California and Texas may have been the states with the most bookstores in 2012, but the state with the most bookstores per capita was Montana. That was one of the findings of PW’s look at the health of bookselling around the country. PW collected figures on the number of bookstores in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, a total that includes every branch of bookselling: chain stores, big-box stores, independents, and the Association of Christian Retailers’ CBA stores.
Wyoming and Vermont came in second and third in terms of bookstores per capita. In 2007, the last time PW surveyed bookselling by state, the Montana, Wyoming, and Vermont were #3, #1, and #2, respectively, indicating long-term bookselling stability. Despite the fact that none of the three have many chain bookstores (Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million), these states rank at the top because of relatively low populations and relatively high independent bookstore numbers. Perhaps most impressive is Vermont: of its 38 bookstores, only one is a big-box retailer and one is a chain; the rest are indies.
A more in-depth breakdown shows that six states have more big-box stores than traditional bookstores: Arizona, Maryland, Nevada, North Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin. Of these, Wisconsin ranked the highest in terms of bookstores per capita, at #32, indicating that a strong traditional bookselling presence is necessary for a high per-capita ratio.
Most states have more traditional bookstores than big-box stores, and in 10 states, the ratio of traditional bookstores to big-box stores was 2:1 or greater: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. Vermont had the biggest ratio, with 37:1, but Washington, D.C., wasn’t far behind, with a ratio of 33:1. States with high ratios of traditional booksellers were scattered across the per-capita ranking: Vermont, Alaska, and D.C. were in the top 15, but Connecticut, Hawaii, New York, and Rhode Island were at the very bottom. The takeaway: a large number of traditional bookstores alone isn’t enough to ensure a high per-capita ratio—it must be supplemented by big-box stores.
In general, states with relatively low populations ranked highly while states with high populations didn’t fare as well. Of the seven territories with populations under one million (Alaska, D.C., Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming), five were in the top 25 per-capita ranking. Conversely, Texas and California ranked #35 and #46, respectively, despite being the only two states with more than 1,000 stores each. The states with the fewest bookstores total (27 each), North Dakota and Rhode Island, were ranked #34 and #50, respectively (North Dakota ranked higher because of its considerably lower population).
Other than population numbers, one of the main factors in the ranking was CBA presence. Across the board, states had comparable big-box, chain, and independent numbers relative to population. (Arizona and Washington, with similar population numbers, were only eight bookstores apart, and as a result ranked #39 and #41, respectively.) But states that had large numbers of CBA stores tended to fare better in the ranking. Several states were bolstered by CBA stores, including Alabama (126 CBA stores), Tennessee (166), Colorado (111), and Missouri (133). All were in the top 10 per-capita ranking, despite the fact that each has a population greater than 3 million.
On the other side of the coin, states with relatively small CBA presences fared poorly in the ranking: Maryland (73), Massachusetts (67), and Wisconsin (61) have populations comparable to those of Alabama and Tennessee, but far fewer CBA stores, and thus they ranked much lower. The CBA effect was substantial enough to affect an entire region: most states in the Northeast, which had the lowest concentration of CBA stores, were at the bottom of the ranking, and five of the region’s states were in the bottom seven.
