America’s infrastructure, long the butt of jokes and the subject of political wrangling that seemed to go nowhere, has just received its best grade ever in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ annual Infrastructure Report Card.
Unfortunately, that grade is still just a C.
That mediocre grade comes despite trillions of dollars thrown at America’s roads, bridges, ports and airports in the past few years, plus wide-ranging efforts in many states to establish a roster of “shovel ready” sites to attract business. Decades of neglect does not simply vanish overnight. And in some states, listed below, they have barely made a dent in their infrastructure problems.
Infrastructure is one of the most important aspects of a state’s competitiveness, according to CNBC’s 2025 America’s Top States for Business study. It is the second most cited selling point in state economic development marketing pitches, after the purported strength of the state’s economy.
To measure how the states are delivering on their infrastructure pitches, the CNBC study considers the condition of roads, bridges and water systems, and the reliability of the power grid. We also evaluate ports, airports, and rail lines. We measure broadband connectivity and computing power, the availability of shovel ready sites for development, sustainability, and — because so many states tout their central location — the population within 500 miles.
Under this year’s methodology, the Infrastructure category is worth 16.2% of a state’s overall competitiveness score.
In these ten states, infrastructure remains among the nation’s weakest.
10. Arkansas
A view of the area after the tornado covering a path of dozens of miles in length caused severe damage in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States.
Peter Zay | Anadolu | Getty Images
The Natural State’s susceptibility to severe weather — like a spring tornado outbreak in 2023, the most recent full year of grid reliability data available — is not helping the Arkansas grid’s already spotty record. The average Arkansas customer was without power for more than 15 hours, the third worst record in the nation.
2025 Infrastructure score: 170 out of 405 points (Top States Grade: D)
U.S. Population within 500 miles: 81,107,152
Roads in unacceptable condition: 11.3%
Bridges in poor condition: 5.4%
Power outages per year: 15.2 hours
Affordable broadband access: 66.7%
Data Centers: 4
9. Wyoming
Construction of a new bridge across the Yellowstone River on the northeast road on March 2, 2025 in Yellowstone National Park.
William Campbell | Getty Images
Part of the Cowboy State’s allure is its frontier character. But that is not much help to businesses looking for both physical and virtual connectivity. Wyoming‘s roads may be the best in the nation, but it is the fifth most remote state in the union in terms of population within a day’s drive. Broadband access is the third worst in the nation, according to BroadbandNow Research, which found more than a third of Wyoming residents do not have access to an affordable plan.
2025 Infrastructure score: 166 out of 405 points (Top States Grade: D)
U.S. Population within 500 miles: 14,187,922
Roads in unacceptable condition: 3.9%
Bridges in poor condition: 6.5%
Power outages per year: 1.99 hours
Affordable broadband access: 61%
Data Centers: 11
8. West Virginia
Spring flooding on the Potomac River in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
Appalachianviews | Istock | Getty Images
According to the non-profit First Street Foundation, the Mountain State has the second highest flood risk of any state, after Louisiana. Already this year, West Virginians have endured multiple flash floods. Perhaps more critically, according to property data firm Cotality, West Virginia has done little to protect itself from that risk. The state ranks 47th for resilience, according to data Cotality compiled for CNBC.
2025 Infrastructure score: 164 out of 405 points (Top States Grade: D)
U.S. Population within 500 miles: 139,907,862
Roads in unacceptable condition: 13.3%
Bridges in poor condition: 18.6%
Power outages per year: 12.52 hours
Affordable broadband access: 62.6%
Data Centers: 6
7. Mississippi
Tylertown, Mississippi, Tornado damage in southern Mississippi, part of a string of 90 tornadoes that swept across the South and Midwest in March 2025.
Jim West | UCG | Universal Images Group | Getty Images
Like its Gulf Coast neighbors, the Magnolia State faces elevated risks from severe weather including hurricanes and storms, and it too earned poor marks when measured by Cotality’s Property and Mortgage Resilience Tool. The Georgetown Climate Center notes that while some local governments in the state have developed strategies to withstand weather risks, Mississippi has failed to adopt a statewide plan.
2025 Infrastructure score: 155 out of 405 points (Top States…
Read More: These 10 states have the worst infrastructure in America in 2025