The SlotsLV Social States Index: Where America Comes Together
At SlotsLV, we value fun, connection and the places that bring people together. That’s why we analyzed all 50 US states to find out where residents have the greatest access to social opportunities.
While California, Texas, Florida and New York might dominate the conversation, Montana tops the ranking of America’s most social states, with Vermont and Wyoming close behind.
We assessed each state across five key indicators:
- Coworking spaces
- Nonprofit organizations
- Bars and restaurants
- New arrivals from other states
- Sport and fitness centers
Each state was scored across these indicators, adjusted per capita, and ranked into a final Social States Index.
The Most Sociable States
Montana takes the top spot thanks to its strong performance across the categories that matter most for everyday social life, scoring highest for its nonprofit organizations and number of bars and restaurants.
The Treasure State has 7,965 nonprofits, 2,838 bars and restaurants, and 215 sports and fitness centers. For those looking to make new friends, Montana also welcomed 35,735 new arrivals, equivalent to 3,102 per 100,000 people.
Vermont ranks second overall and is the national leader for nonprofits per capita. With 4,553 nonprofits for a population of just 642,805, the Green Mountain State has the kind of community infrastructure that makes it easier to meet people, get involved, and build a local network.
Wyoming places third, helped by the highest new arrivals score nationwide. The state welcomed 25,060 new arrivals from other states, equivalent to 4,242 arrivals per 100,000 residents. The Cowboy State also ranks high for nonprofits, scoring 8 out of 10.
Colorado ranks fourth overall and leads the country for coworking access, scoring a perfect 10 out of 10 in that category.
New Hampshire rounds out the top five and is the best state in America for sports and fitness centers per capita, scoring 10 out of 10.
The pattern is clear. The most social states are not simply the biggest or busiest.
Best States to Make New Friends
To find the best states for making new friends, we looked at three important social indicators: nonprofit organizations, bars and restaurants, and new arrivals from other states.
California, Texas, and Florida all have huge populations and major social hubs. Yet once the data is adjusted per capita, they fall much lower in the overall index.
Montana tops this ranking because it performs well across every friend-making measure. It has a high density of nonprofits, scoring 9.7 out of 10; one of the best bars and restaurants scores in the country, at 9.7 out of 10; and a 6.5 out of 10 for new arrivals.
Wyoming ranks second, with the highest new arrivals rate in the study. It has a high density of nonprofits, scoring 8 out of 10; a bars and restaurants score of 5.9 out of 10; and a 10 out of 10 for new arrivals. Wyoming has 25,060 newcomers, equivalent to 4,242 per 100,000 residents.
Vermont takes third place but ranks first in the country for nonprofits per capita, with 708 nonprofits per 100,000 people. Vermont scores a perfect 10 out of 10 for nonprofits, a 5 out of 10 for bars and restaurants, and an 8.4 out of 10 for new people.
Alaska ranks fourth, with an overall friendship score of 22 and Hawaii ranks fifth, with an overall friendship score of 21.8. Both states combine high new-arrival rates with strong social venue access, suggesting they could be better for building new connections than people might expect.
Best States for Nightlife
When it comes to nightlife, the usual suspects come to mind: New York, California, Nevada, Florida, and Texas.
But when we look at bars and restaurants per person, the picture changes.
Rhode Island may be the smallest state, but it leads the country for bars and restaurants per capita. With 2,790 venues for just over 1.1 million people, the state scores 10 out of 10.
Montana comes in second. With a total of 2,838 bars and restaurants and scoring 9.7 out of 10, Montana gives locals plenty of places to gather in lively hubs like Bozeman, Missoula, and Billings.
New York is the one major population giant that still performs strongly in this category. With 48,184 bars and restaurants, it has by far the largest raw count among the top 10 nightlife states. For this category, The Big Apple scores 9.1 out of 10… it’s no wonder New York is known as the city that never sleeps.
Oregon ranks fourth, also scoring 9.1 out of 10, and Hawaii rounds out the top five, scoring 8.4 out of 10. Both states are helped by their strong hospitality, food, and tourism infrastructure.
Most Fitness-focused States
For many Americans, social life happens at the gym, in a fitness class, at a sports center, or through active hobbies.
New Hampshire is the clear winner for active social lives. With 21 sports and fitness centers per 100,000 residents, it scores a perfect 10 out of10 in this category.
Montana ranks second, with 215 sports and fitness centers. The state scores 8.7 out of 10 for fitness.
Massachusetts comes in third, with 1,230 sports and fitness centers. That helped the state to achieve an index score of 7.6 out of 10 by keeping locals fit, active, and connected.
Colorado ranks fourth, scoring 6.8 out of 10, fitting its reputation as one of America’s most active states. It has 972 sports and fitness centers, plus the highest coworking score in the overall index, making it a strong choice for people who want both active and flexible social lives.
Rounding out the top five is Rhode Island, which performs well for fitness with 178 sports and fitness centers, scoring 6.7 out of 10.
The most active states show that social connection is not limited to nightlife, and some of the strongest social networks are built through fitness and sports.
Key Takeaways: America’s Most Social States Are Not Always The Obvious Ones
At SlotsLV, we found that the most social states in America are not necessarily the largest, loudest, or most famous. Five key takeaways include:
- Montana ranks first overall because it combines strong community infrastructure, nightlife access, and active social opportunities.
- Vermont stands out for nonprofits
- Wyoming is the best state for new arrivals.
- Rhode Island leads for bars and restaurants.
- New Hampshire is the top state for sport and fitness.
So, whether you are looking to make new friends, enjoy better nightlife, stay active, or simply live somewhere with more social opportunities around you, the best states may not be the ones you expect.
Methodology
With data collected in July 2026, we analyzed all 50 US states across five indicators linked to social opportunities:
- Coworking spaces: used as a measure of flexible workspaces and professional networking opportunities.
- Nonprofit organizations: used as a measure of community groups, volunteering opportunities, local causes, and organized social infrastructure.
- Bars and restaurants: used as a measure of nightlife, dining, and casual social venues.
- New arrivals from other states: used as a measure of population movement and the potential for meeting people who are also building new social circles.
- Sports and fitness centers: used as a measure of active social opportunities, including fitness, sports, and recreational spaces.
For each state, raw counts were collected for every indicator. These figures were then adjusted against the state population to calculate per-capita figures.
Each indicator was converted into an index score, and the five indicators were combined to produce a total Social States Index score for every state.
The 50 states were then ranked from highest to lowest, with the highest-scoring state named America’s most social state.