Bookselling By State
(Click on a state's name to get a more detailed breakdown of its bookselling stats)
| States | Population | Total Stores | Per Capita | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 1,005,141 | 64 | 15,705 |
| 2 | Wyoming | 576,412 | 35 | 16,469 |
| 3 | Vermont | 626,011 | 38 | 16,474 |
| 4 | Alabama | 4,822,023 | 286 | 16,860 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 6,456,243 | 369 | 17,497 |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,845,525 | 105 | 17,576 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 2,949,131 | 165 | 17,874 |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,187,582 | 288 | 18,012 |
| 9 | Kansas | 2,885,905 | 160 | 18,037 |
| 10 | Missouri | 6,021,988 | 330 | 18,248 |
| 11 | Alaska | 731,449 | 40 | 18,286 |
| 12 | Iowa | 3,074,186 | 168 | 18,299 |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,379,139 | 293 | 18,359 |
| 14 | Washington, D.C. | 632,323 | 34 | 18,598 |
| 15 | South Carolina | 4,723,723 | 251 | 18,820 |
| 16 | Mississippi | 2,984,926 | 157 | 19,012 |
| 17 | West Virginia | 1,855,413 | 97 | 19,128 |
| 18 | Georgia | 9,919,945 | 508 | 19,527 |
| 19 | Indiana | 6,537,334 | 333 | 19,632 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 9,752,073 | 486 | 20,066 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 3,814,820 | 189 | 20,184 |
| 22 | Kentucky | 4,380,415 | 211 | 20,760 |
| 23 | New Mexico | 2,085,538 | 97 | 21,500 |
| 24 | Louisiana | 4,601,893 | 213 | 21,605 |
| 25 | South Dakota | 833,354 | 38 | 21,930 |
| 26 | Virginia | 8,185,866 | 372 | 22,005 |
| 27 | Oregon | 3,899,353 | 173 | 22,540 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | 1,320,718 | 55 | 24,013 |
| 29 | Florida | 19,317,568 | 797 | 24,238 |
| 30 | Illinois | 12,875,255 | 523 | 24,618 |
| 31 | Ohio | 11,544,225 | 467 | 24,720 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 5,726,398 | 231 | 24,790 |
| 33 | Idaho | 1,595,728 | 63 | 25,329 |
| 34 | North Dakota | 699,628 | 27 | 25,912 |
| 35 | Texas | 26,059,203 | 1,004 | 25,955 |
| 36 | Maine | 1,329,192 | 51 | 26,062 |
| 37 | Utah | 2,855,287 | 109 | 26,195 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | 12,763,536 | 478 | 26,702 |
| 39 | Arizona | 6,553,255 | 238 | 27,535 |
| 40 | Maryland | 5,884,563 | 199 | 29,571 |
| 41 | Washington | 6,897,012 | 230 | 29,987 |
| 42 | Michigan | 9,883,360 | 327 | 30,224 |
| 43 | Delaware | 917,092 | 30 | 30,570 |
| 44 | Nevada | 2,758,931 | 89 | 30,999 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | 6,646,144 | 213 | 31,203 |
| 46 | California | 38,041,430 | 1,185 | 32,102 |
| 47 | Connecticut | 3,590,347 | 102 | 35,199 |
| 48 | Hawaii | 1,392,313 | 36 | 38,675 |
| 49 | New York | 19,570,261 | 505 | 38,753 |
| 50 | Rhode Island | 1,050,292 | 27 | 38,900 |
| 51 | New Jersey | 8,864,590 | 217 | 40,851 |
| Total | 313,904,193 | 12,703 | 24,053 |
Alabama
2012 Estimated Population: 4,822,023
2012 Independent Bookstores: 122
2012 Chain Bookstores: 47
2012 Total Bookstores: 169
2012 Big-box Stores: 117
2012 Total Stores: 286
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 16,860
2012 Per Capita Rank: 4
Alaska
2012 Estimated Population: 731,449
2012 Independent Bookstores: 25
2012 Chain Bookstores: 2
2012 Total Bookstores: 27
2012 Big-box Stores: 13
2012 Total Stores: 40
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 18,286
2012 Per Capita Rank: 11
Arizona
2012 Estimated Population: 6,553,255
2012 Independent Bookstores: 57
2012 Chain Bookstores: 40
2012 Total Bookstores: 97
2012 Big-box Stores: 141
2012 Total Stores: 238
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 27,535
2012 Per Capita Rank: 39
Arkansas
2012 Estimated Population: 2,949,131
2012 Independent Bookstores: 67
2012 Chain Bookstores: 18
2012 Total Bookstores: 85
2012 Big-box Stores: 80
2012 Total Stores: 165
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 17,874
2012 Per Capita Rank: 7
California
2012 Estimated Population: 38,041,430
2012 Independent Bookstores: 613
2012 Chain Bookstores: 97
2012 Total Bookstores: 710
