Local breweries are part of a measurable industry with effects that extend beyond the taproom. The Brewers Association’s 2025 Economic Impact by State PDF reports 415,393 U.S. brewery-industry jobs, a $47,583 average wage, $71.752 billion in total economic impact, and $279.94 in impact per adult age 21+. The state figures below show how those measures vary across local brewery markets.
Contents
- U.S. brewery-industry snapshot
- States with the largest local brewery workforces
- Economic impact by state
- Average wages in brewery-industry jobs
- Impact per adult age 21+
- Smaller markets and local scale
U.S. brewery-industry snapshot
The national figures provide a reference point for reading every state result. The reported U.S. total is 415,393 brewery-industry jobs. The average wage is $47,583, while total economic impact is $71.752 billion. The reported impact per adult age 21+ is $279.94.
These measures describe different parts of the local brewery economy. Jobs indicate the size of the workforce connected with the industry. Average wage describes the reported pay measure for those jobs. Total economic impact captures the value attributed to brewery-industry activity in each state. Impact per adult age 21+ adjusts the comparison to the adult population used in the report, so it can highlight markets where brewery activity is especially large relative to that population.
The source labels all figures as coming from the Brewers Association 2025 Economic Impact by State PDF. The data is presented for the states and the District of Columbia included in that report. It should not be read as a current-year estimate beyond the source’s stated 2025 report edition, and the supplied research record was not independently verified.
States with the largest local brewery workforces
California reported the largest brewery-industry workforce at 46,731 jobs. Pennsylvania followed with 27,229 jobs, while New York reported 23,912 and Texas reported 22,620. Florida had 20,387 jobs, and Ohio had 17,166.
The next largest reported workforces were Colorado at 15,085 jobs, North Carolina at 15,022, Illinois at 14,778, Oregon at 12,831, and Wisconsin at 12,473. Massachusetts reported 12,308 jobs, Michigan 11,632, Washington 10,796, and Minnesota 10,710.
| State | Brewery-industry jobs | Economic impact |
|---|---|---|
| California | 46,731 | $8.461 billion |
| Pennsylvania | 27,229 | $4.887 billion |
| New York | 23,912 | $3.912 billion |
| Texas | 22,620 | $4.201 billion |
| Florida | 20,387 | $3.558 billion |
| Ohio | 17,166 | $3.367 billion |
| Colorado | 15,085 | $2.524 billion |
| North Carolina | 15,022 | $2.203 billion |
The remaining states with at least 8,000 reported brewery-industry jobs were Georgia, with 8,798; New Jersey, with 8,825; Indiana, with 8,072; Virginia, with 9,558; and Tennessee, with 6,990, which is just below that threshold. Missouri reported 6,600 jobs, Maryland 6,598, Connecticut 6,344, and Arizona 6,828.
The workforce totals reflect scale, not necessarily intensity. A populous state can have more brewery-industry jobs in absolute terms while a smaller state can report a higher impact per adult age 21+. Looking at both measures is therefore useful for understanding local brewery markets.
Economic impact by state
California also led the reported states in total economic impact at $8.461 billion. Pennsylvania reached $4.887 billion, Texas $4.201 billion, and New York $3.912 billion. Florida reported $3.558 billion, Ohio $3.367 billion, Illinois $2.811 billion, and Colorado $2.524 billion.
Other states above $2 billion were North Carolina at $2.203 billion, Oregon at $2.153 billion, and Wisconsin at $2.145 billion. Georgia reported $1.936 billion, Massachusetts $1.888 billion, Washington $1.848 billion, Minnesota $1.730 billion, Michigan $1.653 billion, Virginia $1.577 billion, Indiana $1.569 billion, and New Jersey $1.493 billion.
The report placed another group between $1 billion and $1.5 billion: Missouri at $1.162 billion, Tennessee at $1.164 billion, and Iowa at $1.025 billion. Connecticut reported $834 million, South Carolina $754 million, Kentucky $753 million, Maine $736 million, Louisiana $713 million, Montana $574 million, Vermont $533 million, Arkansas $538 million, and Nebraska $514 million.
States reporting less than $500 million in economic impact included Kansas at $473 million, New Hampshire at $468 million, Nevada at $480 million, Idaho at $423 million, New Mexico at $383 million, Hawaii at $357 million, Delaware at $346 million, Rhode Island at $291 million, Alaska at $259 million, West Virginia at $259 million, Mississippi at $257 million, North Dakota at $246 million, South Dakota at $212 million, Wyoming at $177 million, and the District of Columbia at $169 million.
These totals help describe the overall economic footprint associated with brewery activity in each geography. They do not, by themselves, identify the impact of an individual brewery, taproom, distributor, supplier, or home-brewing business.
