The Most Relaxed States in America: The SlotsLV Relaxation Index
The states most Americans assume are overrun are in fact the most relaxed states in America.
California, Texas, and Florida typically have a pace of life, leisure facilities, and a fun reputation. But it’s Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and Wyoming that top the bill in the relaxation stakes.
At SlotsLV, we value relaxation and fun, so we analyzed over a million venues across all 50 US states to determine which state is the most relaxed.
This is a real look at the United States to find out where people have the best access to relaxing activities, spaces, and entertainment, ranked by what is actually available to the people who live there.
The data is broken down into five categories, including wellness and fitness, outdoor relaxation, entertainment and leisure, digital leisure, and digital-friendly spaces. It was then adjusted for the population to get per-capita figures, and all 50 states were weighted and ranked into an index.
Our findings reveal that Oregon is the #1 most relaxed state in the US, while Florida ranks a lowly 45th. Wyoming outranks California by 12 places. But why?
This is the SlotsLV Relaxed States Index.
Top 10 Most Relaxed States – Small States, Big Payoff
While the usual coastal states like California on the West Coast or Florida on the East Coast are expected to be the most chilled out, eight of the top 10 relaxed states are in New England, the Pacific Northwest, or the Mountain West.
Oregon leads the index thanks to its wellness and digital remote work offering, supported by 8,497 outdoor and relaxation spots to offer.
The Beaver State scores #1 nationally for yoga studios, Pilates studios and coworking spaces per capita. It’s the only state to dominate three amenity types at once.
Washington scores highest of any state for spa density and fitness centers per capita. Washington has 1,833 wellness and fitness venues, and an impressive 16,003 outdoor relaxation spots.
Wyoming surprisingly jumps 41 places from the raw data count (1,801 facilities and spaces) to the per-capita final ranking (307 per 100,000 people). Wyoming has a lot of space and a lower population density, giving you time and freedom to enjoy everything that’s available.
North Dakota tops the nation for its outdoor relaxation per capita. It has a huge 449 outdoor spaces per 100,000 residents. To put that into context, that’s 11 times more than Louisiana at the bottom.
And when it comes to consistency across the board, you can’t beat New Hampshire. It’s the only state to rank in the top 10 across all five categories. For a location that has a little bit of everything, the Granite State fits the bill.
The States That Look Relaxed, But Aren’t
Yes, Florida, Texas, California, and New York all top the charts for the number of venues. When you consider per person, we see a different story. And they’re not quite as relaxed as you might first think.
| State | Raw venue count | Final rank |
| Florida | 27,936 | #45 |
| Texas | 24,103 | #46 |
| California | 56,370 | #29 |
| New York | 28,708 | #30 |
Wellness is everywhere in California. In fact, it has more wellness venues than any state. At 4,936, this is three times more than second-placed Texas. Yet, more people mean less access. Adjusting the numbers per capita, it sits at 18th on the wellness scale.
Florida might be a leisure paradise for tourists and residents, with well over 100,000 options for entertainment. But adjusting the figures per capita paints a different picture, with Florida ranking 45th out of 50 for leisure options per 1,000 people.
Texas holds its own in the entertainment stakes, with a raw venue count of 24,103. However, per capita it’s the fifth lowest across America with just 77 venues per 100,000 residents.
Nevada is a notable outlier, ranking #33 on the index. While the state has 3.2 million residents, much of its leisure infrastructure is concentrated in Las Vegas and geared toward tourists rather than locals.
At SlotsLV, we found that population is a big determining factor. Just 7.3% of the US population lives in the top 10 most relaxing states. And 27.8% are crammed into the bottom 10 states.
Top 10 Digital-friendly States
Remote work has redrawn the map of where Americans want to live.
A handful of states have built the infrastructure to meet this need; the states building enough Libraries, coworking spaces, and cafés per capita are the ones telling you where it’s genuinely possible to work from anywhere.
#1 – Vermont – Best for Digital Density
Vermont is known for its maple syrup production, fall foliage, and idyllic rural landscapes. However, the data reveals its digital hub too, promising 237 mapped digital-friendly venues for just 648,493 residents.
That’s comfortably the highest density of digital venues for any state. Texas, on the other hand, has just 898 digital-friendly venues for its 31.3 million inhabitants.
#2 – Oregon – Best for Remote Work
Oregon leads the nation in coworking spaces per capita, with one space for every 100,000 residents.
Centered around Portland’s renowned remote work culture, it’s a hub for digital nomads looking to work flexibly before heading off to explore the state’s rugged coastline and dramatic landscapes.
#3 – New Hampshire – Best for Work and Play
New Hampshire is the only state in the top 10 for both escape rooms and video game shops, as well as libraries and coworking spaces.
With one escape room and one video game shop per 100,000 people, there’s plenty to go around. And with 6 coworking spaces and 4 libraries per 100,000 people, you can easily tap into both quiet and collaborative spaces for remote work.
New Hampshire ticks the boxes for productivity during business hours and fun outside work. Plus, you can hike in the White Mountains or enjoy a scenic drive along the Kancamagus Highway when it’s time for a digital detox.
Top 10 States for Outdoor Escapes
These are the states that are well worth your time, backed by real-life facts and data. They’re the spots that score well on our index because there’s genuinely more on offer per person, not because they’re the most famous.
We looked at parks, nature reserves, beaches, gardens, national park boundaries, and recreation grounds.
#1 – Maine – Best for Beaches
Maine is #1 across the country for beaches per capita—with one natural beach per 100,000 people. In fact, it has nearly twice as much beach access per person as second-place Alaska. If you’re looking for summer coastal fun, it’s the clear winner and our beach destination of choice.
