State rankings · NASS annual estimates, 2026
Which state has the most cattle?
Texas ranks No. 1 for cattle, with 14% of the 86.2 million cattle on US farms on January 1, 2026.
No. 2 Nebraska (7%), No. 3 Kansas (7%), No. 4 California (6%). Texas has been No. 1 in every year shown, back to 2012. All 50 states that reported cattle are listed below.
Cattle by state, ranked
Ranked by NASS's 2026 estimate. The 2022 Census columns cover every state.
| State | 2026, cattle | Share | vs 2025 | 2022 Census, head on farms | Farms, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Texas | 12.1 million | 14% | no change | 12.5 million | 131,815 |
| 2Nebraska | 6.2 million | 7% | +2% | 6.4 million | 16,958 |
| 3Kansas | 5.8 million | 7% | -2% | 6.1 million | 22,467 |
| 4California | 5 million | 6% | no change | 5.2 million | 11,759 |
| 5Oklahoma | 4.7 million | 5% | +1% | 4.5 million | 43,223 |
| 6Missouri | 3.9 million | 4% | -3% | 4 million | 43,543 |
| 7South Dakota | 3.5 million | 4% | +1% | 3.5 million | 11,304 |
| 8Iowa | 3.5 million | 4% | -1% | 3.5 million | 21,750 |
| 9Wisconsin | 3.3 million | 4% | no change | 3.3 million | 22,777 |
| 10Colorado | 2.5 million | 3% | no change | 2.7 million | 12,030 |
| 11Idaho | 2.5 million | 3% | +<1% | 2.5 million | 8,956 |
| 12Montana | 2.1 million | 2% | -<1% | 2.1 million | 9,533 |
| 13Minnesota | 2.1 million | 2% | +<1% | 2.1 million | 16,823 |
| 14Kentucky | 1.8 million | 2% | -1% | 1.9 million | 31,060 |
| 15North Dakota | 1.7 million | 2% | +3% | 1.7 million | 7,175 |
Units: cattle. “–” means the state isn't in NASS's annual survey for this item; see the 2022 Census column on wider screens, or the state's page.
Show all 50 states
| State | 2026, cattle | Share | vs 2025 | 2022 Census, head on farms | Farms, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16Florida | 1.6 million | 2% | +1% | 1.6 million | 17,435 |
| 17Tennessee | 1.6 million | 2% | -<1% | 1.6 million | 29,742 |
| 17Arkansas | 1.6 million | 2% | no change | 1.6 million | 20,924 |
| 19Pennsylvania | 1.4 million | 2% | +2% | 1.3 million | 18,472 |
| 20New York | 1.4 million | 2% | -1% | 1.4 million | 9,993 |
| 21Virginia | 1.3 million | 2% | no change | 1.3 million | 17,402 |
| 22Ohio | 1.2 million | 1% | -<1% | 1.2 million | 21,126 |
| 23Oregon | 1.2 million | 1% | -2% | 1.2 million | 11,699 |
| 24Alabama | 1.2 million | 1% | +2% | 1.2 million | 18,284 |
| 25New Mexico | 1.2 million | 1% | -7% | 1.3 million | 8,562 |
| 26Wyoming | 1.2 million | 1% | -5% | 1.2 million | 4,995 |
| 27Washington | 1.1 million | 1% | no change | 1.1 million | 9,219 |
| 27Michigan | 1.1 million | 1% | +<1% | 1.1 million | 10,141 |
| 29Illinois | 980,000 | 1% | -3% | 962,040 | 13,017 |
| 30Georgia | 970,000 | 1% | -1% | 1 million | 13,708 |
| 31Arizona | 870,000 | 1% | -6% | 997,842 | 5,864 |
| 32Indiana | 820,000 | under 1% | +3% | 770,048 | 13,984 |
| 33Mississippi | 800,000 | under 1% | -1% | 832,542 | 13,631 |
| 34Utah | 760,000 | under 1% | +3% | 726,000 | 7,252 |
| 35North Carolina | 690,000 | under 1% | -4% | 718,743 | 14,980 |
| 36Louisiana | 680,000 | under 1% | -6% | 730,491 | 11,150 |
| 37Nevada | 420,000 | under 1% | -3% | 438,511 | 1,382 |
| 38West Virginia | 365,000 | under 1% | no change | 367,634 | 10,028 |
| 39South Carolina | 280,000 | under 1% | -5% | 305,414 | 6,461 |
| 40Vermont | 220,000 | under 1% | +2% | 214,567 | 1,691 |
| 41Maryland | 155,000 | under 1% | +<1% | 152,394 | 2,926 |
| 42Hawaii | 135,000 | under 1% | +2% | 131,616 | 1,058 |
| 43Maine | 71,000 | under 1% | -3% | 72,275 | 1,496 |
| 44Connecticut | 44,000 | under 1% | -2% | 45,837 | 876 |
| 45Massachusetts | 30,000 | under 1% | -3% | 33,093 | 1,066 |
| 46New Hampshire | 28,000 | under 1% | no change | 29,647 | 789 |
| 47New Jersey | 24,000 | under 1% | no change | 25,552 | 1,040 |
| 48Alaska | 19,000 | under 1% | -5% | 16,840 | 142 |
| 49Delaware | 10,500 | under 1% | no change | 10,093 | 230 |
| 50Rhode Island | 3,800 | under 1% | +3% | 3,871 | 185 |
Which state has been No. 1 for cattle each year?
The top state in NASS's annual estimates, most recent year first. A year is skipped if a state whose figure is withheld could have been larger.
| Year | Top state | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas | 14% | 12.1 million cattle |
| 2025 | Texas | 14% | 12.1 million cattle |
| 2024 | Texas | 14% | 12 million cattle |
| 2023 | Texas | 14% | 12.5 million cattle |
| 2022 | Texas | 14% | 12.7 million cattle |
| 2021 | Texas | 14% | 13.1 million cattle |
| 2020 | Texas | 14% | 12.9 million cattle |
| 2019 | Texas | 14% | 13 million cattle |
| 2018 | Texas | 13% | 12.5 million cattle |
| 2017 | Texas | 13% | 12.3 million cattle |
| 2016 | Texas | 13% | 11.8 million cattle |
| 2015 | Texas | 13% | 11.7 million cattle |
| 2014 | Texas | 13% | 11.1 million cattle |
| 2013 | Texas | 13% | 11.6 million cattle |
| 2012 | Texas | 13% | 11.9 million cattle |
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About this data
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Annual estimates (final 2026 figures) and the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Withheld figures are suppressed by NASS to protect individual farms. Data processed 2026-11-06. Methodology.