States Facing the Greatest Bridge Repair Needs
Which states have the most bridges in poor condition? We rank every state by the scale of its bridge repair challenge, from total poor bridges to poor-condition percentage.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021) dedicated $40 billion to bridge repair and replacement -- the largest such investment in U.S. history. But that money is not distributed equally. States with more poor-condition bridges receive proportionally more federal funding under the Bridge Formula Program. Understanding which states face the greatest repair burden helps explain where that money is going and why.
Nationally, 41,685 bridges (6.7%) are rated in poor condition. But some states carry a far disproportionate share of that total.
Top 10 States by Number of Poor-Condition Bridges
1. [Iowa](/reports/iowa) -- 4,423 poor-condition bridges out of 23,716 total (18.6%). Grade: F. Average bridge age: 46 years.
2. [Pennsylvania](/reports/pennsylvania) -- 2,813 poor-condition bridges out of 23,314 total (12.1%). Grade: D. Average bridge age: 56 years.
3. [Illinois](/reports/illinois) -- 2,563 poor-condition bridges out of 26,927 total (9.5%). Grade: C. Average bridge age: 46 years.
4. [Missouri](/reports/missouri) -- 2,163 poor-condition bridges out of 24,647 total (8.8%). Grade: C. Average bridge age: 46 years.
5. [New York](/reports/new-york) -- 1,741 poor-condition bridges out of 17,666 total (9.9%). Grade: C. Average bridge age: 54 years.
6. [Oklahoma](/reports/oklahoma) -- 1,719 poor-condition bridges out of 22,926 total (7.5%). Grade: C. Average bridge age: 49 years.
7. [Louisiana](/reports/louisiana) -- 1,423 poor-condition bridges out of 12,684 total (11.2%). Grade: D. Average bridge age: 44 years.
8. [North Carolina](/reports/north-carolina) -- 1,382 poor-condition bridges out of 19,343 total (7.1%). Grade: C. Average bridge age: 40 years.
9. [West Virginia](/reports/west-virginia) -- 1,307 poor-condition bridges out of 7,345 total (17.8%). Grade: F. Average bridge age: 46 years.
10. [Kansas](/reports/kansas) -- 1,301 poor-condition bridges out of 24,891 total (5.2%). Grade: B. Average bridge age: 54 years.
Complete State Rankings by Poor-Condition Bridge Count
| # | State | Grade | Poor % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | F | 18.6% |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | D | 12.1% |
| 3 | Illinois | C | 9.5% |
| 4 | Missouri | C | 8.8% |
| 5 | New York | C | 9.9% |
| 6 | Oklahoma | C | 7.5% |
| 7 | Louisiana | D | 11.2% |
| 8 | North Carolina | C | 7.1% |
| 9 | West Virginia | F | 17.8% |
| 10 | Kansas | B | 5.2% |
| 11 | California | B | 4.9% |
| 12 | Ohio | B | 4.7% |
| 13 | Michigan | D | 11.0% |
| 14 | Nebraska | C | 7.5% |
| 15 | Kentucky | C | 7.5% |
| 16 | Indiana | B | 5.3% |
| 17 | Wisconsin | C | 6.7% |
| 18 | Mississippi | B | 5.8% |
| 19 | South Dakota | F | 16.1% |
| 20 | Tennessee | B | 4.4% |
| 21 | Arkansas | B | 5.4% |
| 22 | Texas | A | 1.2% |
| 23 | Minnesota | B | 4.5% |
| 24 | South Carolina | C | 6.3% |
| 25 | Alabama | B | 3.4% |
| 26 | Massachusetts | C | 9.4% |
| 27 | Virginia | B | 3.4% |
| 28 | Washington | B | 5.6% |
| 29 | North Dakota | D | 11.1% |
| 30 | Oregon | B | 5.1% |
| 31 | Colorado | B | 4.6% |
| 32 | Maine | F | 15.4% |
| 33 | New Jersey | B | 5.7% |
| 34 | Montana | C | 7.4% |
| 35 | Florida | A | 2.8% |
| 36 | Puerto Rico | D | 14.1% |
| 37 | Georgia | A | 1.7% |
| 38 | Idaho | B | 5.4% |
| 39 | Maryland | B | 4.4% |
| 40 | Wyoming | C | 7.1% |
| 41 | Connecticut | B | 4.8% |
| 42 | New Hampshire | C | 7.5% |
| 43 | New Mexico | B | 4.3% |
| 44 | Alaska | C | 7.5% |
| 45 | Vermont | B | 4.0% |
| 46 | Rhode Island | D | 14.0% |
| 47 | Utah | B | 3.5% |
| 48 | Arizona | A | 1.1% |
| 49 | Hawaii | B | 5.7% |
| 50 | Nevada | A | 1.0% |
| 51 | Delaware | A | 1.1% |
| 52 | U.S. Virgin Islands | F | 33.3% |
| 53 | District of Columbia | A | 1.9% |
Count vs. Percentage
It is important to distinguish between the *number* of poor bridges and the *percentage*. A state like Texas, with one of the largest bridge inventories in the country, may have more poor bridges by raw count but a lower poor-condition percentage than a smaller state with a concentrated aging problem. Both metrics matter: the count tells you the scale of the repair task, while the percentage tells you how broadly the problem affects the state's network.
For the percentage-based view, see our [state infrastructure rankings](/blog/best-bridge-infrastructure-by-state-2025). For individual state deep dives, explore our [state report cards](/reports).
Data source: All data comes from the National Bridge Inventory maintained by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). BridgeStats is not affiliated with the U.S. government. Data is provided for informational purposes only.
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