PoliticsA map posted to Reddit by user socialytes shows that smoking rates are fairly consistent across the U.S.
The range on the map is 12% at the low end (Utah) and 28% at the high end (West Virginia), with most states falling in the 20-25% range.
Check it out:
New York's rate seems low, but Matador Networks points out that might be because cigarettes cost about $14.50.
And keep in mind that smoking rates might be lower in some states, but considering the size of the population, it can still amount to huge numbers of people.
We took a look at how many people smoke in certain states based on the state's population and the percentages above:
- New York: 3.5 million
- Texas: 5 million
- California: 5.7 million
Here are the numbers for the states with the lowest and highest rates:
- Utah: 342,600
- West Virginia: 519,400
To put it into perspective: Although West Virginia's population is about half of Utah's, the state has many more smokers.