The most boring place to live in every state
- Some places have more activities for locals and travelers to explore than others.
- Using data from the Census Bureau, Insider identified the county in every state with the lowest number of businesses, such as restaurants, bars, and museums, per capita.
- Fewer things to do make for "boring" places — or, at least, communities that move at a slower pace.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
If you like travel destinations with tons of food options and cultural activities to explore, this list is not for you.
Insider's data team compiled a list of the most boring place in every state by looking at the number of businesses per capita in every county, before identifying the county with the fewest things to do. Using the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns program, the list took into consideration 66 different types of businesses that make a place "interesting," like breweries, art dealerships, and museums. To make sure we weren't including rural destinations with very small populations, only counties with more than 50,000 people were considered.
Here is the most boring place in every state.
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ALABAMA: Talladega County
Talladega County has a total population of 79,828, and just 134 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two places to visit per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Talladega in Talladega County is famous for its speedway, which appeared in the Will Ferrell movie, "Talladega Nights."
ALASKA: Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, has a total population of 107,610 and 497 recreational establishments, so there are only about four establishments for every 1,000 people.
Pictured, Knik-Fairview, which is in the borough, is located on Knik Arm, a waterway that connects to the Gulf of Alaska. The Knik Arm is well known for its many species of wild salmon.
ARIZONA: Yuma County
Yuma County has 212,128 people and just 332 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Yuma is on the US-Mexico border, and is also home to Yuma Territorial Prison, an old Wild West-style prison turned state historic park.
ARKANSAS: Jefferson County
Jefferson County has a total population of 68,114 but just 109 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Pine Bluff, which is in Jefferson County, was affected by the 2019 flood of the Arkansas River, which broke a number of high-water records and became one of the costliest natural disasters in the state's history.
CALIFORNIA: Imperial County
Imperial County, California, has a total population of 181,827 and has just 173 recreational establishments, meaning there's fewer than one for every 1,000 people.
The Naval Air Facility El Centro, which is in Imperial County, serves as a training station for pilots in the US Navy.
COLORADO: Pueblo County
Pueblo County has 167,529 people and just 479 recreational establishments, or about three per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Pueblo has been a steel-producing city since the late 1800s, and is nicknamed "Steel City."
CONNECTICUT: Windham County
The county has a total population of 117,027 and has just 455 recreational establishments, meaning there are about four things to do per 1,000 people.
Before the United States was colonized hundreds of years ago, Windham, pictured, was primarily occupied by Algonquian peoples, including the Pequot, Mohegan, Narragansett, and Nipmuck.
DELAWARE: Kent County
Kent County has a total population of 178,550 and just 715 recreational establishments, meaning there are about four things to do per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Dover is the capital city of Delaware and home to the Dover Speedway. Nascar holds races there two weekends a year.
FLORIDA: Columbia County
Florida's Columbia County has a total population of 70,503 and just 149 recreational establishments — about two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Lake City, which is in the county, was originally called Alpata Telophka, or Alligator Town, and was the site of a Seminole village.
GEORGIA: Liberty County
Georgia's Liberty County has a total population of 61,497 and just 107 recreational establishments, meaning there are about two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Hinesville, which is in Liberty County, is home to Fort Stewart and the 3rd Infantry Division, which is the largest Army installation east of the Mississippi River.
HAWAII: Honolulu County
Hawaii only has four counties and Honolulu comes bottom, with about four recreational establishments per 1,000 people.
Still, Honolulu is the main gateway to Hawaii and a major international port. It's also a tourist hotspot.
IDAHO: Canyon County
Idaho's Canyon County has a total population of 223,499 and just 518 recreational establishments, or about two per 1,000 people.
A field near the city of Nampa, which is in the county, is pictured. The area is known for its antique shops, and has the highest concentration in a two-block radius in Idaho.
ILLINOIS: Vermilion County
Vermilion County has a total population of 76,806 and just 170 recreational establishments, or about two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Danville in Vermilion County is home to the historic Fischer Theatre, which was established in 1884 as the city's opera house.
