.5 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 39.17 Methane emissions per capita: 0.72 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0034 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 25.7 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 7212.2 Smelliness Score: 40.4 Methane emissions per capita: 0.83 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0086 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 25.2 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 114.1 Smelliness Score: 41.78 Methane emissions per capita: 0.35 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0028 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 44.1 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 45.12 Methane emissions per capita: 0.64 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0016 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 44.5 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 46.28 Methane emissions per capita: 0.94 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0191 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 15.8 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 746.2 Smelliness Score: 52.32 Methane emissions per capita: 0.62 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0032 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 54.6 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 531.4 Smelliness Score: 58.96 Methane emissions per capita: 0.21 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0263 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 22.2 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 62.47 Methane emissions per capita: 0.23 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0375 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 3.8 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 64.09 Methane emissions per capita: 0.51 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0165 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 41.4 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 444.7 Smelliness Score: 67.63 Methane emissions per capita: 0.22 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0421 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 9.5 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 77.09 Methane emissions per capita: 0.54 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0045 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 74.7 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 78.77 Methane emissions per capita: 0.89 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0174 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 55.4 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 85.67 Methane emissions per capita: 0.9 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0007 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 61.4 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 21082.5 Smelliness Score: 86.97 Methane emissions per capita: 0.51 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.016 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 67.4 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 0.3 Smelliness Score: 90.93 Methane emissions per capita: 7.22 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0067 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 5.1 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: 10497.7 Smelliness Score: 93.8 Methane emissions per capita: 0.45 tons Percentage of state occupied by landfills: 0.0399 Percentage of state occupied by cropland: 35.1 Natural gas plant liquid production per capita: N/A Smelliness Score: 99.91
