Best and Worst States for Drivers — 2026 Study

States are ranked by a composite score based on auto insurance premiums as a share of annual household income, the price of a 15-gallon tank of gas as a share of weekly household income, traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, and the share of interstate highway pavement rated good.

ⁱ Average per-vehicle auto insurance premium expressed as a percentage of the state’s estimated median annual household income. Insurance affordability reflects the latest available state-level per-vehicle premiums relative to estimated 2026 median household income. Results are comparative estimates, not current premium-to-income ratios.
ⁱⁱ Price of a 15-gallon tank of gas expressed as a percentage of the state’s estimated weekly household income, calculated by dividing annual median household income by 52.
ⁱⁱⁱ Traffic fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
Source: SmartAssetGet the data