Maine has the highest concentration of mental health and substance abuse social workers in the U.S., with 131.46 workers per 100,000 residents, according to Becker’s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data and 2025 U.S. population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The number of mental health and substance abuse social workers per 100,000 residents was calculated by dividing the total number of workers in each state by its population and multiplying by 100,000. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
Here are 49 states and the District of Columbia, ranked by mental health and substance abuse social workers per 100,000 residents:
1. Maine — 131.46
2. Massachusetts — 104.00
3. New York — 74.09
4. District of Columbia — 73.52
5. Rhode Island — 71.78
6. Montana — 64.65
7. Minnesota — 61.57
8. Kansas — 54.41
9. Oregon — 52.18
10. Ohio — 50.84
11. California — 50.46
12. Vermont — 49.64
13. Arizona — 48.40
14. Delaware — 48.12
15. Michigan — 45.62
16. Nebraska — 44.60
17. Washington — 43.62
18. Oklahoma — 43.17
19. Connecticut — 41.75
20. Virginia — 41.33
21. New Mexico — 37.64
22. Iowa — 37.06
23. Maryland — 35.91
24. Indiana — 35.71
25. Utah — 35.04
26. Wyoming — 33.97
27. Alaska — 33.91
28. Nevada — 33.51
29. Arkansas — 33.39
30. North Carolina — 32.95
31. Wisconsin — 31.48
32. Mississippi — 31.14
33. Tennessee — 30.35
34. North Dakota — 30.02
35. Kentucky — 29.52
36. Colorado — 27.28
37. Illinois — 27.20
38. Pennsylvania — 26.80
39. Missouri — 26.15
40. Texas — 25.92
41. New Jersey — 25.35
42. Idaho — 25.13
43. South Dakota — 24.60
44. West Virginia — 23.78
45. New Hampshire — 22.61
46. Florida — 21.95
47. Louisiana — 21.00
48. Alabama — 14.25
49. South Carolina — 12.93
50. Georgia — 11.77
Note: Data was not available for Hawaii because the BLS did not release an employment estimate for the occupation in the state.
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