2012 Big-box Stores: 475
2012 Total Stores: 1,185
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 32,102
2012 Per Capita Rank: 46
Colorado
2012 Estimated Population: 5,187,582
2012 Independent Bookstores: 148
2012 Chain Bookstores: 23
2012 Total Bookstores: 171
2012 Big-box Stores: 117
2012 Total Stores: 288
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 18,012
2012 Per Capita Rank: 8
Connecticut
2012 Estimated Population: 3,590,347
2012 Independent Bookstores: 57
2012 Chain Bookstores: 14
2012 Total Bookstores: 71
2012 Big-box Stores: 31
2012 Total Stores: 102
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 35,199
2012 Per Capita Rank: 47
Delaware
2012 Estimated Population: 917,092
2012 Independent Bookstores: 17
2012 Chain Bookstores: 3
2012 Total Bookstores: 20
2012 Big-box Stores: 10
2012 Total Stores: 30
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 30,570
2012 Per Capita Rank: 43
Florida
2012 Estimated Population: 19,317,568
2012 Independent Bookstores: 363
2012 Chain Bookstores: 92
2012 Total Bookstores: 455
2012 Big-box Stores: 342
2012 Total Stores: 797
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 24,238
2012 Per Capita Rank: 29
Georgia
2012 Estimated Population: 9,919,945
2012 Independent Bookstores: 252
2012 Chain Bookstores: 52
2012 Total Bookstores: 304
2012 Big-box Stores: 204
2012 Total Stores: 508
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 19,527
2012 Per Capita Rank: 18
Hawaii
2012 Estimated Population: 1,392,313
2012 Independent Bookstores: 21
2012 Chain Bookstores: 4
2012 Total Bookstores: 25
2012 Big-box Stores: 11
2012 Total Stores: 36
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 38,675
2012 Per Capita Rank: 48
Idaho
2012 Estimated Population: 1,595,728
2012 Independent Bookstores: 28
2012 Chain Bookstores: 4
2012 Total Bookstores: 32
2012 Big-box Stores: 31
2012 Total Stores: 63
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 25,329
2012 Per Capita Rank: 33
Illinois
2012 Estimated Population: 12,875,255
2012 Independent Bookstores: 253
2012 Chain Bookstores: 40
2012 Total Bookstores: 293
2012 Big-box Stores: 230
2012 Total Stores: 523
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 24,618
2012 Per Capita Rank: 30
Indiana
2012 Estimated Population: 6,537,334
2012 Independent Bookstores: 184
2012 Chain Bookstores: 21
2012 Total Bookstores: 205
2012 Big-box Stores: 128
2012 Total Stores: 333
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 19,632
2012 Per Capita Rank: 19
Iowa
2012 Estimated Population: 3,074,186
2012 Independent Bookstores: 77
2012 Chain Bookstores: 12
2012 Total Bookstores: 89
2012 Big-box Stores: 79
2012 Total Stores: 168
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 18,299
2012 Per Capita Rank: 12
Kansas
2012 Estimated Population: 2,885,905
2012 Independent Bookstores: 75
2012 Chain Bookstores: 10
2012 Total Bookstores: 85
2012 Big-box Stores: 75
2012 Total Stores: 160
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 18,037
2012 Per Capita Rank: 9
Kentucky
2012 Estimated Population: 4,380,415
2012 Independent Bookstores: 98
2012 Chain Bookstores: 22
2012 Total Bookstores: 120
2012 Big-box Stores: 91
2012 Total Stores: 211
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 20,760
2012 Per Capita Rank: 22
Louisiana
2012 Estimated Population: 4,601,893
2012 Independent Bookstores: 92
2012 Chain Bookstores: 24
2012 Total Bookstores: 116
2012 Big-box Stores: 97
2012 Total Stores: 213
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 21,605
2012 Per Capita Rank: 24
Maine
2012 Estimated Population: 1,329,192
2012 Independent Bookstores: 25
2012 Chain Bookstores: 4
2012 Total Bookstores: 29
2012 Big-box Stores: 22
2012 Total Stores: 51
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 26,062
2012 Per Capita Rank: 36
Maryland
2012 Estimated Population: 5,884,563
2012 Independent Bookstores: 102
2012 Chain Bookstores: 26
2012 Total Bookstores: 128
2012 Big-box Stores: 71
2012 Total Stores: 199
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 29,571
2012 Per Capita Rank: 40
Massachusetts