INDIANA: Elkhart County
Indiana's Elkhart County has a total population of 205,560 and just 517 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than three per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Elkhart has been dubbed the "RV Capital of the World," and more than 80% of the world's RVs are produced there.
IOWA: Pottawattamie County
The county has a total population of 93,533 and just 270 recreational establishments, or fewer than three per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Council Bluffs, which is in the county, is an important spot along the presidential campaign trail, as Iowa has historically been a swing state.
KANSAS: Wyandotte County
Wyandotte County has a total population of 165,324 and just 443 recreational establishments — fewer than three per 1,000 people.
In the county, Kansas City — not to be confused with the other Kansas City, in Missouri — is home to the Kansas Speedway.
KENTUCKY: Pike County
Kentucky's Pike County has a total population of 58,402 and 78 recreational establishments, just over one per 1,000 people.
Each year, Pikeville, which is in the county, hosts a large festival called Hillbilly Days, where everyone dresses up like hillbillies and they raise money for charitable causes.
LOUISIANA: Iberia Parish
Iberia Parish has a total population of 70,941 but just 142 recreational establishments, about two per 1,000 people.
New Iberia, pictured, has a "Spanish-French-African American-Creole heritage," which can be seen in the city's culture and food.
MAINE: Aroostook County
Aroostook County has a total population of 67,111 and just 175 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than three per 1,000 people.
Presque Isle, pictured, and Aroostook County residents once built the world's largest scale model of the solar system.
MARYLAND: Allegany County
Maryland's Allegany County has a total population of 70,975 and just 183 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than three things to do per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Cumberland is home to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, which travels through the Allegheny Mountains.
MASSACHUSETTS: Hampden County
Hampden County has a total population of 470,406 and 1,482 recreational establishments, about three per 1,000 people.
Pictured is Springfield, which was established in 1636 and was the first Springfield in the New World.
MICHIGAN: St. Joseph County
Michigan's St. Joseph County has a total population of 61,043 and just 141 recreational establishments, or about two per 1,000 people.
Sturgis, pictured, is in the county and has a sister city in Weisloch, Germany, established as part of President Eisenhower's People-to-People program.
MINNESOTA: Sherburne County
Sherburne County, Minnesota, has a total population of 96,036 and just 378 recreational establishments, fewer than four per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Elk River, which is in the county, was designated as "Energy City" for Minnesota in 1997 to be the key site of efficient and renewable energy production.
MISSISSIPPI: Jones County
Jones County has a total population of 68,461 and just 124 recreational establishments, or fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Laurel, which is in the county, is the site of the HGTV makeover show, "Home Town."
MISSOURI: Pulaski County
Pulaski County has a total population of 52,014 and just 99 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, St Robert is home to the Uranus Fudge Factory.
MONTANA: Yellowstone County
Yellowstone County has a total population of 160,137 and has 798 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than five things to do per 1,000 people.
It's home to Billings, which is also called the "City Beneath the Rimrocks," which are the 300-to-800-foot sandstone formations nearby.
NEBRASKA: Hall County
Hall County has a total population of 61,607 and 167 recreational establishments, fewer than three per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Grand Island was known as La Grand Isle by French traders and is one of the largest inland islands in the world.
NEVADA: Lyon County
Lyon County has a total population of 55,808 and 175 recreational establishments, meaning there are about three per 1,000 people.
Fernley, which is in the county, was home to one of the first Amazon.com centers.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County has a total population of 55,808 and it has 175 recreational establishments, meaning there are about three per 1,000 people.
NEW JERSEY: Cumberland County
Cumberland County has a total population of 150,972 and 289 recreational establishments, meaning there are about two per 1,000 people.
Welch's Grape Juice was founded in Vineland, which is in the county.
NEW MEXICO: Eddy County
Eddy County has a total population of 57,900 and 93 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Carlsbad Caverns, found in Eddy County, are famous for their incredible underground natural formations.
