What does this rivers ranking show?

It orders states by River miles per square mile. It is a comparison of this one published measure, not an overall ranking of where to live.

Where do these figures come from?

U.S. Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset supplies this measure. States without a comparable published value are shown as not ranked rather than estimated.

How should I use this ranking?

Use it to narrow a search, then open a state or county profile for the underlying figures, source dates and caveats. A statewide number may not describe every neighbourhood.

Highest rivers by state

River miles per square mile.

This measure has no better end. The order describes the states, it does not rank them — see the other direction.

Miles of USGS NHD perennial Stream/River flowlines (FCode 46006), clipped to the county boundary, divided by land area. This counts mapped perennial channels, not seasonal creeks, water volume, or navigability. Map lines are a simplified selection of named rivers for legibility; the shading includes every qualifying NHD flowline.

How to read this ranking

Vermont has the highest published rivers in this comparison, at 2.50. The next states shown are Connecticut (1.58) and Oregon (1.53).

The table orders 51 states by river miles per square mile. It describes one published measure, not an overall judgment about where to live.

Use the result as a starting point, then compare the underlying source, dates, and local county figures before making a decision. Miles of USGS NHD perennial Stream/River flowlines (FCode 46006), clipped to the county boundary, divided by land area. This counts mapped perennial channels, not seasonal creeks, water volume, or navigability. Map lines are a simplified selection of named rivers for legibility; the shading includes every qualifying NHD flowline.

1Vermont2.50
2Connecticut1.58
3Oregon1.53
4Tennessee1.45
5New Jersey1.44
6Alaska1.44
7Maryland1.36
8Delaware1.31
9Washington1.26
10Rhode Island1.24
11Massachusetts1.06
12Georgia1.03
13Alabama1.03
14North Carolina1.00
15West Virginia1.00
16South Carolina0.99
17Maine0.97
18New Hampshire0.95
19Pennsylvania0.91
20Louisiana0.78
21Virginia0.78
22Hawaii0.74
23Ohio0.65
24New York0.63
25Kentucky0.59
26Oklahoma0.58
27Michigan0.56
28Mississippi0.52
29Montana0.50
30Iowa0.45
31Idaho0.44
32Wisconsin0.43
33Arkansas0.41
34Indiana0.39
35Illinois0.36
36Missouri0.36
37Utah0.35
38Kansas0.33
39Wyoming0.32
40Nebraska0.31
41Minnesota0.28
42District of Columbia0.28
43Colorado0.27
44Texas0.27
45Florida0.25
46South Dakota0.23
47California0.16
48North Dakota0.08
49Nevada0.05
50New Mexico0.04
51Arizona0.02

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Frequently asked questions

What does this ranking show?: It orders states by River miles per square mile. It is one measure, not an overall verdict on where to live.
Where do the figures come from?: U.S. Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset. States without a comparable published figure are listed as not ranked rather than estimated.
How should I use it?: Use it to narrow your search, then open a state or county profile for the source date, caveats and local context.

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<iframe src="https://movermath.com/embed/rivers" width="100%" height="420" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="River miles per square mile by state"></iframe>

Source: U.S. Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset. · How this is built

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