The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its annual list of the Top 10 States for LEED. Massachusetts ranked first in 2024 based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita over the past year, improving their showing from 2023.
Massachusetts topped the ranking with 4.95 LEED-certified square footage per capita. After Massachusetts, the top five states were Illinois (4.017 certified sf per capita), New York (3.438 certified sf per capita), Washington state (3.03 certified sf per capita), and Maryland (2.775 certified sf per capita). Though not officially on the list because it is a federal district, the District of Columbia continued to lead the nation, seeing more than 33 sf of certified space per resident across 111 green building projects.
“More than ever, governments and organizations are seeking to build more resilient, healthy, affordable, and sustainable cities and communities that address immediate and future needs,” says Peter Templeton, president and CEO of USGBC. “LEED provides a proven path to meeting these critical priorities. We commend these states and the District of Columbia for their leadership and progress toward a more resilient and sustainable future for all.”
This year marks the 25th anniversary since USGBC launched the LEED rating system. The Top 10 States for LEED highlights the growth across the country.
The entire Top 10 States for LEED are:
| Rank | State | Projects | Gross area m2 (sf) | 2024 sf per capita |
| * | District of Columbia | 111 | 2136403 m2 (22,996,048 sf) | 33.35 |
| 1 | Massachusetts | 132 | 3234986 m2 (34,821,100 sf) | 4.95 |
| 2 | Illinois | 102 | 4781875 m2 (51,471,672 sf) | 4.02 |
| 3 | New York | 170 | 6451507 m2 (69,443,439.93 sf) | 3.44 |
| 4 | Washington | 90 | 715844 m2 (7,705,281 sf) | 3.03 |
| 5 | Maryland | 100 | 1592670 m2 (17,143,359.52 sf) | 2.78 |
| 6 | California | 437 | 9466267 m2 (101,894,046 sf) | 2.58 |
| 7 | Texas | 205 | 6972575 m2 (75,052,176.11 sf) | 2.58 |
| 8 | Nevada | 29 | 713301 m2 (7,677,907.81 sf) | 2.47 |
| 9 | Colorado | 64 | 1289870 m2 (13,884,040.35 sf) | 2.4 |
| 10 | Virginia | 108 | 1860254 m2 (20,023,606 sf) | 2.32 |