What does this sports ranking show?

It orders states by Major pro sports teams based here. It is a comparison of this one published measure, not an overall ranking of where to live.

Where do these figures come from?

League feeds; venue city hand-checked supplies this measure. States without a comparable published value are shown as not ranked rather than estimated.

How should I use this ranking?

Use it to narrow a search, then open a state or county profile for the underlying figures, source dates and caveats. A statewide number may not describe every neighbourhood.

Highest sports by state

Major pro sports teams based here.

Clubs in the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL combined. Placed by the county its venue is in, not the one in its name, so a club often counts in a neighbouring county to the city it is named for. A zero means no club in the leagues listed here, not no sport: college divisions below the top tier, other leagues and independent baseball are not counted.

How to read this ranking

California has the highest published sports in this comparison, at 15. The next states shown are Florida (9) and New York (8).

The table orders 51 states by major pro sports teams based here. It describes one published measure, not an overall judgment about where to live.

Use the result as a starting point, then compare the underlying source, dates, and local county figures before making a decision. Clubs in the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL combined. Placed by the county its venue is in, not the one in its name, so a club often counts in a neighbouring county to the city it is named for. A zero means no club in the leagues listed here, not no sport: college divisions below the top tier, other leagues and independent baseball are not counted.

Related recreation rankings

Frequently asked questions

What does this ranking show?: It orders states by Major pro sports teams based here. It is one measure, not an overall verdict on where to live.
Where do the figures come from?: League feeds; venue city hand-checked. States without a comparable published figure are listed as not ranked rather than estimated.
How should I use it?: Use it to narrow your search, then open a state or county profile for the source date, caveats and local context.

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Free to use. The chart names its source and links back, so it stays honest wherever it ends up.

<iframe src="https://movermath.com/embed/sports" width="100%" height="420" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Major pro sports teams based here by state"></iframe>

Source: League feeds; venue city hand-checked. · How this is built

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