Georgia infrastructure ranks among lowest stress in nation

Georgia residents face fewer infrastructure disruptions than the average American, according to a new national ranking. The state placed 46th out of 50 for infrastructure pressure, positioning it among the five states with the least strain on physical systems. This ranking suggests that daily routines are less likely to be interrupted by failing roads, bridges, or power grids compared to peers in the top five states.

The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia conducted the analysis using federal data from 2024 through 2026. The study assigned specific weights to seven measures, with roads in poor condition receiving the highest value at 25 percent. Bridges in poor condition carried a 20 percent weight, as did the duration of power outages. Broadband availability accounted for 15 percent, while drinking water violations made up 10 percent. Highway maintenance spending per person and on-time flight performance each contributed 5 percent to the final score.

Georgia’s total score was 20.16 on a scale where higher numbers indicate greater problems. The state recorded 3 percent of roads in poor condition and 1.01 percent of bridges in poor condition. Power outages averaged 4.49 hours, and 97 percent of the population had broadband access. The average community water system reported 2.3 health-based violations, and 22.9 percent of flights failed to arrive on time. Georgia spent $104 per person on highway maintenance.

The ranking methodology divided total reported health-based water violations by the number of community water systems operating in each state. This calculation means the metric reflects the average number of violations per system rather than the percentage of systems with violations. The data relied on figures from the Federal Highway Administration, Energy Information Administration, Federal Communications Commission, and Environmental Protection Agency.

West Virginia ranked first for overall infrastructure pressure, followed by Rhode Island, Alaska, California, and Massachusetts. Delaware, Utah, North Dakota, and Florida completed the bottom five group with the lowest pressure scores. Georgia’s low ranking for road and bridge conditions offset its performance in other categories, such as flight punctuality and outage duration.