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- Pothole complaints: 0.4 for every 1,000 km of road

When it comes to potholes, Idaho has the advantage of a low population density. With 1.7 million people spread out over nearly , it’s been able to maintain a robust maintenance program on a county-by-county basis. The city of Idaho Falls, for example, has , and recent major road repair projects have targeted potholes on state highways 33 and 45.

- Pothole complaints: 0.6 for every 1,000 km of road

Despite the occasional social media rant, Wyoming drivers are generally happy with the state of their road system. An April 2021 customer satisfaction survey by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) showed that feel WYDOT is doing a good job handling potholes and other lousy road conditions. Drivers can in large part thank WYDOT’s decision to on roadways to identify conditions that create potholes before many even occur.

- Pothole complaints: 0.8 for every 1,000 km of road

Not to be confused with the ecological benefits of , road deterioration is only slightly more of an issue in Montana than in some of the other Western states. One reason is that so many local state communities—among them , , , and —have established pothole reporting programs to get the pesky tire-hitters filled in almost as quickly as they form.

- Pothole complaints: 0.8 for every 1,000 km of road

The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is among the few road and bridge agencies that must maintain what is largely a rural road network. This fact has made it easier for NMDOT to keep its citizens apprised of road construction projects as well as hazard zones on its roadways. The state’s NMRoads website offers on road conditions.

- Pothole complaints: 1 for every 1,000 km of road

Like New Mexico, South Dakota's Department of Transportation sustains for up-to-date road conditions and construction information. The state also maintains what it calls a "," where data is broken down for every highway in the state in terms of its condition and maintenance profile.

- Pothole complaints: 1.1 for every 1,000 km of road

Spring is in much of Iowa, and the state has established a fairly robust maintenance program in this regard. Since potholes largely plague asphalt roads—which Iowa has a sizable number of—the Iowa Department of Transportation has begun investing in research on the to prolong the lifespan and overall durability of its asphalt roadways.

- Pothole complaints: 1.3 for every 1,000 km of road

It’s kind of amazing that Arkansas should have such a relatively low number of complaints given the numbers coming out of neighboring Louisiana and Missouri, but “natural staters” seem capable of keeping their thumbs off the Twitter switch when it comes to complaining about potholes. Perhaps they are letting their fingers do the walking to the state’s instead.

- Pothole complaints: 1.8 for every 1,000 km of road

This Midwest flyover state has the advantage of a population spread out across it with metropolitan areas of no more than 400,000 denizens each. Like other flyover states, Kansas is also a freight-through state, meaning heavy truck and haul traffic still creates its fair share of potholes.

- Pothole complaints: 1.9 for every 1,000 km of road

With intense annual freeze-thaw cycles, North Dakota is prime real estate for the development of potholes. Fortunately, many cities and towns have been proactive in addressing the problem. The city of Fargo, North Dakota, has made a public call , and even invested in new equipment to get those holes filled.

- Pothole complaints: 2 for every 1,000 km of road

While two complaints per 1,000 km of road might not sound like much, when you consider Delaware's size relative to states further up the list, it's a significant number. The state is tackling the issue—for example, a is about to get underway to rescue 7 miles of road in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

- Pothole complaints: 2.3 for every 1,000 km of road

Another flyover and freight-haul state, Nebraska is also the site of more than , mostly in the southwest and west portions of the state. Consequently, state roadways deal with an increased amount of heavy truck traffic.

- Pothole complaints: 2.3 for every 1,000 km of road

Interstate 40 runs through Oklahoma, which has been cited as one of the roads in the United States. But it’s not just along this corridor that potholes are a problem. The Oklahoma communities of Yukon and Piedmont have been about potholes for some time. In one Yukon suburb, an anonymous citizen how he thinks potholes are affecting his community.

- Pothole complaints: 2.5 for every 1,000 km of road

Despite its statewide defect law, Maine still contends with its fair share of potholes. The city of Bangor, Maine—home to local writer Stephen King’s and now writers’ retreat—was recently cited as one of the most pothole-riddled cities in America, despite local officials to phone in every defect they hit or miss.

