Which States Have the Most Alligators? You Might Be Surprised

Quick Take

• One state alone has more alligators than the rest of the country combined, though it is probably not the state most people would guess. Louisiana's 3 million gators →
• Alligators have quietly established populations in states most Americans would never suspect, and in at least one of those states fewer than 100 currently exist. Tennessee's tiny population →
• Climate change is actively redrawing the map of where alligators can survive, with some populations now growing in places they have never historically lived. Arkansas's growing numbers →
• 120 out of 254 counties in one state have gators lurking, yet almost no one thinks of it as alligator country. Texas's surprising alligator range →

There are nearly 5 million American alligators inhabiting the southeastern United States. Alligators are cold-blooded reptiles, meaning they require external heat in order to regulate their internal body temperature. As a result, they can only live where there is sufficient sunlight and heat to warm them up. While they can brumate (a reptile form of hibernation) during cold months, alligators generally prefer areas where water does not freeze over for extended periods.

Alligators typically average around 11 feet for males and 8 feet for females, but some may grow larger, especially those located further south. Large males typically weigh around 500 pounds, though exceptional individuals have been recorded at close to 1,000 pounds. They favor slow-moving freshwater rivers, but alligators can be found in any body of water. Today, we are going to compare the states with alligators to see which one has the highest population.

11. Tennessee (Less Than 100)

As the climate becomes warmer, alligators are naturally expanding their range from southern border states like Mississippi and Alabama. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency notes that there have been confirmed sightings along the Mississippi River floodplain in southwestern Tennessee, including Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, Lauderdale, and Hardin counties. Officials estimate that there are currently fewer than 100 alligators in the state, but that number is expected to increase as gators make their way further north.

10. Oklahoma (100-200)

The state that is one of the least known for alligator populations is Oklahoma. However, Oklahoma is home to a stable population of 100-200 individuals. Most of the state gets too cold for gators to survive the winter, but there are some regions that allow for a small population of alligators. The only places that gators live in Oklahoma are the marshy areas in the southwestern part of the state, especially in Red Slough Wildlife Management Area and the Little River National Wildlife Refuge.

9. North Carolina (1,000+)

While many don’t know it, gators live through many regions of North Carolina. There is an estimated population of “a few thousand” alligators that live in North Carolina, with that number seemingly increasing a bit each year. Almost all of the high-density populations of alligators live south of the Albemarle sound, although some individuals have been reported through the entire coastal region of the state.

8. Arkansas (2,000-3,000)

Arkansas has had an increasing population of alligators each year, especially as the temperature warms due to climate change. Currently, Arkansas is estimated to have 2,000-3,000 individuals, with a stable and growing population each year. They are widely distributed through the southeastern and southwestern regions of the state, although densities are quite low.

7. Mississippi (32,000-38,000)

The home of the Mississippi River has its fair share of gators too! Mississippi is home to between 32,000 and 38,000 alligators. A few sources claim that alligators can be found in every county of the state, although they aren’t as densely concentrated as in some of the other states on the list. Still, 25% of the entire state’s population lives in the southeastern region.

6. Alabama (70,000)

Alabama isn’t well-known for its gators, but they have a total population of around 70,000 individuals. Like the other, more northern states on the list, the only places you can find these creatures are in the southern regions. Most of the gators fall in the lower half of the state, with populations in the northern half being nearly non-existent. Gators in the state prefer wetlands, lakes, rivers, and even a few reservoirs.

5. South Carolina (100,000)

Of the Carolinas, South Carolina has more gators. South Carolina has around 100,000 gators within its borders, primarily in the south and along the coast. Although South Carolina is warmer, on average, than North Carolina, it can still get quite cold. As a result, gator populations begin to drop the further north you go. Coastal marshlands around the state are key breeding grounds for these reptiles.

4. Georgia (200,000-250,000)

Although there aren’t as many gators in Georgia as in the top three states, there are still plenty. Georgia is home to between 200,000 and 250,000 alligators, primarily in the southern part of the state. In fact, almost all gators can be found south of the “fall line,” which connects Columbus, Macon, and Augusta. Alligators found north of this line were most likely relocated there.

3. Texas (500,000-600,000)

Everything is big in Texas, even the wildlife. When it comes to gators, Texas comes in third for the total alligator population. As of 2025, the state had an estimated 500,000-600,000 alligators within its borders. These reptiles can be found from the Sabine River to the Gulf of Mexico, including the coastal marshes near the Rio Grande. Of the 254 counties in the state, 120 have gators.

2. Florida (1.3 million)

The second most alligator-populated state in the U.S. is Florida, with approximately 1.3 million alligators. Florida has a massive area of swampland in the Everglades, and the mild climate year-round makes for ideal conditions for the gators. Any standing body of water in Florida could be home to a gator, making swamps, rivers, lakes, and drainage pools all potentially dangerous. Florida is also home to Gainesville, often cited as the most gator-infested city in the U.S.

1. Louisiana (Over 3 million)

It may come as no surprise that Louisiana has the most alligators of any state. The massive swampland and warm climate mean that Louisiana is the perfect home for these scaly reptiles. The most recent data shows that Louisiana is home to over 3 million wild alligators across the state, with an additional 1 million located on farms. The state is quite famous for alligator farming and harvesting, accounting for hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue brought to the state.