What this industry includes
Accommodation and food services covers businesses that prepare food and drinks for immediate consumption or provide short-term lodging. Common examples include restaurants, cafes, bars, caterers, food trucks, hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts.
2024 state comparison
Nevada had the highest accommodation and food services employment concentration in 2024. Idaho recorded the fastest establishment growth from 2019, while Utah recorded the fastest job growth. The tables use BLS QCEW private-sector annual data.
Industry concentration
Nevada has the highest accommodation and food services employment location quotient.
Establishment growth
Idaho has the fastest establishment growth rate among the 50 states.
Job growth
Utah has the fastest private-sector job growth rate among the 50 states.
Where the industry is most concentrated
States ranked by their 2024 employment location quotient for accommodation and food services. A location quotient above 1.00 means the industry represents a larger share of state employment than it does nationally.
| Rank | State | Employment LQ | Establishment LQ | 2024 jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 2.23 | 1.08 | 314,414 |
| 2 | Hawaii | 1.81 | 1.31 | 105,166 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 1.32 | 1.00 | 33,948 |
| 4 | Montana | 1.29 | 0.94 | 60,313 |
| 5 | Florida | 1.18 | 0.94 | 1,053,017 |
| 6 | South Carolina | 1.18 | 1.04 | 245,086 |
| 7 | Mississippi | 1.18 | 1.17 | 125,370 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1.15 | 1.03 | 51,937 |
| 9 | New Mexico | 1.13 | 1.00 | 89,258 |
| 10 | Louisiana | 1.12 | 1.24 | 196,045 |
Fastest establishment growth
States ranked by the percent change in accommodation and food services establishments from 2019 to 2024.
| Rank | State | 2024 establishments | Change vs 2019 | Job change vs 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | 5,440 | +1,421 (+35.4%) | +7,813 (+11.2%) |
| 2 | Georgia | 26,556 | +5,108 (+23.8%) | +7,043 (+1.6%) |
| 3 | Tennessee | 16,596 | +2,789 (+20.2%) | +11,438 (+3.7%) |
| 4 | Hawaii | 5,122 | +858 (+20.1%) | -7,604 (-6.7%) |
| 5 | Mississippi | 6,852 | +1,099 (+19.1%) | -1,136 (-0.9%) |
| 6 | North Carolina | 26,325 | +4,127 (+18.6%) | +18,125 (+4.1%) |
| 7 | Utah | 7,219 | +1,053 (+17.1%) | +16,015 (+12.6%) |
| 8 | Kentucky | 10,026 | +1,443 (+16.8%) | +1,346 (+0.8%) |
| 9 | Arizona | 13,944 | +1,939 (+16.2%) | +24,962 (+8.7%) |
| 10 | South Carolina | 13,071 | +1,776 (+15.7%) | +8,005 (+3.4%) |
Fastest job growth
States ranked by the percent change in accommodation and food services private-sector jobs from 2019 to 2024.
| Rank | State | 2024 jobs | Change vs 2019 | Employment LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | 143,500 | +16,015 (+12.6%) | 0.92 |
| 2 | Idaho | 77,676 | +7,813 (+11.2%) | 1.00 |
| 3 | Montana | 60,313 | +5,717 (+10.5%) | 1.29 |
| 4 | Arizona | 310,498 | +24,962 (+8.7%) | 1.06 |
| 5 | Texas | 1,346,478 | +101,995 (+8.2%) | 1.06 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 115,352 | +6,439 (+5.9%) | 0.98 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 82,946 | +4,381 (+5.6%) | 0.90 |
| 8 | South Dakota | 42,495 | +2,001 (+4.9%) | 1.02 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 162,747 | +6,744 (+4.3%) | 1.06 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 458,788 | +18,125 (+4.1%) | 1.03 |
All states
| State | 2024 establishments | Establishment change vs 2019 | 2024 jobs | Job change vs 2019 | Employment LQ | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 11,350 | +1,498 (+15.2%) | 187,537 | +362 (+0.2%) | 0.98 | $23,398 |
| Alaska | 2,147 | +58 (+2.8%) | 30,665 | -501 (-1.6%) | 1.02 | $34,326 |
| Arizona | 13,944 | +1,939 (+16.2%) | 310,498 | +24,962 (+8.7%) | 1.06 | $31,316 |
| Arkansas | 6,808 | +507 (+8.0%) | 115,352 | +6,439 (+5.9%) | 0.98 | $22,090 |
| California | 93,732 | +5,471 (+6.2%) | 1,667,340 | -37,801 (-2.2%) | 1.01 | $35,262 |