2012 Estimated Population: 6,646,144
2012 Independent Bookstores: 137
2012 Chain Bookstores: 19
2012 Total Bookstores: 156
2012 Big-box Stores: 57
2012 Total Stores: 213
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 31,203
2012 Per Capita Rank: 45
Michigan
2012 Estimated Population: 9,883,360
2012 Independent Bookstores: 150
2012 Chain Bookstores: 24
2012 Total Bookstores: 174
2012 Big-box Stores: 153
2012 Total Stores: 327
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 30,224
2012 Per Capita Rank: 42
Minnesota
2012 Estimated Population: 5,379,139
2012 Independent Bookstores: 125
2012 Chain Bookstores: 27
2012 Total Bookstores: 152
2012 Big-box Stores: 141
2012 Total Stores: 293
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 18,359
2012 Per Capita Rank: 13
Mississippi
2012 Estimated Population: 2,984,926
2012 Independent Bookstores: 70
2012 Chain Bookstores: 20
2012 Total Bookstores: 90
2012 Big-box Stores: 67
2012 Total Stores: 157
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 19,012
2012 Per Capita Rank: 16
Missouri
2012 Estimated Population: 6,021,988
2012 Independent Bookstores: 158
2012 Chain Bookstores: 24
2012 Total Bookstores: 182
2012 Big-box Stores: 148
2012 Total Stores: 330
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 18,248
2012 Per Capita Rank: 10
Montana
2012 Estimated Population: 1,005,141
2012 Independent Bookstores: 35
2012 Chain Bookstores: 5
2012 Total Bookstores: 40
2012 Big-box Stores: 24
2012 Total Stores: 64
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 15,705
2012 Per Capita Rank: 1
Nebraska
2012 Estimated Population: 1,845,525
2012 Independent Bookstores: 53
2012 Chain Bookstores: 5
2012 Total Bookstores: 58
2012 Big-box Stores: 47
2012 Total Stores: 105
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 17,576
2012 Per Capita Rank: 6
Nevada
2012 Estimated Population: 2,758,931
2012 Independent Bookstores: 27
2012 Chain Bookstores: 6
2012 Total Bookstores: 33
2012 Big-box Stores: 56
2012 Total Stores: 89
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 30,999
2012 Per Capita Rank: 44
New Hampshire
2012 Estimated Population: 1,320,718
2012 Independent Bookstores: 24
2012 Chain Bookstores: 7
2012 Total Bookstores: 31
2012 Big-box Stores: 24
2012 Total Stores: 55
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 24,013
2012 Per Capita Rank: 28
New Jersey
2012 Estimated Population: 8,864,590
2012 Independent Bookstores: 114
2012 Chain Bookstores: 28
2012 Total Bookstores: 142
2012 Big-box Stores: 75
2012 Total Stores: 217
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 40,851
2012 Per Capita Rank: 51
New Mexico
2012 Estimated Population: 2,085,538
2012 Independent Bookstores: 48
2012 Chain Bookstores: 3
2012 Total Bookstores: 51
2012 Big-box Stores: 46
2012 Total Stores: 97
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 21,500
2012 Per Capita Rank: 23
New York
2012 Estimated Population: 19,570,261
2012 Independent Bookstores: 303
2012 Chain Bookstores: 50
2012 Total Bookstores: 353
2012 Big-box Stores: 152
2012 Total Stores: 505
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 38,753
2012 Per Capita Rank: 49
North Carolina
2012 Estimated Population: 9,752,073
2012 Independent Bookstores: 245
2012 Chain Bookstores: 56
2012 Total Bookstores: 301
2012 Big-box Stores: 185
2012 Total Stores: 486
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 20,066
2012 Per Capita Rank: 20
North Dakota
2012 Estimated Population: 699,628
2012 Independent Bookstores:
2012 Chain Bookstores: 3
2012 Total Bookstores: 11
2012 Big-box Stores: 16
2012 Total Stores: 27
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 25,912
2012 Per Capita Rank: 34
Ohio
2012 Estimated Population: 11,544,225
2012 Independent Bookstores: 219
2012 Chain Bookstores: 45
2012 Total Bookstores: 264
2012 Big-box Stores: 203
2012 Total Stores: 467
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 24,720
2012 Per Capita Rank: 31
Oklahoma
2012 Estimated Population: 3,814,820
2012 Independent Bookstores: 80
2012 Chain Bookstores: 17
2012 Total Bookstores: 97
