What states rely on AM radio the most? Nielsen has released a new report showing which states listen to the AM band the most – and number one is a perfect example of AM’s reach in far-flung and rural areas. The data provides deeper insights by showcasing the percentage of DMA (Designated Market Area) audiences that listen to AM radio each month.
As cited by Senator Ted Cruz, the AM For Every Radio Act, and the NAB, 82.3 million Americans tune in to AM radio monthly. One in three AM/FM radio listeners is reached by AM radio. Additionally, 57% of the AM radio audience listens to News/Talk stations, which play a crucial role during times of crisis and local news events.
Last week, Cumulus Media’s Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard shared Nielsen diary data from the Fall 2022 book that showed the US’ top ten active AM markets based on the percentage of the audience that listens to the band. Now, newly released data shows the top ten states with the highest percentage of AM radio listening:
| State | Monthly AM/FM radio reach | Monthly AM reach | % of radio reach from AM radio stations licensed to the state |
| North Dakota | 741,700 | 391,200 | 52.7% |
| Montana | 941,900 | 358,800 | 38.1% |
| Illinois | 13,448,300 | 5,066,900 | 37.7% |
| Washington | 7,243,300 | 2,540,600 | 35.1% |
| Wisconsin | 5,872,800 | 2,025,600 | 34.5% |
| Nebraska | 1,936,700 | 664,700 | 34.3% |
| Alaska | 455,800 | 153,200 | 33.6% |
| Utah | 2,948,100 | 970,100 | 32.9% |
| California | 32,757,700 | 10,581,600 | 32.3% |
| Ohio | 10,805,600 | 3,383,400 | 31.3% |
The full list of the top 31 AM states can be found here.
