top of page

The States with the Most Photographers - Revealed

  • Hawaii has the highest number of photographers in the country, with 123.87 photographers per 100K people.

  • The states with the higher number of photographers are dominantly located in the Northwest.

  • In contrast, Mississippi has the lowest number of photographers in the country, with just 39.30 photographers per 100K people.


Tourist man taking photos of volcano mountain valley from the top on Big Island, Hawaii

Man taking photos of from the top on Big Island, Hawaii by janifest, 123RF

New study reveals that Hawaii has the most photographers in the country.

The research, conducted by royalty-free stock photo and content agency 123RF.com, analyzed data from the US Census Bureau to discover which states have the highest number of photographers per 100K people.


The study revealed that Hawaii is the state with the highest number of photographers. The Aloha state ranked so highly due to its total of 1,759 total photography service businesses, which equates to 123.87 services per 100K people. When broken down, Hawaii has 139 employer establishments and 1,620 non-employer establishments or independent businesses.


Silhouette of a man taking a sunrise picture in Yellowstone National Park

Man taking a sunrise picture in Yellowstone National Park by desloov1, 123RF


Montana placed next in the ranking, with the second-highest number of photographers in the country. Montana has 110.39 photographers per 100K people, with a total of 1,172 total photography businesses statewide. Interestingly, many states with the most photographers are located in the country’s Northwest, including Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon.

The analysis revealed that Colorado has the third-highest number of photographers, with 104.86 photography businesses per 100K people. Of the 5,961 total photographic service businesses in Colorado, 430 are employer establishments, while 5,531 are non-employer independent businesses.


Hike in the Utah mountains. Hiking in unusual natural landscapes. Fantastic forms sandstone formations.

Hiker in the Utah mountains by kamchatka, 123RF


Utah ranked as the fourth state with the highest number of photographers. Of the total 3,033 photography businesses in Utah, 258 are employer establishments, and 2,775 are independent businesses, equating to 96.25 photographers per 100K people in the Western state.


Woman Photographer at River surrounded by Trees and Mountains in American Landscape. Snake River, Oxbow Bend. Spring Season Sunset. Grand Teton National Park. Wyoming, US

Woman photographer at Grand Teton National Park by edgarbullon, 123RF


The study placed Wyoming next in the ranking, with the fifth-highest number of photography businesses in the country; 95.64 photographers per 100K thousand people. The top ten is rounded out by Vermont ranking in sixth place, Oregon in seventh, followed by South Dakota, Idaho, and Maine in eighth, ninth and tenth, respectively.


On the other end of the scale, the study revealed that Mississippi has the lowest amount of photographers in the country when compared to its population. Mississippi has a total of 1,172 photographic service businesses, equating to just 39.30 photographers per 100K people.


Photography equipment on a desktop

Photography equipment on a desktop by stockasso, 123RF


A spokesperson for 123RF.com commented on the study: “With an estimated 38,420 professional photographers across the country, according to the US Census Bureau, many different factors can attract photographers to certain states and cities. Finding a location with the right mix of culture, job opportunities, income, and subject matter can be challenging, but some states can evidently offer more to photographers than others.


“This study offers an interesting insight into where photography is most prominent in the country. Hawaii unsurprisingly takes the crown, as Hawaiian photographers are often spoiled for choice with the state’s beautiful landscapes and scenery.”


The Top 10 States with the Most Photographers, by 123RF

​Rank

State

Estimate (All Employer establishments)

Estimate (All Non-employer firms)

Total photographic services businesses

Photographic services business per 100k people

1

Hawaii

139

1,620

1,759

123.87

2

Montana

77

1,095

1,172

110.39

3

Colorado

430

5,531

5,961

104.86

4

Utah

258

2,775

3,033

96.25

5

Wyoming

47

509

556

95.64

6

Vermont

29

​561

590

94.50

7

Oregon

224

3,654

3,878

92.86

8

South Dakota

50

751

801

91.09

9

Idaho

76

1,502

1,578

89.95

10

Maine

65

1,120

1,185

88.38

 

The study was conducted by 123RF, which provides the best royalty free stock photos, vectors, footage, , and music files for by talented artists and contributors worldwide.


 

If you use these insights, please link credit to www.123rf.com, who conducted the research.

Sources: US Census Bureau

758 views

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page