2012 Big-box Stores: 92
2012 Total Stores: 189
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 20,184
2012 Per Capita Rank: 21
Oregon
2012 Estimated Population: 3,899,353
2012 Independent Bookstores: 111
2012 Chain Bookstores: 9
2012 Total Bookstores: 120
2012 Big-box Stores: 53
2012 Total Stores: 173
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 22,540
2012 Per Capita Rank: 27
Pennsylvania
2012 Estimated Population: 12,763,536
2012 Independent Bookstores: 246
2012 Chain Bookstores: 54
2012 Total Bookstores: 300
2012 Big-box Stores: 178
2012 Total Stores: 478
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 26,702
2012 Per Capita Rank: 38
Rhode Island
2012 Estimated Population: 1,050,292
2012 Independent Bookstores: 15
2012 Chain Bookstores: 3
2012 Total Bookstores: 18
2012 Big-box Stores: 9
2012 Total Stores: 27
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 38,900
2012 Per Capita Rank: 50
South Carolina
2012 Estimated Population: 4,723,723
2012 Independent Bookstores: 117
2012 Chain Bookstores: 33
2012 Total Bookstores: 150
2012 Big-box Stores: 101
2012 Total Stores: 251
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 18,820
2012 Per Capita Rank: 15
South Dakota
2012 Estimated Population: 833,354
2012 Independent Bookstores: 18
2012 Chain Bookstores: 2
2012 Total Bookstores: 20
2012 Big-box Stores: 18
2012 Total Stores: 38
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 21,930
2012 Per Capita Rank: 25
Tennessee
2012 Estimated Population: 6,456,243
2012 Independent Bookstores: 173
2012 Chain Bookstores: 51
2012 Total Bookstores: 224
2012 Big-box Stores: 145
2012 Total Stores: 369
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 17,497
2012 Per Capita Rank: 5
Texas
2012 Estimated Population: 26,059,203
2012 Independent Bookstores: 388
2012 Chain Bookstores: 121
2012 Total Bookstores: 509
2012 Big-box Stores: 495
2012 Total Stores: 1,004
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 25,955
2012 Per Capita Rank: 35
Utah
2012 Estimated Population: 2,855,287
2012 Independent Bookstores: 29
2012 Chain Bookstores: 18
2012 Total Bookstores: 47
2012 Big-box Stores: 62
2012 Total Stores: 109
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 26,195
2012 Per Capita Rank: 37
Vermont
2012 Estimated Population: 626,011
2012 Independent Bookstores: 36
2012 Chain Bookstores: 1
2012 Total Bookstores: 37
2012 Big-box Stores: 1
2012 Total Stores: 38
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 16,474
2012 Per Capita Rank: 3
Virginia
2012 Estimated Population: 8,185,866
2012 Independent Bookstores: 145
2012 Chain Bookstores: 56
2012 Total Bookstores: 201
2012 Big-box Stores: 171
2012 Total Stores: 372
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 22,005
2012 Per Capita Rank: 26
Washington
2012 Estimated Population: 6,897,012
2012 Independent Bookstores: 98
2012 Chain Bookstores: 23
2012 Total Bookstores: 121
2012 Big-box Stores: 109
2012 Total Stores: 230
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 29,987
2012 Per Capita Rank: 41
Washington, D.C.
2012 Estimated Population: 632,323
2012 Independent Bookstores: 29
2012 Chain Bookstores: 4
2012 Total Bookstores: 33
2012 Big-box Stores: 1
2012 Total Stores: 34
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 18,598
2012 Per Capita Rank: 14
West Virginia
2012 Estimated Population: 1,855,413
2012 Independent Bookstores: 44
2012 Chain Bookstores: 9
2012 Total Bookstores: 53
2012 Big-box Stores: 44
2012 Total Stores: 97
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 19,128
2012 Per Capita Rank: 17
Wisconsin
2012 Estimated Population: 5,726,398
2012 Independent Bookstores: 100
2012 Chain Bookstores: 13
2012 Total Bookstores: 113
2012 Big-box Stores: 118
2012 Total Stores: 231
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 24,790
2012 Per Capita Rank: 32
Wyoming
2012 Estimated Population: 576,412
2012 Independent Bookstores: 22
2012 Chain Bookstores: 1
2012 Total Bookstores: 23
2012 Big-box Stores: 12
2012 Total Stores: 35
2012 Per Capita: 1 per 16,469
2012 Per Capita Rank: 2
