HOUSTON (KIAH) — Gaming has reached a new high score in popularity, with 3 out of 4 Americans playing video games, according to a 2020 study.
But which states have the largest gaming communities per capita?
According to GetCenturyLink, Maryland was No. 1, with the most gaming Meetup groups. New Jersey was a close second in regard to gaming communities, followed by California and Texas respectively.
Six factors were considered when tabulating the results. They include:
- Population demographics
- Number of gaming conventions
- Number of social gaming groups
- Average internet download speed
- Percentage of residents that own computers
- Access to 5G coverage
Maryland, which is No. 3 for 5G coverage with an average of 53%, has more than 39% of its population in the age range that makes up most of the gaming population.
California had the largest number of gaming conventions and Comic-Cons of any state. New York had the most Meetup gaming groups, Utah had the highest percentage of residents with computers and New Jersey had the most 5G coverage.
The state with the smallest gaming communities per capita was West Virginia, followed by Maine (49th), Vermont (48th) and Montana (47th).
The rankings were determined by evaluating the number of state residents between the ages of 15 and 44, the age group that makes up the largest gaming demographic, according to a report done by ESA.