Average wages in brewery-industry jobs
The national average wage reported by the Brewers Association was $47,583. The highest state average wage in the supplied figures was Hawaii at $56,564, followed by Georgia at $56,089, New Jersey at $55,692, Delaware at $55,557, and the District of Columbia at $54,881.
California reported an average wage of $53,157, while Pennsylvania reported $51,098 and Texas $50,443. Massachusetts was at $49,602, New York at $49,523, Nebraska at $48,884, Florida at $48,757, Missouri at $48,605, and Arizona at $48,543.
Colorado reported $48,115, Illinois $47,823, Washington $46,879, Ohio $46,797, Utah $46,779, Indiana $46,648, Oregon $46,497, and Iowa $46,531. Wisconsin reported $47,150, Louisiana $47,361, and Vermont $47,469.
Several states were below the national average wage. Minnesota reported $43,239, Virginia $43,156, Alabama $43,103, Rhode Island $42,347, Alaska $42,249, Maryland $42,189, Montana $41,020, Kansas $40,303, Kentucky $40,075, South Dakota $39,910, Mississippi $39,850, Michigan $39,650, and Idaho $39,316.
The lowest reported averages were New Mexico at $29,354, Wyoming at $30,850, South Carolina at $35,286, Maine at $36,205, North Carolina at $36,483, Connecticut at $37,952, West Virginia at $37,958, and Nebraska at $48,884. Average wage is a reported industry measure; it is not a guaranteed wage for every brewery role.
Impact per adult age 21+
Impact per adult age 21+ provides a different view of local brewery importance. Vermont had the highest reported figure at $1,052.55 per adult age 21+. Montana followed at $665.04, Maine at $663.17, and Oregon at $653.83. Colorado reported $558.39, Pennsylvania $493.10, Alaska $479.60, and Wisconsin $477.27.
The next reported figures were Delaware at $433.85, Iowa at $431.99, New Hampshire at $423.91, North Dakota at $422.37, Minnesota at $404.85, Wyoming at $404.07, Ohio at $380.46, Nebraska at $357.13, Massachusetts at $346.02, and Rhode Island at $340.58.
| State | Impact per adult age 21+ | Average wage |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $1,052.55 | $47,469 |
| Montana | $665.04 | $41,020 |
| Maine | $663.17 | $36,205 |
| Oregon | $653.83 | $46,497 |
| Colorado | $558.39 | $48,115 |
| Pennsylvania | $493.10 | $51,098 |
| Alaska | $479.60 | $42,249 |
| Wisconsin | $477.27 | $47,150 |
The report recorded $322.54 for Hawaii, $315.85 for South Dakota, $310.93 for the District of Columbia, $310.01 for Indiana, $306.59 for Washington, $298.19 for Connecticut, $294.82 for Illinois, $291.67 for Idaho, $287.54 for California, $267.20 for North Carolina, $258.26 for New York, and $250.40 for Missouri.
Below $250, the reported figures were $238.82 for New Mexico, $238.07 for Arkansas, $239.81 for Virginia, $236.39 for Georgia, $222.36 for Kentucky, $219.56 for Kansas, $216.37 for Michigan, $216.28 for Tennessee, $212.41 for Louisiana, $209.43 for New Jersey, $208.64 for Arizona, $204.37 for Maryland, $199.44 for Utah, $196.97 for Florida, $194.49 for Nevada, $190.94 for West Virginia, $188.13 for Texas, $183.74 for South Carolina, $179.76 for Oklahoma, $153.58 for Alabama, and $119.87 for Mississippi.
The national comparison point was $279.94 per adult age 21+. This measure is useful for comparing relative local-market intensity, but it does not replace total economic impact or employment when evaluating overall industry size.
Smaller markets and local scale
The state figures also show that a smaller workforce can coexist with a substantial per-adult impact. Vermont reported 3,132 brewery-industry jobs and $533 million in total economic impact, yet its $1,052.55 impact per adult age 21+ was the highest in the report. Montana reported 3,568 jobs and $574 million in impact, with $665.04 per adult age 21+.
Maine reported 5,247 jobs and $736 million in impact, while Oregon reported 12,831 jobs and $2.153 billion. Alaska reported 1,590 jobs and $259 million, with $479.60 per adult age 21+. New Hampshire reported 3,329 jobs and $468 million, with $423.91 per adult age 21+.
At the lower end of workforce size, the District of Columbia reported 1,158 jobs and $169 million in impact. North Dakota reported 1,199 jobs and $246 million, Wyoming 1,218 jobs and $177 million, South Dakota 1,339 jobs and $212 million, and Delaware 1,399 jobs and $346 million.
The Brewers Association 2025 Economic Impact by State PDF therefore presents local brewery activity through several lenses: workforce size, average wage, total economic impact, and impact relative to adults age 21+. Together, the measures show why local brewery statistics are best interpreted as a set of connected indicators rather than a single ranking.