- Pothole complaints: 2.7 for every 1,000 km of road

One should be forgiving to Alaskans for “pothole” being a relative term. With dropping to as much as minus 30 F in some regions and summers rarely cresting 60 F, freeze-thaw cycles in this northern state are brutal. What’s more, the city of Anchorage, Alaska, sits astride a fault line—which resulted in a mighty big “pothole” when a hit the area in late 2018.

- Pothole complaints: 2.7 for every 1,000 km of road

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is a regular target of this wintertime nuisance, but the Minnesota Department of Transportation's preventive maintenance program has found success in getting in front of degraded roads before cracks make for asphalt fields of potholes. And MnDOT has help: Minnesota Public Radio has to map out the worst potholes and alert the agency.

- Pothole complaints: 2.8 for every 1,000 km of road

Kentucky’s geographic position makes for tough winters in the northern part of the state and deeply hot summers in the southern areas, which is a recipe for potholes. State maintenance crews have developed a fill ’em and forget ’em strategy by —asphalt you can mix in an ordinary plastic bucket—to plug the holes.

- Pothole complaints: 2.8 for every 1,000 km of road

Folks in Mississippi are generally willing to give it to you straight, and when it comes to potholes they see no reason to avoid their dislike. Residents in the city of Jackson, Mississippi, have exclusively dedicated to creating a “profile of the best, biggest, baddest, longest lasting potholes in Jackson.” One pothole, in particular, has been in place so long .

- Pothole complaints: 3.4 for every 1,000 km of road

The Alliance for Alabama’s Infrastructure operates a initiative to encourage investment in the state’s road system. And the Alabama Department of Transportation is presently supporting its Rebuild Alabama Act with a series of it hopes will nip much of the pothole problems the state has in the bud.

- Pothole complaints: 3.8 for every 1,000 km of road

West Virginia is known for three things: coal, lumber and wood, and primary metals. Each of these industries creates a lot of heavy truck traffic—and you know what that means. A recent report from the put the state 30th in overall highway infrastructure, a slight improvement over its 2019 ranking, but woefully behind where it was as recently as 2016.

- Pothole complaints: 4 for every 1,000 km of road

According to insurance marketplace QuoteWizard, Grand Junction, Colorado, is the in the union for potholes. Since this city is a , particularly for hikers and naturalists, one may assume a good portion of the complaints are coming from out-of-staters.

- Pothole complaints: 4 for every 1,000 km of road

Another state with multiple and harsh freeze-thaw cycles, Wisconsin also uses each year on icy roadways, which is a major pothole contributor. Several communities, however, have been looking for  in the hopes that they might see environmental improvements—not to mention fewer potholes.

- Pothole complaints: 4.6 for every 1,000 km of road

Ah, Portland, Oregon, how its citizens always do what you’d least expect—and that includes its road workers. On Jan. 20, 2022, six city trade unions after contract negotiations with the city stalled. Union workers handle the city’s water, development services, policing, finances, and yes, roadway maintenance. With in the city the highest they’ve been in three decades, the ongoing strike’s impact on pothole filling may only intensify an already dangerous situation. Still, Oregon is about to be flush with $400 million in federal funding, about one-quarter of which is expected to be for addressing problems like potholes.

- Pothole complaints: 4.6 for every 1,000 km of road

Despite the relative frequency of pothole-related complaints—not to mention the estimated $709 per year hit a given driver will take as a result of their preponderance—the future’s looking brighter for Utah’s roads. The state will receive over the next five years to address its aging and degraded roads and bridges. And it looks like the Utah Department of Transportation is already casting an eye on some tech-savvy methods for how to spend it—the agency with Salt Lake City-based tech firm Blyncsy to apply its artificial intelligence technology to address road hazards.

- Pothole complaints: 5 for every 1,000 km of road

A September 2021 report from the national transportation research nonprofit TRIP found that 43% of major roads in South Carolina are in either poor or mediocre condition. This concerning statistic gains in context when you consider the fact that pass through the state each year, a figure expected to grow 65% by 2040. Still, since 2018, the South Carolina Department of Transportation has gotten some 4,000 road projects going, so perhaps the pothole pit may soon be shallower than feared.

