RANKED: The Best and Worst US States for Gamers in 2025
Which U.S. state is best for gamers? While gaming may feel borderless online, real-world access still varies from state to state. We created the Gamers Paradise Index Score, ranking states on factors like internet speed, gaming conventions, esports pros, streamers, and gaming related search interest*. The results reveal where gamers thrive, and where slow connections and limited communities leave players lagging.
*For Gaming-related search interest, we analysed the average search volume around terms such as: “video games”, “new videos games”, “free games”, “online games” for each state.
Key Highlights
- California ranks first despite average internet speeds lagging at just 93 MBPS — three times slower than the national average of 319.82 MBPS.
- Top states California (#1) and Texas (#2) host 19 gaming conventions each—while the four lowest-ranked states host none at all.
- All top 5 gaming states are home to major streaming stars, including New York’s (#4) Kai Cenat and Florida’s (#3) Adin Ross.
- Zero streamers, zero pros: the bottom five states share a complete absence of local gaming talent or influencers
Gamers Paradise: Top 5 Gaming States
What makes a gamer’s paradise? Speedy, reliable internet is essential, but the best states offer more. They’re filled with vibrant gaming communities, host conventions and tournaments, and are home to some of the country’s most popular streamers. These top five states combine the tech, talent & communities that transform everyday gaming into a connected lifestyle.
#1 California
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 80 / 100 🚀🎮
Few places match California’s gaming footprint. It’s home to 22 pro players, 18 major streamers, and 19 annual gaming conventions, drawing over 33,000 monthly gaming related searches. Even with average internet speeds of 93 MBPS, the state’s gaming ecosystem is unmatched, from bustling events to streaming stars like Markiplier, known for his award-winning content. For many, California is the spiritual home of U.S. gaming culture.
#2 Texas
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 63.4 / 100 🚀🎮
Speed is where Texas dominates, with 425.9 MBPS average internet, one of the fastest in the country. The state also holds 19 conventions and sees 27,100 monthly gaming related searches, supporting 6 pro gamers and 5 streamers. Among them is Asmongold, who reportedly averages 46,000 viewers per stream. While its pro player numbers trail California, Texas’s infrastructure, packed events calendar, and streaming stars keep it front and center on the gaming map.
#3 Florida
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 53.0 / 100 🚀🎮|
Adin Ross turned heads in April 2025, earning nearly $500,000 from just 16 Kick streams—but Florida’s gaming story goes beyond that headline. The state draws 18,100 monthly searches, hosts 17 conventions, and 322.3 MBPS average internet speeds. With 6 pro gamers and 7 streamers, Florida may not rival California or Texas in scale, but its creators and events keep it firmly part of the national gaming conversation.
#4 New York
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 41.2 / 100 🚀🎮
New York’s gaming spotlight belongs to its streamers, with 8 creators, including Kai Cenat, Twitch’s most-subscribed streamer, known for high-energy broadcasts. While the state lags in live events, hosting only three conventions, it still sees 18,100 monthly gaming related searches and 397.7 MBPS average internet speeds. In New York, it’s the streamers who keep gaming communities buzzing, filling the gaps left by a thin events calendar.
#5 Pennsylvania
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 36.6 / 100 🚀🎮
With nine gaming conventions a year and 10,000 monthly gaming related searches, Pennsylvania’s gaming scene is active, supported by Internet speeds that average a fast 430.8 MBPS. The state is home to 3 professional gamers and 2 streamers, including DGR, celebrated for his Super Mario Maker content and known as the ‘Most Humble Streamer Award’ winner five years in a row. Rather than competing on size, Pennsylvania’s gaming scene thrives on a strong sense of community
Gamers Nightmare: Bottom 5 Gaming States
At the other end of the leaderboard, gamers face a very different reality. These states are a gamer’s nightmare—marked by sluggish internet speeds, a complete lack of local conventions, and almost no visible streaming or pro gaming presence. For players in these regions, opportunities to connect with like-minded communities are few and far between.
#5 Idaho
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 8.4 / 100 ⚠️🎮
Idaho scrapes into fifth place, thanks mainly to its one gaming convention—the only state in the bottom five to host any. Despite 230.1 MBPS internet speeds, Idaho sees just 1,600 monthly searches and is home to no streamers or pro players. Local gaming feels more like a quiet corner rather than a bustling arena.
#4 Maine
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 5.8 / 100 ⚠️🎮
Maine shows little gaming enthusiasm, recording just 1,000 searches per month. Despite 205.2 MBPS internet, the state has no pro players, streamers, or conventions. With no local infrastructure to support a gaming scene, players here are left isolated. Gaming feels more like a personal hobby than a shared cultural experience in Maine.
#3 Wyoming
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 5.33 / 100 ⚠️🎮
Wyoming’s gaming interest barely registers with 320 monthly searches—the lowest in the group. 203.2 MBPS internet speeds can’t make up for the lack of conventions, streamers, or pro players. With no visible gaming culture, Wyoming is among the country’s quietest places for gamers, both online and in the few local events that exist.
#2 South Dakota
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 4.89 / 100 ⚠️🎮
South Dakota shows zero conventions, zero streamers, and zero pro players, leaving gamers few reasons to feel connected. While 191.7 MBPS internet is available, only 590 monthly searches suggest limited enthusiasm. The state’s players face an isolated scene where finding fellow gamers (or any events at all) is as challenging as the lags they often experience.