NEW YORK: Bronx County
The county has a total population of 1,432,132 and has 3,738 recreational establishments, which means there are fewer than three things to do per 1,000 people.
The Bronx, pictured, is widely regarded as the birthplace of hip hop.
NORTH CAROLINA: Columbus County
Columbus County has a total population of 55,655 and 78 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
NORTH DAKOTA: Ward County
Ward County has a total population of 67,744 and 257 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than four per 1,000 people.
Pictured is Minot, which is in the county. It has been called the "Magic City" for its remarkable growth in a short period of time.
OHIO: Lawrence County
Lawrence County has a total population of 59,866 and 85 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Ironton, pictured, is short for "Iron Town," which relates to the city's long history with Iron.
OKLAHOMA: Pottawatomie County
Pottawatomie County's total population is 72,679 and it has 158 recreational establishments, meaning there are about two per 1,000 people.
Pictured is Shawnee, which is about 45 minutes east of Oklahoma City.
OREGON: Douglas County
Douglas County has a total population of 110,283 and has 293 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than three things to do per 1,000 people.
Pictured is Roseburg, which is in the county and a part of the Umpqua River Valley in southern Oregon.
PENNSYLVANIA: Northumberland County
Northumberland County's population is 91,083 and it has 188 recreational establishments, meaning there are about two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Sunbury, which is in the county, is located in the Susquehanna River Valley on the east bank of the Susquehanna River.
RHODE ISLAND: Providence County
Providence County has a total population of 636,084 and has 3,186 recreational establishments, meaning there are about five things to do per 1,000 people — the lowest in the state.
Pictured, Providence is home to Brown University.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Laurens County
Laurens County has a total population of 66,994 and has 131 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Laurens is named after John Laurens, who was an aid to George Washington during the Revolutionary War.
SOUTH DAKOTA: Lincoln County
Lincoln County's population is 58,807 and it has 320 recreational establishments, meaning there are about five per 1,000 people — the fewest in the state.
Pictured, Harrisburg is a suburb of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
TENNESSEE: McMinn County
McMinn County has a total population of 53,285 and has 103 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Athens, which is in the county, was named by Elijah Hurst after he read about the city in Greece.
TEXAS: Starr County
Starr County's total population is 64,525 and it has no recreational establishments.
Pictured, Rio Grande City, which is in the county, holds the March temperature record for the United States, at 108 degrees.
UTAH: Box Elder County
Box Elder County's population is 54,950 and it has 147 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than three per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Brigham City, which is in the county, is known for its peaches and holds Peach Days after each Labor Day.
VERMONT: Rutland County
Rutland County has a total population of 58,672 and 333 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than six per 1,000 people.
The downtown area of Rutland, pictured, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
VIRGINIA: Henry County
Henry County has a total population of 50,953 and 101 recreational establishments, meaning there are about two per 1,000 people.
Henry County sits at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, pictured.
WASHINGTON: Franklin County
Franklin County's total population is 94,347 and it has 165 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than two per 1,000 people.
Pasco is one of the three cities that make up Washington's Tri-Cities, along with Kennewick and Richland. Pasco and Kennewick are connected by the Intercity Bride, pictured.
WEST VIRGINIA: Raleigh County
Raleigh County has a total population of 74,254 and has 142 recreational establishments, meaning there are about two per 1,000 people.
Pictured is Bobcock State Park in Beckley. The city was founded by Alfred Beckley, who named it for his father, John James Beckley, who was the first Clerk of the House of Representatives and the first Librarian of Congress.
WISCONSIN: Grant County
Grant County's total population is 51,554 and it has 128 recreational establishments, meaning there are about two things to do per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Platteville, which is in the county, is home to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. It was created by the merging of the Mining Trade School and the Normal School, a teachers' college.
WYOMING: Natrona County
Natrona County's total population is 79,115 and it has 361 recreational establishments, meaning there are fewer than five per 1,000 people.
Pictured, Casper in Natrona County has been nicknamed "Oil City" for its oil resources and booming industry, and even has a paper called Oil City News.
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