As electric-vehicle adoption grows, more companies are asking a practical site-selection question: Where should the next EV charging stations be located?
That question applies to charging-network operators, retailers, fuel operators, utilities, property owners and developers. But the answer is not as simple as finding the states with the most chargers.
Large states such as California, Texas and Florida naturally have more charging locations because they also have more people and more roads. A smaller state may have fewer chargers overall but still be much better supplied relative to the population and transportation network it serves.
To provide a simple but useful first screen, SiteSeer evaluated public EV charging infrastructure across all 50 states.
What the EV Infrastructure Score Measures
The EV Infrastructure Score compares states using three measures:
- Public chargers per 100,000 residents
- Public chargers per 1,000 miles of major roadway
- Fast chargers per 100,000 residents
A high score indicates that a state has a relatively strong charging network for the number of people and major-road miles it serves.
The score is comparative. A score of 95 does not mean a state is 95% prepared for EV adoption. It means that the state performs near the top of the current national distribution.
The Best-Equipped States for EV Charging
| Rank | State | EV Infrastructure Score |
| 1 | Massachusetts | 95.5 |
| 2 | California | 95.0 |
| 3 | Vermont | 93.2 |
| 4 | Colorado | 87.9 |
| 5 | Maine | 87.8 |
| 6 | Connecticut | 87.7 |
| 7 | Washington | 87.0 |
| 8 | Maryland | 83.4 |
| 9 | Oregon | 81.4 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 76.4 |
Massachusetts ranks first overall, supported by approximately 60 public chargers per 100,000 residents and an impressive 117 chargers per 1,000 total road miles. The state does not lead every individual measure, but it performs consistently well across both population availability and roadway density.
California ranks second and is easily the strongest large-state performer. The state has 19,484 public charging locations – approximately 24% of all public EV charging locations in the United States. In other words, nearly one out of every four U.S. charging locations is in California.
Even more impressive, California remains highly competitive after accounting for its population of nearly 40 million and more than 31,000 miles of major roadway. Smaller states can achieve strong per-capita ratios with comparatively modest infrastructure totals. California has built enough charging capacity to rank near the top while operating at an entirely different scale.
Vermont ranks first in both public chargers and fast chargers per capita. Its small population contributes to those ratios, but the state has still built substantial infrastructure relative to the number of residents it serves.
Colorado also stands out as one of the most balanced performers. Unlike some states whose rankings are driven by one unusually strong measure, Colorado scores well across population availability, major-road coverage and fast-charging capacity. Its ranking reflects broad infrastructure strength rather than a single statistical advantage.
Washington and Oregon also perform well, reinforcing the strength of the West Coast and Mountain West in EV adoption and charging development.
The Northeast is especially well represented, with six states in the top 10. Compact geography and dense development allow charging stations to serve more people and destinations within a smaller road network.
Where the Rankings Suggest Potential Gaps
| Rank | State | EV Infrastructure Score |
| 41 | South Dakota | 28.2 |
| 42 | Texas | 25.9 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | 25.0 |
| 44 | Indiana | 21.6 |
| 45 | West Virginia | 19.5 |
| 46 | Alaska | 17.8 |
| 47 | Arkansas | 16.0 |
| 48 | Kentucky | 15.6 |
| 49 | Mississippi | 10.1 |
| 50 | Louisiana | 7.6 |
Louisiana ranks last, with approximately six public chargers and two fast chargers per 100,000 residents. Mississippi, Kentucky and Arkansas also have relatively limited infrastructure after accounting for population and roadway mileage.
Texas is particularly interesting. It has roughly 3,750 public charging locations, one of the largest totals in the country, but ranks near the bottom after adjusting for its population and extensive road network.
That does not mean every part of Texas is underserved. Some metropolitan areas and interstate corridors are well supplied. But the statewide result suggests that rapidly growing suburbs, secondary cities and travel corridors deserve closer examination.
What This Means for Site Selection
A lower-ranked state may indicate opportunity, but it does not automatically identify a good market or site.
The strongest opportunities are more likely to occur where several conditions overlap:
- Strong or growing EV demand
- Limited nearby charging capacity
- High traffic or destination activity
- Long gaps between existing fast chargers
- Favorable utility and development conditions
- Locations where drivers already stop and spend time
A statewide ranking can identify where to look. It cannot determine which market, highway exit, shopping center or parcel offers the best opportunity.
That requires a more detailed analysis of both demand and competition.
Relevant factors may include:
- Existing charger type, speed and port count
- EV registrations and adoption
- Population and household growth
- Housing type and access to home charging
- Traffic volumes and trip patterns
- Distance to competing stations
- Retail, food and other nearby amenities
- Visibility, access and parking
- Available electrical capacity, proximity to substations or power corridors, and the cost and timing of required utility upgrades
A market can show strong demand and limited competition but still be difficult or uneconomic to develop if the electrical infrastructure cannot support the required charging load. Utility capacity, interconnection timing and upgrade costs should therefore be evaluated alongside market demand and site characteristics.
How SiteSeer Can Help
SiteSeer helps companies move from broad market screening to specific location decisions.
For EV charging, an analysis can combine:
- Existing charging supply
- Population and demographic trends
- EV registrations
- Traffic volumes and travel corridors
- Retail, employment and destination activity
- Competitive gaps
- Trade areas and drive times
- Site and utility constraints
Markets and candidate sites can then be ranked based on expected demand, competitive supply and development feasibility.
The same approach applies to nearly any location strategy, whether a company is placing charging stations, stores, service centers, medical facilities, restaurants or other physical locations.
The Bottom Line
Massachusetts, California and Vermont currently provide the strongest public EV charging infrastructure relative to their populations and major-road networks.
The rankings also point to potential gaps, particularly across parts of the South and in large, rapidly growing states where charging development may not be keeping pace with population and travel needs.
For companies evaluating EV charging expansion, the state rankings provide a useful first screen.
The more important opportunity lies below the state level: identifying the markets, corridors and individual sites where demand is growing faster than supply.
That is where disciplined site-selection analysis can make the difference between simply adding another charger and placing one where drivers will actually use it.
Methodology
SiteSeer compared public chargers, fast chargers, population and major-roadway mileage across the 50 states.
The EV Infrastructure Score is based on:
- 35%: public chargers per 100,000 residents
- 40%: public chargers per 1,000 miles of major roadway
- 25%: fast chargers per 100,000 residents
See how SiteSeer can help power your EV charging strategy
Public charging locations were compiled from SiteSeer’s 2026 Points of Interest database and the National Laboratory of the Rockies Alternative Fuel Stations (May 2026). Population estimates are from STI: PopStats (Q4 2025). Major-roadway mileage is from the Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Statistics (2024). Washington, D.C., was excluded because its compact urban road network is not directly comparable with the 50 states. The analysis measures charging infrastructure availability, not EV adoption, station reliability, utility capacity or planned future development.