From Old Orchard Beach’s seven miles of sand on the southern coast, to the dramatic cliffs of Acadia National Park’s Sand Beach, or further north to the quieter coves of Reid State Park – whether you want boardwalks or solitude, Maine has the coastline to match your vibe.
#2 – North Dakota – Best for Wide-open Outdoors
Step into North Dakota to get your outdoors fix. You’ll be strolling through its mapped gardens and leisure parks, as well as the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the Maah Daah Hey Trail, and Lake Sakakawea.
With 449 outdoor relaxation venues per 100,000 residents, you’ll find plenty of options to fill up your bucket list.
#3 – Montana – Best for Big-sky Landscapes
If exploring vast open spaces and discovering enchanting views is on your vacation wish list, Montana has a fantastic 367 outdoor relaxation venues per 100,000 residents.
The enormous natural space promises the likes of Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park, and its lower population density means you get it all without the overcrowding of more famous destinations.
#4 – Alaska – Best for Adventure
For a summer of adventure and relaxation, Alaska holds the key.
It ranks #1 for saunas per capita. Perfect for warming up after a day exploring the incredible landscape.
Top 10 States for Wellness & Fitness
Let’s think about the places where you’d go to take care of yourself – spas, yoga studios, Pilates, saunas, and massage shops.
States like California and Florida might sell the wellness dream on social media, but our data says otherwise.
The relaxation index reveals a few per-capita leaders that you might not expect.
Top 10 States for Wellness and Fitness per Capita
| Rank | State | Top venue type |
| 1 | Washington | Amenity spa |
| 2 | Wyoming | Fitness station |
| 3 | Colorado | Amenity spa |
| 4 | Arizona | Massage shop |
| 5 | New Mexico | Fitness center |
| 6 | Oregon | Pilates studio |
| 7 | New Hampshire | Yoga studio |
| 8 | Montana | Fitness center |
| 9 | Virginia | Fitness center |
| 10 | Vermont | Fitness center |
The Pacific Northwest leads the way for wellness access per resident, and Washington is the wellness winner.
This is driven by its high density of spas and fitness centers. In fact, there’s at least one spa and fitness center for every 100,000 people in the state. Keeping it Zen, Washington.
Oregon continues to cement its reputation as one of the most relaxing states in America. The Beaver State is at the forefront of yoga and Pilates, being the only state to rank first nationally in per-capita access to both yoga studios and Pilates studios.
Colorado, Arizona, and Wyoming round out a western cluster that consistently outperforms its fellow regions. Wyoming has one fitness station per 100,000 people, Colorado promises 8 spas for every 100,000 people, and Arizona has 8 massage shops per 100,000 people.
The Bottom 10 States for Wellness and Fitness per Capita
| Rank | State | Top venue type |
| 41 | Nebraska | Fitness center |
| 42 | Maine | Yoga studio |
| 43 | Indiana | Massage shop |
| 44 | Arkansas | Massage shop |
| 45 | West Virginia | Fitness center |
| 46 | Kentucky | Amenity spa |
| 47 | Tennessee | Amenity spa |
| 48 | Louisiana | Massage shop |
| 49 | Alabama | Fitness center |
| 50 | Mississippi | Amenity spa |
At the other end of the index, the bottom 10 wellness states are all Southern states with large populations. This reflects an overall trend across our index, with Southern states tending to have a lower venue density per 100,000 people. And this is the case for wellness and fitness venues, too.
We see Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana at the foot of the table, with Tennessee and Kentucky not far ahead.
Maine finishes close to the bottom for wellness venues per capita, despite ranking second overall in the index and at the top of the tree for beach access.
Maine is all about the outdoors and incredible places to visit. It has the likes of the Bold Coast in Cutler and the spectacular Allagash Wilderness Waterway on offer. Yet its wellness infrastructure is a little thin.
In a nutshell: a great place to be isn’t always a great place to work out.
The Most Relaxed States Aren’t Always Where You’d Expect
The states that top the relaxation index are the ones where the per-person access to parks, studios, cafes, and coastline is the highest, and where the crowds haven’t yet caught up with what’s available.
So, whether you’re planning a summer vacation, thinking about relocating to one of the least stressed states in the country, or simply curious where the data lands, this SlotsLV Relaxation Index is your starting point.
How We Ranked America’s Most Relaxed States
We analyzed all 50 US states across five core categories with a range of subcategories:
- Wellness and fitness: Spas, saunas, massage shops, fitness centers, yoga, and Pilates-related spaces
- Outdoor relaxation: Parks, nature reserves, gardens, beaches, recreation grounds, national parks, and picnic sites
- Entertainment and leisure: Cinemas, theaters, arts centers, concert halls, bowling alleys, and miniature golf.
- Digital leisure: Arcades, escape games, video game shops, and laser tag venues
- Digital-friendly: Internet cafés, libraries, and coworking spaces
Our data source is OpenStreetMap. We mapped the number of options by state, category, and subcategory. This gave us the total number in each state per category.
Next came the population of each state. This was sourced from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey for the most recent year available, 2024.
This population data was used to calculate location counts across each of the categories and subcategories per 100,000 residents.
We then weighted each of the five categories in the following way:
- Wellness and fitness: 30%
- Outdoor relaxation: 30%
- Entertainment and leisure: 20%
- Digital leisure: 10%
- Digital-friendly: 10%
The weighting gives greater emphasis to physical and outdoor relaxation spaces, while still recognizing the role of digital and digitally enabled leisure.
This produced one category score per state for each of the five index categories, and an overall score for each state.
The 50 states were then ranked in order, with the state with the highest score sitting at the top of the index and the state with the lowest score at the bottom of the index.