- Pothole complaints: 5.1 for every 1,000 km of road

Northern Indiana roads regularly suffer both hard winters and persistent freight traffic between Chicago and Detroit, which combine to make for a perfect environment for potholes. Despite from the recently expired FAST Act, in addition to one of the highest state-level gas taxes in the country, the state still struggles with road upkeep.

- Pothole complaints: 5.1 for every 1,000 km of road

Despite in surface transportation, Washington state struggles mightily with fractured roads. In fact, the city of Yakima, Washington, was recently found to be the in America for potholes.

- Pothole complaints: 5.2 for every 1,000 km of road

Vermont is another smaller state geographically with a big pothole problem. According to Consumer Affairs, the state’s overall pavement condition is relatively good, but sometimes statistics can’t account for everything—case in point, a that wreaked havoc on Route 9 traffic near Wilmington, Vermont.

- Pothole complaints: 5.3 for every 1,000 km of road

You might be surprised that a state like Arizona, commonly associated with intense heat and desert landscapes, would bear the brunt of winter storms and heavy snow, but it does. The , in particular, sees winter storms on par with those that impact portions of neighboring Utah and Colorado, but southern Arizona is from the same weather events either. Those, coupled with very hot summers, together collude to make a punishing environment for the state’s asphalt roads.

- Pothole complaints: 5.4 for every 1,000 km of road

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is all too aware of its pothole problem, despite in official reports. Nonetheless, anticipation is half of preparation, and so for what it expects to be a spring influx of complaints.

- Pothole complaints: 5.8 for every 1,000 km of road

Everything's bigger in Texas, as the saying goes—and, of course, you know what that means. One pothole in the northern town of Decatur, Texas, was to hold its own Christmas tree. the R.L. Thornton Expressway near Dallas. In general, with the Lone Star State now suffering , it looks like the situation is going to persist. Fortunately, some of the state's largest cities, such as , are trying to get ahead of the problem.

- Pothole complaints: 5.9 for every 1,000 km of road

According to a , Missouri saw 44 extreme weather events between 2010 and 2020. This, combined with more than 7,500 poor-condition roadways, has produced a preponderance of potholes. A estimates that poor road conditions cost the average driver $813 each year.

- Pothole complaints: 6 for every 1,000 km of road

Both I-95 and I-64 run through Virginia, and even though it is a primarily rural state, its urban areas, including Washington D.C. and the cities of Norfolk, Richmond, and Virginia Beach, are big tourist draws, in addition to being commuter cities, due to their greater metro areas and proximity—all of which results in an enormous amount of traffic. In many areas, has become a kind of slalom as drivers try to avoid potholes.

- Pothole complaints: 6.5 for every 1,000 km of road

One out of every five roads in New Hampshire is in poor condition. A relatively low state gas tax means less money for maintenance and repair. The state is prone to , which means a lot of snow plow vehicles and salt usage, both of which are pothole contributors.

- Pothole complaints: 6.9 for every 1,000 km of road

Tennessee is another four-season state, and as such it suffers all the contributing factors to pothole development. One  out of Nashville spoke of clouds of road dust and hunks of rock flying up from the roadway into drivers’ windshields as the result of potholes.

- Pothole complaints: 7.3 for every 1,000 km of road

The home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is most well-known for its corn production. One in 7 Ohioans to agriculture, and as corn is a staple ingredient in not just food you find in the supermarket, but ethanol and the feed that powers the livestock industry as well, the state is a veritable topography of truck routes. In fact, while overall traffic was down during the pandemic, there was an uptick in the volume of .

- Pothole complaints: 7.7 for every 1,000 km of road

In this state, there is a slightly ironic case of drivers perhaps protesting too little. According to research , Michigan is in the top three states with the highest number of pothole complaints. The state is certainly aware of this fact—drivers can for repairs needed to their vehicles as a result of a run-in with a pothole.

- Pothole complaints: 7.8 for every 1,000 km of road

Despite having the in the country, funds for which go toward infrastructure maintenance, Illinois just can’t seem to get a handle on its pothole problem. The director of public works for the city of Rockford, Illinois, told  in February 2022, “It’s not uncommon during winter months to see anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 potholes patched on a monthly basis.” And that’s just one city among hundreds.

