Smoking rates have drastically declined in the United States, but there are still smokers across the country who enjoy a cigarette, with some states seeing more users than others.

Gone are the days when you could choose from smoking and non-smoking sections on airplanes and in restaurants. Cities and states have banned smoking in bars. Laws have put restrictions on who can buy cigarettes, or have increased taxes to discourage cigarette purchases.

But there are still smokers in the country, of course, and in fact, around 10% of Americans smoke regularly. Here’s where you can still find the most adult smokers per state, and where adult smokers might be harder to find, as reported by Visual Capitalist.

Cigarettes Are More Popular in Appalachian States

See the top five states for most smokers:

West Virginia holds the top spot for smokers, with more than 20% of its population partaking of tobacco products. It also leads a trend for Appalachian states that have the most smokers with Kentucky and Tennessee both at around 17% of their populations smoking.

One factor that may be keeping rates high in these states is their high level of producing tobacco products. Kentucky is the second-highest producer of tobacco in the United States while Tennessee is in fourth place for tobacco production.

Surprisingly, North Carolina ranks 22nd in the U.S. with 13.2% of its population smoking, despite the fact that it is by far the largest producer of tobacco in the country. The state produced around 250 million pounds of tobacco in 2025.

And while West Virginia topped the list of smokers, neighbor Virginia produces more tobacco but has fewer smokers. The state produces the third-highest amount of tobacco in the U.S. but only 10.9% of its population smokes, ranking it 33rd in the country for its smoking rate.

Another factor that could contribute to higher smoking rates is income level. Tobacco companies have targeted lower-income consumers, leading to around 72% of smokers coming from lower-income communities. West Virginia, for example, has the second-lowest median income for an individual by state and the highest smoking rate. And Mississippi, which has the lowest median income by state, is ranked sixth for smokers by state with 15.% of its population smoking.

West Coast States Have Lower Rates

And see the top five list for the fewest smokers:

Utah leads the states when it comes to the least amount of smokers, with only 6% of its population picking up cigarettes. Cultural and religious influences could be potentially contributing to lower rates.

West Coast states also have lower smoking rates with California and Washington making the top five along with their Pacific Ocean neighbor Hawaii making the list. Another neighbor—Oregon—has a slightly higher rate, with 10.6% of its population smoking, placing it 16th on the list of states with the least number of smokers.

Declines in Smoking Rates Across the Country

While some of these rates may seem high, it’s important to remember that anti-smoking measures in recent decades have contributed to a decline in the smoking rate. Today, around 10% of Americans smoke, but that’s down from a peak of almost half of Americans smoking during the peak of tobacco use in the 1960s.

States and cities have enacted bans on smoking in public spaces like bars and restaurants while a 1989 law banned smoking on airlines. Another law that helped cut back on smoking was the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010. Among its provisions was money allocated to fund prevention and reduction efforts of tobacco use.

Taxes have also been passed to dissuade people from smoking with increasing taxes required for a pack of cigarettes. Each pack of cigarettes has a federal tax of around $1 on it, with additional state and city taxes added to the final cost. Chicago has the highest cost of state and local combined taxes on a pack of cigarettes, with buyers paying $7.16 in taxes for a pack.

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