New study reveals top states based on 14 cultural and innovation metrics.

Creativity in the U.S. isn’t just about star-studded cities or famous cultural landmarks. It shows up in quieter ways too: the number of people launching side projects, filing patents, working in design or media jobs, or spending weekends at galleries, festivals, and workshops. Taken together, these everyday signals paint a much clearer picture of where creative life is actually thriving.

Also See: New York Among Nation’s Most Honest Gaming StatesA new study by University of Melbourne Online set out to identify exactly which states give creativity the best chance to flourish in 2026. Instead of focusing on a single industry or city, the research looked at 14 different indicators, ranging from creative job postings and patents to public arts funding, DIY interest, and the density of studios, theaters, and cultural venues.New England Dominates the Top Rankings (6 of the Top Ten States Coming from the Region)

1. Vermont

Vermont takes the top spot with a total score of 61.95, driven by an unusually strong mix of professional and grassroots creativity. The state ranks second nationally for creative job postings per capita (430.53 per 10,000 people) and first for DIY interest, with nearly 944 searches per 100,000 residents. It also leads the country for ad agencies, design studios, and galleries per capita.

What sets Vermont apart is balance. While its patent rate sits mid-table, the state’s creative workforce density, museum access, and hands-on creative culture suggest a place where making, building, and experimenting are part of daily life rather than niche activities.

2. Rhode Island

Rhode Island ranks second overall with a score of 47.20. It places first nationally for performing-arts theaters per capita and ranks in the top five for museums, music festivals, ad agencies, and design studios.

The state’s creative strength appears to come from compact, highly active cultural networks. With strong public arts funding and a dense arts workforce, Rhode Island shows how proximity and accessibility can amplify creative output.

3. Maine

Maine comes in third with a total score of 45.41, standing out most for its cultural participation rather than industrial creativity. It ranks first in the U.S. for music festivals per capita and second for DIY interest, indicating a deeply engaged creative population.

While Maine ranks low for patents and public arts funding, its high number of galleries, museums, and live events suggests creativity rooted in community expression, tourism, and local culture rather than formal innovation pipelines.

4. Wyoming

Wyoming ranks fourth overall. It leads the nation in creative job postings and movie theaters per resident and ranks third for entertaining events.

Despite having fewer creative workers overall, Wyoming’s results highlight how low population density can amplify access to cultural infrastructure, making creative spaces more visible and reachable for residents.

New York Ranks 5th for Most Creative States

5. New York

New York lands in fifth place with a score of 43.05. It ranks first nationally for creative workforce density and public arts funding per capita, alongside strong showings in patents, events, and studio counts.

However, New York’s lower rankings for DIY interest and creative job postings per capita suggest that creativity here is more institutional and industry-driven than grassroots, reflecting a professionalized creative economy rather than a hobby-led one.

6. New Hampshire

New Hampshire ranks sixth, combining high patent output with strong DIY engagement and a dense network of performing-arts theaters. It places in the top ten for creative jobs, patents, and galleries.

The state’s creative profile reflects technical innovation paired with cultural participation, likely influenced by its proximity to larger metro areas while maintaining a smaller-scale creative ecosystem.

7. Massachusetts

Massachusetts places seventh with a score of 38.32 and stands out most for innovation. It ranks fourth nationally for patents per capita and second for music festivals, alongside a large creative workforce.

Its lower rankings for DIY interest and movie theaters suggest a creativity profile shaped more by education, research, and institutional output than everyday creative hobbies.

8. Delaware

Delaware ranks eighth and is the undisputed patent leader, with 172.85 patents per 100,000 residents, the highest in the country. It also performs well for creative job postings and public arts funding.

However, Delaware’s smaller arts workforce and lower event density indicate a creativity model driven by innovation and business activity rather than cultural volume.

9. Utah

Utah ranks ninth overall but leads the entire nation for entertaining events per capita, with a staggering 274.41 per 100,000 residents. It also ranks first for game studios per capita.

This points to a fast-growing, tech-adjacent creative scene, where digital entertainment, gaming, and live events play a central role, even as museum density remains relatively low.

10. Montana

Montana rounds out the top ten with a score of 36.78 and ranks first nationally for museums per capita. It also performs strongly for creative job postings and gallery density.

While its live event count is lower, Montana’s results suggest a creativity model centered on heritage, visual arts, and place-based culture rather than large-scale entertainment.

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The full list:

