What does this nearest ocean / great lake ranking show?

It orders states by Miles to the nearest ocean or Great Lake. It is a comparison of this one published measure, not an overall ranking of where to live.

Where do these figures come from?

USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD; coastline supplied by NOAA) 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.

Lowest nearest ocean / great lake by state

Miles to the nearest ocean or Great Lake.

Straight-line miles from the county’s population-weighted center to the nearest mapped ocean or Great Lake shoreline. A zero means that center falls inside the source’s water polygon. This is not driving distance, public-beach access, water quality, or distance to an ordinary lake or river; road access, private shoreline and terrain can make an actual trip longer. The five Great Lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. State figures are population-weighted county distances.

How to read this ranking

Hawaii has the lowest published nearest ocean / great lake in this comparison, at 4.5 mi. The next states shown are Rhode Island (7.3 mi) and Florida (13 mi).

The table orders 51 states by miles to the nearest ocean or great lake. 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. Straight-line miles from the county’s population-weighted center to the nearest mapped ocean or Great Lake shoreline. A zero means that center falls inside the source’s water polygon. This is not driving distance, public-beach access, water quality, or distance to an ordinary lake or river; road access, private shoreline and terrain can make an actual trip longer. The five Great Lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. State figures are population-weighted county distances.

1Hawaii4.5 mi
2Rhode Island7.3 mi
3Florida13 mi
4Delaware14 mi
5New Jersey15 mi
6Connecticut17 mi
7Massachusetts17 mi
8New York20 mi
9Maine21 mi
10Maryland23 mi
11District of Columbia26 mi
12California26 mi
13Michigan29 mi
14New Hampshire34 mi
15Illinois39 mi
16Alaska39 mi
17Washington46 mi
18Wisconsin48 mi
19Louisiana49 mi
20Mississippi69 mi
21Oregon70 mi
22Pennsylvania70 mi
23Virginia71 mi
24Ohio79 mi
25South Carolina101 mi
26Indiana103 mi
27North Carolina122 mi
28Vermont122 mi
29Minnesota136 mi
30Texas155 mi
31Alabama157 mi
32West Virginia178 mi
33Missouri186 mi
34Georgia190 mi
35Arizona193 mi
36Kentucky194 mi
37Nevada215 mi
38Tennessee224 mi
39Arkansas235 mi
40Iowa261 mi
41North Dakota343 mi
42South Dakota391 mi
43Oklahoma401 mi
44Kansas404 mi
45Idaho420 mi
46Nebraska457 mi
47New Mexico492 mi
48Montana512 mi
49Utah534 mi
50Wyoming730 mi
51Colorado732 mi

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Frequently asked questions

What does this ranking show?: It orders states by Miles to the nearest ocean or Great Lake. It is one measure, not an overall verdict on where to live.
Where do the figures come from?: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD; coastline supplied by NOAA). 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/nearest-ocean-great-lake" width="100%" height="420" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Miles to the nearest ocean or Great Lake by state"></iframe>

Source: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD; coastline supplied by NOAA). · How this is built

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