Ranking The Top 15 Most Indie Bookstore-Loving States

Fact Checked by Thomas Leary

There arenā€™t a lot of states in America that have the connection to modern literature that Colorado does, with some of the nationā€™s eminent literary figures either hailing from or living in the Centennial State over the years.  

Throw in the stateā€™s selection of independent bookstores, from Denverā€™s Tattered Cover Book Store to Boulder Book Store and Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins and you have a small snippet of the selection of local stores selling books and other goodies inside their brick-and-mortar shops.  

With Indie Bookstore Day being April 27, itā€™s time to celebrate the success of independent bookstores in the U.S. In keeping, BetColorado.com decided to see what states love indie bookstores the most. Using the Indie Bookstore Finder on IndieBound.org, we collected the number of indie bookstores in each state. Then, we ranked the top 15 states with the most indie bookstores per capita. 

We typically stick to Colorado sportsbooks here, but look for occasional lifestyle pieces from us as well.

Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate & present in CO. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms & Conditions. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

Top 15 Indie-Bookstore Supporting States

Rank 

State

Independent Bookstore Per Capita

1

Vermont

4.02

2

Maine

3.58

3

New Hampshire

1.64

4

Wyoming

1.54

5

Oregon

1.51

6

Iowa

1.47

7

Rhode Island

1.46

8

Montana

1.32

9

Minnesota

1.31

10

New Mexico

1.18

11

Massachusetts

1.07

12

Delaware

1.06

13

Colorado

.987

14

Nebraska

.910

15

Washington

.909

MORE: Colorado betting apps

Where Colorado Ranks When It Comes To Indy Bookstores

Coloradoā€™s .987 independent bookstores per capita ranks 13th overall, just behind Delaware (1.06) and No. 14 Nebraska (.910), illustrating the Rocky Mountain Stateā€™s connection with independent literature sellers.  

Nationally, Colorado trails leaders in independent bookstore figures, such as Vermont (4.02), Maine (3.58), New Hampshire (1.64), Wyoming (1.54) and Oregon (1.51), while Iowa (1.47), Rhode Island (1.46), Montana (1.32), Minnesota (1.31) and New Mexico (1.18) round out the top 10 nationally.

Throw in book-loving states like Massachusetts (1.07) and you have the full rundown on the states in America with the most indie bookstores per capita, illustrating how far the gulf is between where Coloradoā€™s figure is and the top states in the country for non-chain bookstores.  

For more pieces such as this, try: Most Popular Vinyl Record in Colorado.

Author

Christopher Boan

Christopher Boan has been covering sports and sports betting for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.

Cited by leading media organizations, such as: