A new study has revealed the best states for gamers.

Cribbage Online ranked the best states for gamers based on 11 factors, including internet download speeds, cost and number of internet providers as well as gaming-related conventions, GameStop stores, Best Buy stores, and tech repair stores per 100,000 people. Each state was scored out of a possible 100 points as part of their ‘Gamer Index.’

Texas comes in first place with a Gamer Index score of 64.78 out of 100. The Lone Star state has the highest number of different internet providers and has the ninth best internet speeds on average (425.9 Mbps), as well as the eighth highest percentage of the population with access to fiber optic broadband, at 60.8%.

The number of gaming-related conventions between 2023-2028, also, sees Texas missing out on first place to Florida by a single event in the conventions category.

In second place is Maryland, with a Gamer Index score of 56.08 out of 100. Maryland has the highest internet speeds on average of any state, at 506.7 Mbps. It also has the fifth-highest access to fiber optic internet (66% of the population), as well as the ninth cheapest broadband prices on average, at $0.55 per Mb.

Third place on the list goes to Virginia, with a Gamer Index score of 55.07. Although Virginia doesn’t top any of the individual categories, it places second for average internet speed (505.6 Mbps), and ninth for both average broadband price ($0.55 per Mb) and access to fiber optic internet (60.5% of the population).

Pennsylvania follows close behind in fourth place with a score of 54.85. Pennsylvania has the fourth highest number of gaming related conventions between 2023 and 2028 with 12, as well as having the seventh fastest internet speeds on average (430.8 Mbps).

Fifth place on the list goes to Mississippi, with a score of 52.78. Mississippi has some of the greatest fiber optic broadband coverage, placing third with 74.1% of the population having access.

The remainder of the top ten features Georgia in at sixth place, with a score of 52.23. Kansasranks seventh place with a score of 50.81, whilst Delaware follows closely behind in eighth, with scoring 50.73.

Ninth place goes to Oklahoma, with a score of 50.02, while Tennessee rounds out the list in tenth place, with a score of 49.32.

Interestingly, no West Coast states manage to reach the top ten. In fact, the first West Coast state to appear on the list is Washington, in at 27^th place, with Oregon and California following in 38^th and 41^st place, respectively.

Overall, Hawaii was by far the worst state for gamers, managing a score of just 21.44 out of 100. Hawaii was found to have some of the slowest internet speeds, at 221.4 Mbps on average, which placed it 45^th out of 50 states, in addition to having the highest living costs of any state.

A spokesperson for Cribbage Online commented on the findings, saying:

“The findings indicate the states where gamers are likely to have the best experience across the nation.

“Overall, states such as Texas, Maryland, and Virginia all see a solid infrastructure set-up for gamers, and are well-rounded across a number of categories, whereas states that scored poorly, such as Hawaii, Montana, and Maine, simply don’t share the same benefits. Slower internet speeds, and lack of high-speed broadband availability are some of the main contributing factors to their lower scores.”