States Where the Most People Do Not Believe in Climate Change

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In recent years, there has been no shortage of evidence that the planet is warming. According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2024 now stands as the hottest year on record globally – and that each of the 10 hottest years ever recorded were within the last decade. Still, climate science remains a flashpoint of controversy in American politics. Since taking office in January 2025, the Trump administration has taken steps to remove climate data from government websites, even going as far as to issue an executive order that will bar federal agencies from contracting with AI developers that mention climate change.

The suppression of critical information from the highest levels of government will do little to alleviate widespread climate denialism in the United States. According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, an estimated 71.6% of adults in the United States believe global warming is happening. But in many parts of the country, fewer than 2-in-every-3 adults believe global warming is real.

Using data from the YPCCC report Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2024, Climate Crisis 247 identified the states where the most people do not believe in climate change. States are ranked by the share of the 18 and older population who believe global warming is happening. Only states where fewer than two-thirds of the adult population believe in global warming appear on this list. States are ranked by percentage from highest to lowest. The YPCCC bears no responsibility for the analyses or interpretations of the data presented here.

Among the 13 states on this list, the share of adults who believe global warming is happening ranges from 66.4%, down to just 57.9%. The majority of states on this list – eight out of 13 – are in the South. Only one state is located in the West, and the remaining four states are in the Midwest.