- Pothole complaints: 7.9 for every 1,000 km of road

Nevada is in line to receive in infrastructure funding over the next five years, though exactly how much of that will go to roads is yet uncertain. What is certain is that Nevada drivers are with potholes and the state of roadways that .

- Pothole complaints: 9.5 for every 1,000 km of road

Is there such a thing as a car-sized series of potholes? In Atlanta, there is. A driver recently encountered on I-85 that resulted in thousands of dollars of damage to his car. In other areas, drivers have reported potholes the .

- Pothole complaints: 11 for every 1,000 km of road

Reports flood in from all over Louisiana of potholes doing damage to tires—and often . In one case, a local resident could sit like he was dangling his legs in a pool. The transportation department's response: .

- Pothole complaints: 11.4 for every 1,000 km of road

“I think it is sending a message,” said one Florida resident, but not in reference to a pothole. Rather, he was referring to he planted inside one pothole outside his business. Before banana trees, it was cement. And while it was done with all good humor, this gentleman is not alone in having reached a breaking point with the .

- Pothole complaints: 12 for every 1,000 km of road

There are some runs of potholes on Connecticut roads that are . And residents have no qualms about . One such person took to Twitter to declare, tongue planted firmly in cheek, “My favorite Connecticut pastime is dodging potholes.”

- Pothole complaints: 15.4 for every 1,000 km of road

When you’ve got the bridge condition situation in the country, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, along with of statewide roads not even maintained enough to call “fair,” naturally, a pothole problem is going to follow. One recent example was in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, when a Culligan water delivery truck in a 4-foot by 2-foot hole that required the assistance of a tow truck.

- Pothole complaints: 15.5 for every 1,000 km of road

For a state with a , one might ask, is there any excuse for Marylanders to be dealing with so many potholes? Leaders are talking about tax cuts and more spending on law enforcement—but as for road repair, it looks like the Maryland Department of Transportation’s coffers are already flush. The department is devoting of its $16.4 capital budget to maintaining degraded roads and other infrastructure.

- Pothole complaints: 16.5 for every 1,000 km of road

It's like a bad joke: New Jersey has so many potholes … "How many?" … It has so many potholes that getting to the grocery store is "." The average additional cost to drivers in vehicle damage is referred to as a "," but leaders are hopeful the new infrastructure bill will send enough road-saving dollars their way to cut that out of drivers' lives, and hopefully, instead of bright orange traffic cones, help Jersey find a different "."

- Pothole complaints: 18.4 for every 1,000 km of road

You know people are fed up with potholes when they take matters into their own hands. The mayor of Vallejo, California, had to recently ask residents to stop taking it upon themselves to fix potholes in their community, claiming such “pothole vigilantism” presented a liability problem. Not that folks plan to listen: a GoFundMe called has already raised a few thousand bucks to keep the movement going.

- Pothole complaints: 18.7 for every 1,000 km of road

Potholes are nothing new to the state of Massachusetts, and drivers report , especially in the winter months when slush and rain reduce visibility. Boston is among the , with an average of 303 anger-venting tweets per 1,000 km of road.

- Pothole complaints: 20.5 for every 1,000 km of road

Imagine this: $28 billion per year, that’s how much national transportation nonprofit New York drivers are losing in extra vehicle operating costs due to deteriorated and congested roads, as well as roads that lack appropriate safety features. This breaks down to more than $3,000 per driver. Acting Gov. Kathy Hochul has “declared war” on potholes, as a means of trying to reach New Yorkers where they are hurting, to the problem.

- Pothole complaints: 20.6 for every 1,000 km of road

When it comes to driving, Hawaii is less than paradise. This island state, despite having fewer roadway miles than any other state per capita, nonetheless has a , which has resulted in one-third of roads being in poor condition. One of the top causes for this? Potholes and uneven pavement.

- Pothole complaints: 23.4 for every 1,000 km of road

Rhode Island has a lot to recommend it, but when it comes to potholes, the smallest geographic state takes the bituminous taco. One state senator likened driving around potholes to " with an actual risk of crashing." And residents feel the same way, with one referring to Rhode Island by the moniker "." The recently tallied 13,000 potholes on just 17 roads since 2021.

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