| Colorado | 15,026 | +1,102 (+7.9%) | 288,906 | +2,941 (+1.0%) | 1.10 | $33,765 |
| Connecticut | 9,601 | +650 (+7.3%) | 125,938 | -3,058 (-2.4%) | 0.82 | $31,249 |
| Delaware | 2,572 | +315 (+14.0%) | 43,751 | +583 (+1.4%) | 1.01 | $27,058 |
| Florida | 54,331 | +6,896 (+14.5%) | 1,053,017 | +36,437 (+3.6%) | 1.18 | $33,367 |
| Georgia | 26,556 | +5,108 (+23.8%) | 449,486 | +7,043 (+1.6%) | 1.02 | $26,687 |
| Hawaii | 5,122 | +858 (+20.1%) | 105,166 | -7,604 (-6.7%) | 1.81 | $45,512 |
| Idaho | 5,440 | +1,421 (+35.4%) | 77,676 | +7,813 (+11.2%) | 1.00 | $23,623 |
| Illinois | 28,646 | +896 (+3.2%) | 504,756 | -23,690 (-4.5%) | 0.92 | $31,130 |
| Indiana | 14,530 | +1,062 (+7.9%) | 271,694 | +1,022 (+0.4%) | 0.94 | $23,449 |
| Iowa | 7,405 | +140 (+1.9%) | 122,420 | -339 (-0.3%) | 0.86 | $22,045 |
| Kansas | 6,244 | +257 (+4.3%) | 115,840 | +2,756 (+2.4%) | 0.89 | $22,280 |
| Kentucky | 10,026 | +1,443 (+16.8%) | 179,109 | +1,346 (+0.8%) | 0.99 | $23,918 |
| Louisiana | 12,672 | +1,646 (+14.9%) | 196,045 | -12,129 (-5.8%) | 1.12 | $24,665 |
| Maine | 4,434 | +220 (+5.2%) | 59,659 | +10 (+0.0%) | 1.01 | $32,163 |
| Maryland | 12,788 | +266 (+2.1%) | 226,764 | -10,809 (-4.5%) | 0.90 | $30,619 |
| Massachusetts | 16,327 | -627 (-3.7%) | 299,905 | -16,658 (-5.3%) | 0.90 | $35,918 |
| Michigan | 20,514 | +1,141 (+5.9%) | 369,856 | -10,950 (-2.9%) | 0.92 | $25,563 |
| Minnesota | 12,862 | +875 (+7.3%) | 223,530 | -4,472 (-2.0%) | 0.84 | $26,730 |
| Mississippi | 6,852 | +1,099 (+19.1%) | 125,370 | -1,136 (-0.9%) | 1.18 | $22,250 |
| Missouri | 13,792 | +981 (+7.7%) | 263,130 | -2,721 (-1.0%) | 1.00 | $25,992 |
| Montana | 3,964 | +330 (+9.1%) | 60,313 | +5,717 (+10.5%) | 1.29 | $28,510 |
| Nebraska | 4,838 | +174 (+3.7%) | 82,946 | +4,381 (+5.6%) | 0.90 | $22,584 |
| Nevada | 7,636 | +858 (+12.7%) | 314,414 | -6,451 (-2.0%) | 2.23 | $42,670 |
| New Hampshire | 4,011 | +230 (+6.1%) | 60,306 | -59 (-0.1%) | 0.96 | $30,641 |
| New Jersey | 21,777 | +1,200 (+5.8%) | 328,840 | +6,723 (+2.1%) | 0.85 | $32,301 |
| New Mexico | 4,488 | +21 (+0.5%) | 89,258 | +454 (+0.5%) | 1.13 | $26,043 |
| New York | 54,474 | +1,475 (+2.8%) | 751,254 | -27,939 (-3.6%) | 0.85 | $38,361 |
| North Carolina | 26,325 | +4,127 (+18.6%) | 458,788 | +18,125 (+4.1%) | 1.03 | $25,303 |
| North Dakota | 2,220 | +86 (+4.0%) | 34,051 | -755 (-2.2%) | 0.87 | $23,927 |
| Ohio | 26,876 | +1,894 (+7.6%) | 482,564 | -4,373 (-0.9%) | 0.96 | $23,358 |
| Oklahoma | 8,788 | +730 (+9.1%) | 162,747 | +6,744 (+4.3%) | 1.06 | $22,224 |
| Oregon | 13,174 | +1,138 (+9.5%) | 178,123 | -7,395 (-4.0%) | 0.98 | $29,792 |
| Pennsylvania | 28,646 | +238 (+0.8%) | 464,668 | -12,657 (-2.7%) | 0.85 | $25,513 |
| Rhode Island | 3,314 | +90 (+2.8%) | 51,937 | -154 (-0.3%) | 1.15 | $30,129 |
| South Carolina | 13,071 | +1,776 (+15.7%) | 245,086 | +8,005 (+3.4%) | 1.18 | $25,780 |
| South Dakota | 2,612 | +119 (+4.8%) | 42,495 | +2,001 (+4.9%) | 1.02 | $23,413 |
| Tennessee | 16,596 | +2,789 (+20.2%) | 316,498 | +11,438 (+3.7%) | 1.06 | $27,443 |
| Texas | 65,336 | +8,650 (+15.3%) | 1,346,478 | +101,995 (+8.2%) | 1.06 | $27,231 |
| Utah | 7,219 | +1,053 (+17.1%) | 143,500 | +16,015 (+12.6%) | 0.92 | $25,609 |
| Vermont | 1,893 | +76 (+4.2%) | 30,369 | -2,320 (-7.1%) | 1.08 | $31,839 |
| Virginia | 19,174 | +1,593 (+9.1%) | 345,714 | -5,510 (-1.6%) | 0.93 | $28,038 |
| Washington | 18,340 | +767 (+4.4%) | 283,522 | -3,922 (-1.4%) | 0.87 | $33,979 |
| West Virginia | 3,903 | +231 (+6.3%) | 62,987 | -3,849 (-5.8%) | 1.00 | $23,094 |
| Wisconsin | 14,979 | +637 (+4.4%) | 241,606 | +113 (+0.0%) | 0.90 | $22,064 |
| Wyoming | 2,003 | +45 (+2.3%) | 33,948 | +516 (+1.5%) | 1.32 | $28,223 |
Source note
Source: BLS QCEW annual files, NAICS 72 Accommodation and Food Services, private-sector establishments, annual average employment, location quotients, and average annual pay. Changes compare 2024 with 2019. QCEW covers employer establishments and jobs.