The U.S. total from 1959 to 2003 is 3,696 deaths. About 60 people die each year from lightning; about 300 are injured annually. The highest death rates are in Florida (425 killed between 1959 and 2003), making it the most dangerous state to live in when it comes to lightning injuries. Below is a state-by-state listing using the most recent data from NOAA.
Total Lightning Deaths in the U.S. from 1995 to 2004
| State Rank |
Number of Deaths |
Deaths per Million Residents |
| 1. Florida |
85 |
0.53 |
| 2. Texas |
34 |
0.16 |
| 3. Colorado |
31 |
0.72 |
| 4. Ohio |
22 |
0.19 |
| 5. Georgia |
19 |
0.23 |
| 6. Alabama |
18 |
0.40 |
| 7. Louisiana |
17 |
0.38 |
| 7. North Carolina |
17 |
0.21 |
| 8. South Carolina |
14 |
0.35 |
| 9. Utah |
13 |
0.58 |
| 10. Illinois |
12 |
0.10 |
| 10. Indiana |
12 |
0.20 |
| 10. Pennsylvania |
12 |
0.10 |
| 10. Virginia |
12 |
0.17 |
| 11. Michigan |
11 |
0.11 |
| 12. Oklahoma |
10 |
0.29 |
| 12. Tennessee |
10 |
0.18 |
| 13. Mississippi |
9 |
0.32 |
| 13. Wisconsin |
9 |
0.17 |
| 14. Arkansas |
8 |
0.30 |
| 15. Arizona |
7 |
0.14 |
| 15. Maryland |
7 |
0.13 |
| 15. Missouri |
7 |
0.13 |
| 15. New Mexico |
7 |
0.38 |
| 15. New York |
7 |
0.04 |
| 16. Idaho |
6 |
0.46 |
| 16. Minnesota |
6 |
0.12 |
| 16. Montana |
6 |
0.66 |
| 16. New Jersey |
6 |
0.07 |
| 16. Wyoming |
6 |
1.21 |
| 17. California |
5 |
0.01 |
| 17. Iowa |
5 |
0.17 |
| 17. Kansas |
5 |
0.19 |
| 17. Kentucky |
5 |
0.12 |
| 17. West Virginia |
5 |
0.28 |
| 18. Nebraska |
3 |
0.18 |
| 18. Puerto Rico |
3 |
0.08 |
| 18. South Dakota |
3 |
0.40 |
| 18. Vermont |
3 |
0.49 |
| 19. Connecticut |
2 |
0.06 |
| 19. Massachusetts |
2 |
0.03 |
| 19. Washington |
2 |
0.03 |
| 20. Maine |
1 |
0.08 |
| 20. North Dakota |
1 |
0.16 |
| 20. Oregon |
1 |
0.03 |
| 20. Rhode Island |
1 |
0.10 |
| 21. Alaska |
0 |
0 |
| 21. Delaware |
0 |
0 |
| 21. Washington, D.C. |
0 |
0 |
| 21. Hawaii |
0 |
0 |
| 21. Nevada |
0 |
0 |
| 21. New Hampshire |
0 |
0 |