#1 Montana
Gamers Paradise Index Score – 1.05 / 100 ⚠️🎮
Montana isn’t just the worst. It’s a gaming dead zone. With only 720 gaming searches a month and the slowest internet speed at 110.5 MBPS, gamers face a barren landscape. There are no local conventions, streamers, or pro players. For residents, it’s one of the toughest places in the country to enjoy gaming beyond their own screens.
Coasts, Cities, and Cold Spots: The Geography of Gaming in America
America’s gaming hotspots follow a clear map. California’s dominance is anchored by hubs like Los Angeles and San Francisco, while Texas’s rise comes from cities like Austin and Dallas, now key centers for esports and streaming. In contrast, the worst-performing states—Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming — cluster in rural Mountain and Midwest regions, where low populations, fewer events, and slower internet leave gamers disconnected from the wider gaming conversation.
Methodology
To determine how gaming-friendly each U.S. state is, we analyzed five key data points that reflect both infrastructure and cultural engagement with gaming. These metrics were chosen to balance competitive, content-driven, and casual gaming indicators. Here’s how we gathered and measured each data source:
- Professional Gamers
We quantified the number of top-earning U.S.-based esports players listed on EsportsEarnings.com and assigned each to their state of birth to ensure geographic accuracy. - Gaming Streamers
Using TwitchMetrics.net, we compiled a list of high-performing gaming streamers and matched each creator to their state of origin. - Gaming Conventions
We counted major gaming events per state based on the 2024 VideoGameCons.com calendar, including popular expos like SoCal Gaming Expo and Kawakon. - Gaming Interest
We measured average monthly Google search volume for terms such as “online games,” “video games,” and “new video games” to reflect overall interest. - Internet Speeds
We incorporated each state’s average internet speed, based on World Population Review, to account for essential broadband infrastructure
Full Rankings of the Best States for Gamers in 2025
| State | Pro Gamers | Streamers | Conventions | Searches (p/m) | Internet Speed (Mbps) | Index Score (/100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 22 | 18 | 19 | 33100 | 98.00 | 80.00 |
| Texas | 6 | 5 | 19 | 27100 | 92.30 | 63.44 |
| Florida | 6 | 7 | 17 | 18100 | 32.23 | 53.04 |
| New York | 4 | 6 | 8 | 13100 | 39.77 | 42.37 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 5 | 6 | 10000 | 43.08 | 36.54 |
| Illinois | 4 | 6 | 8 | 9900 | 32.49 | 35.71 |
| Maryland | 2 | 6 | 3 | 9200 | 50.67 | 33.45 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6600 | 42.18 | 32.21 |
| Georgia | 3 | 8 | 3 | 8100 | 41.93 | 30.94 |
| Michigan | 3 | 8 | 3 | 8100 | 33.31 | 30.83 |
| Virginia | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8100 | 50.56 | 30.71 |
| Washington | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8100 | 30.31 | 30.53 |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5400 | 40.12 | 29.31 |
| Ohio | 2 | 1 | 10 | 9100 | 29.09 | 28.43 |
| Arizona | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6600 | 32.63 | 26.01 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9900 | 31.25 | 25.34 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3900 | 29.41 | 21.71 |
| Missouri | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5400 | 29.34 | 20.61 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3600 | 32.24 | 20.34 |
| Alabama | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3400 | 34.45 | 20.25 |
| Colorado | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5400 | 34.92 | 20.17 |
| Delaware | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1900 | 30.42 | 18.41 |
| Minnesota | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2900 | 27.74 | 18.15 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2900 | 35.11 | 17.85 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5400 | 35.11 | 17.83 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 1 | 1 | 720 | 43.33 | 17.54 |
| Indiana | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5400 | 33.10 | 17.44 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3140 | 31.66 | 17.09 |
| Oregon | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3600 | 31.69 | 16.85 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1000 | 41.92 | 16.84 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4400 | 27.77 | 15.31 |
| Vermont | 0 | 0 | 2 | 390 | 20.82 | 15.17 |
| Kentucky | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2400 | 19.24 | 14.95 |
| Kansas | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2400 | 32.57 | 14.78 |
| Nevada | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2400 | 33.46 | 14.45 |
| Utah | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2900 | 31.20 | 14.24 |
| West Virginia | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1300 | 27.32 | 13.91 |
| Nebraska | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1300 | 27.40 | 13.54 |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1900 | 18.93 | 13.27 |
| New Mexico | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1300 | 28.87 | 12.86 |
| Hawaii | 0 | 0 | 0 | 880 | 22.14 | 9.64 |
| Alaska | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2800 | 28.51 | 9.43 |
| Mississippi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1600 | 22.60 | 8.94 |
| Arkansas | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2300 | 24.43 | 8.41 |
| North Dakota | 0 | 1 | 1 | 590 | 24.34 | 8.41 |
| Idaho | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1000 | 20.52 | 8.17 |
| Maine | 0 | 0 | 1 | 900 | 20.32 | 7.91 |
| Wyoming | 0 | 0 | 0 | 390 | 19.17 | 7.85 |
| South Dakota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 720 | 11.05 | 4.53 |
| Montana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 590 | 4.39 | 1.09 |
The Final Score: The Best and Worst Gaming States
Gaming culture varies wildly across the U.S.—from California’s global influence to Montana’s digital gaps. It’s no longer just about internet speeds; it’s about communities, creators, and how gaming shapes identity. Whether it’s through massive conventions or local streamers, each state’s gaming profile tells a different story.