RankStateCreative jobs postings per 10K peoplePatents per 100K peopleArts, design, entertainment, sports & media workforce per 10K peoplePublic arts funding per capitaMuseums per 100K peopleDIY interest per 100K peopleMusic Festivals per 100K peopleMovie Theaters per 100K residentsNumber of entertaining events per 100K people (music, fashion, film & media)Performing-Arts Theaters per 100K peopleAd Agencies per 100K peopleGame Studios per 100K peopleDesign studios per 100K peopleGalleries per 100K peopleTotal Score1Vermont430.5341.961,0751.874.47944.040.154.7820.360.4617.743.0920.8213.1161.952Rhode Island257.4148.251,0474.733.21648.420.272.2336.570.9811.592.2314.278.4747.203Maine209.314.757960.763.12833.111.494.1834.740.6411.342.1313.479.2245.414Wyoming434.7923.045681.544.57745.550.006.4478.620.349.321.3611.016.7843.755New York38.5856.301,28912.272.77496.670.181.9856.710.2611.502.6013.509.0043.056New Hampshire205.0350.367530.773.11770.560.073.1827.550.8510.592.1212.717.7739.137Massachusetts53.75119.509754.062.78564.270.531.7629.980.329.022.5010.417.2238.328Delaware271.31172.854865.281.50612.700.191.7820.610.478.431.4110.315.6237.659Utah92.2034.299042.940.84642.540.142.72274.410.349.543.3711.227.3037.5610Montana249.2224.846450.975.42662.200.094.9012.420.269.621.7511.377.4436.7811Oregon78.3948.649822.792.80629.680.053.0565.250.3510.722.8012.588.3936.7212North Dakota349.9611.196621.102.36712.610.005.6025.120.508.711.2410.576.8435.7713Idaho145.66122.196400.472.46578.210.203.25153.040.256.891.728.375.4134.4914Minnesota60.0063.529657.622.97606.520.072.6619.710.387.891.899.096.1734.4115Hawaii195.333.727705.052.55547.250.142.4173.750.4111.722.0714.479.6534.3516Connecticut85.9762.6489510.622.78548.940.111.9430.750.627.011.488.095.1334.2817Alaska381.581.885141.054.30689.740.004.0346.660.137.391.349.416.0532.2318South Dakota306.8610.855961.222.90698.150.005.4811.060.218.591.2910.206.4432.0319California26.60126.111,1383.691.46444.310.071.6730.960.156.561.647.825.5530.1920Washington49.6874.248421.681.84594.120.102.2545.410.248.442.489.686.4528.7321Nebraska149.7213.106715.661.48582.280.104.3522.240.497.911.739.395.9328.6422Colorado61.3444.851,0520.401.50594.980.072.6334.590.228.652.0010.146.9828.2823New Mexico137.4215.996430.712.10459.490.003.1337.070.5610.282.1012.157.9526.1324Maryland53.6224.0095210.991.43457.570.081.2740.100.176.661.437.615.0724.9925Iowa92.1722.426580.652.94569.140.214.5319.910.346.131.237.054.5924.0826Nevada94.5631.567720.681.26436.970.091.4871.070.338.732.1110.246.6322.6727Illinois34.2947.578195.061.13503.910.082.0426.290.207.041.728.225.4822.5928Wisconsin60.8740.797590.141.24594.670.182.5934.210.337.181.598.355.5122.5429Kansas110.7522.816900.201.64553.900.203.7822.080.336.361.177.364.6821.8130Virginia47.7040.568890.541.18564.710.081.9432.290.246.301.587.314.7320.9331Missouri57.4622.736993.011.21557.710.162.5123.240.146.051.357.004.7718.6932Pennsylvania33.5627.227110.811.94569.030.121.8118.720.316.241.457.234.9518.4533Michigan36.0459.276801.181.47545.520.032.2518.240.245.491.276.284.2218.2934New Jersey38.7035.258924.400.89449.380.031.2014.760.384.991.145.823.7418.1335Tennessee48.3815.537221.611.14481.310.071.8521.490.166.841.787.945.2016.4036Ohio32.9631.846501.741.19543.520.072.0518.510.195.691.346.534.3515.7237North Carolina37.3241.796770.851.13511.730.041.6923.910.135.531.346.244.2815.0238Georgia37.2428.237620.141.03429.390.081.5235.760.176.021.596.734.6014.8739Indiana45.5626.005910.710.83533.690.092.3122.670.424.741.085.453.7314.2240West Virginia159.142.034070.890.68579.840.003.3314.860.404.520.685.373.3913.5341Oklahoma74.927.905680.911.02459.670.122.7923.990.125.571.216.544.3613.1342Florida22.6416.967163.761.30365.270.051.0939.010.155.031.095.873.9812.5743Arizona48.5823.736660.840.90455.810.051.4237.700.274.420.985.073.3812.2044Kentucky64.118.005210.401.04527.870.111.7914.270.324.971.085.843.8911.5145Louisiana66.654.885050.471.35390.460.151.4824.530.306.081.307.164.7711.2646Texas11.3437.836170.340.81410.440.031.4530.010.105.651.516.594.4011.1847South Carolina59.2511.425442.860.90449.390.041.3523.700.145.211.176.103.9510.8148Arkansas99.3213.715140.471.38467.620.102.0011.260.263.860.644.512.9010.7249Alabama60.146.314761.540.67464.430.081.5020.780.103.460.484.042.316.0550Mississippi97.282.654382.010.99370.720.101.7711.210.073.230.513.912.385.95

Methodology

This study analyzed 14 indicators associated with creativity across all 50 U.S. states. Each metric was normalized, weighted, and combined to produce a total creativity score for each state.

Metrics and weights included creative job postings (12%), patents (12%), creative workforce size (12%), public arts funding (7%), museums (7%), DIY interest (7%), music festivals (7%), movie theaters (7%), entertaining events (7%), performing-arts theaters (5%), ad agencies (5%), game studios (4%), design studios (4%), and galleries (4%).

 

Sources: LinkedIn, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, DataUSA, Public Flourish Studio, Museums4All, Google Trends, and Google Maps.

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