Local bar statistics show a highly uneven nightlife economy across the United States. In the 2022 Census County Business Patterns state file, California reported 3,279 employer drinking-place establishments, while New Hampshire reported 25. The same source counted 2,430 employees in Alabama and 41,788 in California, with annual payroll ranging from $11.0 million in New Hampshire to $1,151.2 million in California.
On this page
- What these numbers measure
- States with the largest bar workforces
- Establishment counts by state
- Employment and payroll comparisons
- Southern and live-music-market context
- State-by-state 2022 figures
What these numbers measure
The figures below describe employer drinking-place establishments in 2022. They include three measures: the number of establishments, the number of employees, and annual payroll. The geography is the state or District of Columbia named in each entry, and the measurement year is 2022.
The source label supplied for every figure is the Census CBP 2022 state file. These are establishment-level business statistics, not a count of every place where people can buy a drink, a count of live-music venues, or a survey of nightlife visitors. A local bar with employees appears within the drinking-place category used by the source, but the figures do not separately identify music programming, venue size, neighborhood, ownership model, or whether a business is primarily a bar, tavern, lounge, or another drinking place.
The source record is legacy research and was not independently verified here. Payroll is reported in millions of dollars as supplied, and no inflation adjustment or per-capita calculation is added. That keeps the comparison tied to the original 2022 measurement period.
States with the largest bar workforces
California led the supplied list with 41,788 employees in 3,279 establishments and $1,151.2 million in annual payroll. Texas followed with 38,321 employees, 2,925 establishments, and $907.5 million in payroll. New York had 29,970 employees across 3,250 establishments, with $971.5 million in annual payroll.
Other large employment totals were reported in Florida, with 23,729 employees and 1,826 establishments; Illinois, with 24,375 employees and 2,870 establishments; Wisconsin, with 16,883 employees and 2,716 establishments; Pennsylvania, with 15,832 employees and 2,171 establishments; Ohio, with 14,053 employees and 1,796 establishments; and Michigan, with 13,648 employees and 1,288 establishments.
| State | Establishments | Employees | Annual payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,279 | 41,788 | $1,151.2 million |
| Texas | 2,925 | 38,321 | $907.5 million |
| New York | 3,250 | 29,970 | $971.5 million |
| Illinois | 2,870 | 24,375 | $566.4 million |
| Florida | 1,826 | 23,729 | $675.2 million |
| Wisconsin | 2,716 | 16,883 | $273.3 million |
| Pennsylvania | 2,171 | 15,832 | $323.6 million |
| Ohio | 1,796 | 14,053 | $282.8 million |
These counts describe the scale of the employer drinking-place sector, not the quality or popularity of a local bar scene. A state with more establishments can have a different operating pattern from one with fewer but larger employers, and the data does not provide a direct measure of audience size or live-performance activity.
Establishment counts by state
Among the supplied 2022 figures, California had 3,279 establishments, New York had 3,250, Texas had 2,925, Illinois had 2,870, and Wisconsin had 2,716. Pennsylvania had 2,171, Florida had 1,826, Ohio had 1,796, Michigan had 1,288, Washington had 969, Oregon had 919, Minnesota had 894, Indiana and Iowa each had 867, Colorado had 833, and Louisiana had 805.
The next group included New Jersey with 788 establishments, Nevada with 701, Missouri with 694, Arizona with 624, Massachusetts with 622, Montana with 542, Nebraska with 535, Georgia with 522, Maryland with 415, and South Carolina with 410. North Dakota had 383, Oklahoma 387, Idaho 360, South Dakota 353, Kentucky 333, Alabama 281, Kansas 287, West Virginia 289, Connecticut 247, Rhode Island 237, Virginia 207, Utah 173, and the District of Columbia 168.
The smallest establishment counts in the supplied list were New Hampshire with 25, New Mexico with 107, Vermont with 103, Mississippi with 114, Arkansas with 127, Maine with 146, Alaska with 149, Hawaii with 157, Wyoming with 158, Delaware with 73, and Tennessee with 357. These are reported counts for employer drinking places in 2022; they should not be interpreted as a complete directory of local bars.
Employment and payroll comparisons
Employment and payroll vary independently from establishment count. Tennessee reported 357 establishments and 5,218 employees, with $185.2 million in annual payroll. Nevada reported 701 establishments and 9,051 employees, with $306.3 million. Washington reported 969 establishments and 10,136 employees, with $303.9 million. These comparisons show why establishment count alone does not describe the scale of the workforce or payroll associated with a state’s drinking-place sector.
Several states reported relatively large payroll totals alongside large employment bases. California’s annual payroll was $1,151.2 million, New York’s was $971.5 million, and Texas’s was $907.5 million. Florida reported $675.2 million, Illinois $566.4 million, Pennsylvania $323.6 million, Nevada $306.3 million, Washington $303.9 million, Michigan $298.6 million, Ohio $282.8 million, Wisconsin $273.3 million, Colorado $277.1 million, and Massachusetts $216.2 million.
The supplied figures also show smaller payroll totals in states with smaller reported sectors: Mississippi had $20.2 million, Delaware $21.6 million, Arkansas $22.3 million, Wyoming $22.7 million, West Virginia $31.0 million, New Mexico $36.5 million, Hawaii $40.7 million, Maine $42.3 million, Kansas $53.0 million, Idaho $53.5 million, and North Dakota $53.7 million. New Hampshire’s reported annual payroll was $11.0 million.
Because payroll is presented as a total for each state, it is not a wage rate and does not show how pay differs among bartenders, servers, managers, performers, or other workers. No unsupported average is calculated here.
