- Oregon stands as America’s most bee-friendly state, scoring 70.48 out of 100 in an index-based study, with Vermont and Washington ranking second and third respectively.
- Seven of the top ten bee-friendly states sit in either the West or Northeast regions of the country.
- Mississippi takes last place as America’s least bee-friendly state with an index score of just 16.94 out of 100.
A new study has revealed Oregon as America’s top state for bee conservation, scoring a remarkable 70.48 out of 100 in a nationwide assessment.
The research by BestMadHoney examined seven factors across all 50 states, including bee-colony loss rate and percentage of land used for rural and wildlife, to assess which regions provide the best environments for pollinators.
Michigan’s findings
With a score of 42.38, Michigan lands in 34th place. The state includes eight Bee City and 13 Bee Campus affiliates but lacks ABF sponsorship. Its colony loss rate stands at 53.09%, which is just slightly below the national average (55.69%) by 2.6 points.
Limited rural land use (3.43%) and moderate public search interest (64.39 average monthly searches for bee-related terms per 100,000 people) suggest that more structured conservation initiatives could elevate Michigan’s future performance.
The most bee-friendly states in the U.S.
|
Rank |
State |
Score |
Bee City affiliates |
Bee Campus affiliates |
ABF sponsorship level |
Colony loss rate |
% of land used for rural and wildlife |
Bee-friendly search volume per 100,000 people |
|
1 |
Oregon |
70.48 |
15 |
24 |
Silver |
65.93% |
7.07% |
71.06 |
|
2 |
Vermont |
69.68 |
1 |
3 |
Silver |
61.76% |
5.61% |
80.06 |
|
3 |
Washington |
69.46 |
6 |
12 |
Gold |
43.16% |
14.48% |
71.38 |
|
4 |
Virginia |
68.12 |
17 |
24 |
Gold |
42.24% |
2.86% |
74.42 |
|
5 |
Colorado |
65.49 |
3 |
5 |
Gold |
42.93% |
9.76% |
69.42 |
|
6 |
New Mexico |
64.70 |
3 |
5 |
Platinum |
45.88% |
3.64% |
60.97 |
|
7 |
Nevada |
63.30 |
2 |
3 |
Platinum |
86.18% |
9.44% |
66.97 |
|
8 |
California |
60.81 |
10 |
25 |
Platinum |
57.79% |
20.03% |
62.59 |
|
9 |
Massachusetts |
59.31 |
2 |
9 |
Gold |
55.19% |
12.08% |
68.16 |
|
10 |
New York |
58.82 |
2 |
15 |
Platinum |
53.01% |
14.74% |
63.22 |
Oregon claims the top spot with a score of 70.48 out of 100. The state has the greatest number of bee-friendly communities in America, with 15 Bee City USA affiliates and 24 Bee Campus USA affiliates, a rate of 3.51 Bee City USA affiliates and 5.62 Bee Campus USA affiliates per million residents. A high percentage of land is also being used for wildlife in Oregon, at 7.07%, but the state also has a high rate of colony loss at 65.93%.
Vermont secures second place with a score of 69.68. Despite having only one Bee City USA affiliate, this figure was compensated by high rankings in other areas, notably the highest volume of average monthly searches for bee-related terms, at 80.06 searches per 100,000 residents.
Washington comes next, with a score of 69.46. When broken down, Washington received a boost from its Gold level sponsorship with the American Beekeeping Federation and substantial amount of land dedicated to rural and wildlife uses, totaling 14.48%.
Virginia buzzed into fourth place with a score of 68.12 out of 100, with 17 Bee City USA affiliates and 24 Bee Campus USA affiliates. Virginia actually also reported a relatively low colony loss rate of 42.24%, indicating better survival rates for their honeybee populations.
Colorado takes the fifth place with a score of 65.49. The state only has three Bee City USA affiliates and five Bee Campus USA affiliates, but these numbers are bolstered by its decent levels of land available for rural and wildlife purposes (9.76%), and moderate bee colony loss rate of 42.93%, slightly below the national average.
New Mexico claims sixth place with a score of 64.70. Backed by a Platinum-level ABF sponsorship and five Bee Campus USA affiliates, the state shows clear intent in supporting bee populations. It also ranks favorably in bee-related search activity, suggesting strong public awareness (60.97 searches per 100,000 people). Its colony loss rate is higher than average at 45.88%, and only 3.64% of land is used for rural and wildlife purposes.
Nevada ranks seventh with a score of 63.30. Despite a concerningly high bee colony loss rate of 86.18%, the highest among the top 10, Nevada benefits from a Platinum-level sponsorship and high levels of precipitation, supporting bee habitats in its arid climate.
California comes in eighth place with a score of 60.81. The state leads the nation in total Bee Campus USA affiliates with 25, alongside 10 Bee City USA affiliates. With 20.03% of land used for rural and wildlife purposes, the highest in the top ten, but a bee colony loss rate of 57.79% and lower affiliate density due to its large population slightly dampen its overall score.