CHICAGO -

Who buys the “greenest” cars? Does the West Coast boast more eco-friendly drivers?

Coinciding with yesterday’s celebration of Earth Day 2012, Cars.com aimed to answer these questions and more in releasing a list of U.S. cities with the most and least eco-friendly car shoppers.

And the site found that based on their search for vehicles that get more than 40 mpg, “California shoppers are the greenest in the U.S., and Southern states are the least green,” according to Cars.com data.

As a state, California nabbed the majority of spots on the list of top 10 eco-friendly car shoppers, with six towns on the list. And the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif., triad came in at No. 1.

Commenting on the results, Cars.com editor-in-chief Patrick Olsen said, "There’s a perception that Californians are more eco-conscious, and our car shopping data shows that’s true. With more charging stations than any other state and dedicated car-pool lanes, it’s easy to understand why manufacturers typically choose California as the place to launch their new green vehicles."

On the other hand, Cars.com found that before they hit the Pacific, the outlook was a bit different.

The Odessa-Midland, Texas/N.M. area came in first with the least amount of eco-friendly car shoppers. Texas also notched another spot on the list, with Laredo, and Montana held two spots.  The South also dominated the least eco-friendly car shoppers list, with spots in Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi.

But Olsen noted this trend is most likely due in part to the nature of work and careers in those areas.

"The hard-workers in the South need their pickup trucks," said Olsen. "For these workers, a hybrid or fuel-efficient vehicle would likely be a second car, and that’s just not as feasible for many in this economy." 

Here are the top 10 cities with the greenest car shoppers, based on Cars.com’s searches:

1.    San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif.
2.    Madison, Wis.
3.    Monterey-Salinas, Calif.
4.    Portland, Ore.
5.    San Diego, Calif.
6.    Green Bay-Appleton, Wis.
7.    Santa Maria-Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo, Calif.
8.    Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, Calif.
9.    Chico-Redding, Calif.
10.  Zanesville, Ohio

The 10 cities with the fewest green car shoppers, based on Cars.com searches:

1.    Odessa-Midland, Texas/N.M.
2.    Laredo, Texas
3.    Fairbanks, Alaska
4.    Albany, Ga.
5.    Bluefield-Beckley-Oakhill, Va./W. Va.
6.    Glendive, Mont.
7.    Helena, Mont.
8.    Columbus-Tupelo-West Point, Ala./Miss.
9.    Casper-Riverton, Wyo.
10.  Baton Rouge, La.

"Earth Day is our yearly reminder that we can be doing more for the environment,” Olsen stressed.

"This list ranks cities where car shoppers are most interested in minimizing their driving’s impact on the environment. With more hybrids, electrics and very fuel-efficient vehicles on the market than ever before, shoppers looking for a new car can do their part to reduce their carbon footprint without skimping on style and comfort,” he continued.

The company also went on to recommend a few vehicles for the “eco-conscious shopper.”

—2012 Hyundai Elantra: This gas-powered vehicle gets 40 miles per gallon.

—2012 Toyota Prius c: This hybrid vehicle, whose MSRP starts under $19,000, gets 53 mpg in the city, the site explained.

—2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: “For those interested in diesel, this option from VW gets more than 40 mpg on the highway," officials noted.