Southern and live-music-market context
For readers interested in live music and nightlife in the Deep South, the supplied 2022 state figures provide a useful business-scale reference. Alabama had 281 establishments, 2,430 employees, and $55.1 million in annual payroll. Georgia had 522 establishments, 7,387 employees, and $177.0 million. Louisiana had 805 establishments, 6,809 employees, and $148.8 million. Mississippi had 114 establishments, 983 employees, and $20.2 million. North Carolina had 909 establishments, 9,066 employees, and $215.5 million. South Carolina had 410 establishments, 4,849 employees, and $124.3 million. Tennessee had 357 establishments, 5,218 employees, and $185.2 million. Texas had 2,925 establishments, 38,321 employees, and $907.5 million.
These figures can help frame the size of the employer drinking-place market around local music scenes, but they do not measure concerts, stages, ticket sales, artist bookings, genre preferences, or the number of venues offering live music. A local bar’s role in a nightlife community therefore requires information beyond this dataset.
State-by-state 2022 figures
The complete supplied comparison is listed below. Every entry uses the Census CBP 2022 state file label and refers to 2022 employer drinking-place establishments.
- Alabama: 281 establishments; 2,430 employees; $55.1 million annual payroll.
- Alaska: 149 establishments; 1,291 employees; $35.8 million annual payroll.
- Arizona: 624 establishments; 8,199 employees; $208.3 million annual payroll.
- Arkansas: 127 establishments; 1,019 employees; $22.3 million annual payroll.
- California: 3,279 establishments; 41,788 employees; $1,151.2 million annual payroll.
- Colorado: 833 establishments; 9,591 employees; $277.1 million annual payroll.
- Connecticut: 247 establishments; 2,416 employees; $59.0 million annual payroll.
- Delaware: 73 establishments; 810 employees; $21.6 million annual payroll.
- District of Columbia: 168 establishments; 3,536 employees; $117.6 million annual payroll.
- Florida: 1,826 establishments; 23,729 employees; $675.2 million annual payroll.
- Georgia: 522 establishments; 7,387 employees; $177.0 million annual payroll.
- Hawaii: 157 establishments; 1,482 employees; $40.7 million annual payroll.
- Idaho: 360 establishments; 2,623 employees; $53.5 million annual payroll.
- Illinois: 2,870 establishments; 24,375 employees; $566.4 million annual payroll.
- Indiana: 867 establishments; 8,046 employees; $158.3 million annual payroll.
- Iowa: 867 establishments; 5,746 employees; $93.5 million annual payroll.
- Kansas: 287 establishments; 3,038 employees; $53.0 million annual payroll.
- Kentucky: 333 establishments; 3,067 employees; $64.2 million annual payroll.
- Louisiana: 805 establishments; 6,809 employees; $148.8 million annual payroll.
- Maine: 146 establishments; 1,242 employees; $42.3 million annual payroll.
- Maryland: 415 establishments; 4,374 employees; $118.9 million annual payroll.
- Massachusetts: 622 establishments; 7,550 employees; $216.2 million annual payroll.
- Michigan: 1,288 establishments; 13,648 employees; $298.6 million annual payroll.
- Minnesota: 894 establishments; 9,219 employees; $187.7 million annual payroll.
- Mississippi: 114 establishments; 983 employees; $20.2 million annual payroll.
- Missouri: 694 establishments; 5,922 employees; $135.1 million annual payroll.
- Montana: 542 establishments; 4,477 employees; $88.5 million annual payroll.
- Nebraska: 535 establishments; 4,154 employees; $68.3 million annual payroll.
- Nevada: 701 establishments; 9,051 employees; $306.3 million annual payroll.
- New Hampshire: 25 establishments; 376 employees; $11.0 million annual payroll.
- New Jersey: 788 establishments; 8,072 employees; $215.3 million annual payroll.
- New Mexico: 107 establishments; 1,567 employees; $36.5 million annual payroll.
- New York: 3,250 establishments; 29,970 employees; $971.5 million annual payroll.
- North Carolina: 909 establishments; 9,066 employees; $215.5 million annual payroll.
- North Dakota: 383 establishments; 3,144 employees; $53.7 million annual payroll.
- Ohio: 1,796 establishments; 14,053 employees; $282.8 million annual payroll.
- Oklahoma: 387 establishments; 3,523 employees; $76.1 million annual payroll.
- Oregon: 919 establishments; 7,958 employees; $206.1 million annual payroll.
- Pennsylvania: 2,171 establishments; 15,832 employees; $323.6 million annual payroll.
- Rhode Island: 237 establishments; 2,150 employees; $52.2 million annual payroll.
- South Carolina: 410 establishments; 4,849 employees; $124.3 million annual payroll.
- South Dakota: 353 establishments; 3,157 employees; $58.5 million annual payroll.
- Tennessee: 357 establishments; 5,218 employees; $185.2 million annual payroll.
- Texas: 2,925 establishments; 38,321 employees; $907.5 million annual payroll.
- Utah: 173 establishments; 2,089 employees; $51.4 million annual payroll.
- Vermont: 103 establishments; 768 employees; $17.2 million annual payroll.
- Virginia: 207 establishments; 3,315 employees; $80.7 million annual payroll.
- Washington: 969 establishments; 10,136 employees; $303.9 million annual payroll.
- West Virginia: 289 establishments; 1,790 employees; $31.0 million annual payroll.
- Wisconsin: 2,716 establishments; 16,883 employees; $273.3 million annual payroll.
- Wyoming: 158 establishments; 1,185 employees; $22.7 million annual payroll.
Source: Census CBP 2022 state file, legacy research record supplied for this article and not independently verified.