Artists by County

1.6 million artists are at work in the United States, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. Artists include not only painters and sculptors but also designers, actors, producers, directors, athletes, dancers, musicians, and entertainers. Artists account for 1.1 percent of the nation's workers.

• Of the nation's 3,143 counties, more than 90 percent have at least one working artist. Only 290 counties have no artists.
• San Juan County, Colorado, has a higher percentage of artists in its workforce than any other county—6.5 percent. The county is sparsely populated, with 460 employed residents, which is why its 30 artists account for such a large share. 
• Los Angeles County has more artists than any other. The 121,620 artists who live in the county account for 2.7 percent of its workforce. New York County (Manhattan) has a smaller number of artists (44,765), but they are a larger share (5.3 percent) of its workforce.

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, Creative Class County Codes