P&C agent trends: Kentucky tops growth as NM, Vermont, and Maine decline

The US Property & Casualty (P&C) agent landscape is transforming - and the Insurance Business Agent Insights Dashboard is revealing just how uneven that transformation has become. 

Over the past five years, the map of opportunity has redrawn itself: Kentucky has risen to the top of the rankings, while coastal and mountain states are shrinking fast. 

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New hubs, new momentum 

According to the latest Agent Insights Dashboard data, Kentucky has become the standout growth state in P&C distribution, with agent numbers up 160% since 2020 from just over 2,000 to more than 5,200 in 2024. 

Nevada and Minnesota follow with 60% and 50% growth, respectively, buoyed by population inflows, new business formations, and expanding personal-lines activity. 

Coastal contraction and risk of coverage gaps 

The dashboard data show New Mexico down 85%, California down 78%, and Washington down 59% over the same five-year period. High-cost markets and regulatory pressures have squeezed P&C agency margins, prompting mergers, retrenchment, or outright exits. In New Mexico, barely 650 P&C agents remain active. 

The biggest market still belongs to Texas 

Texas remains the nation’s anchor, home to 13,162 active P&C agents and by far the largest concentration in the country. While its growth rate has been steady rather than spectacular, its scale continues to underpin national capacity in both personal and commercial lines. 

Strategic implications for carriers and agencies 

The Agent Insights Dashboard helps carriers and intermediaries move from observation to action. 

With its five-year trendline and state-level filtering, the platform enables decision-makers to: 

• Pinpoint where growth and density intersect – vital for recruitment and appointment planning. 
• Benchmark distribution networks against state performance to ensure field teams align with actual market demand. 
• Identify early warning signs in declining markets that may call for consolidation or strategic withdrawal. 
• Spot expansion corridors – such as Kentucky, Minnesota, and Nevada – before competitors do. 

The Insurance Business Agent Insights Dashboard provides: 

• Five-year P&C agent headcount trends by state 
• Filters by year, state, and insurance line 
• Growth rates, volatility indicators, and rankings to identify opportunity and risk 
• A data foundation for smarter distribution planning, recruitment prioritization, and market entry strategy 

Explore the live dashboard and visualize the shifts shaping America’s insurance distribution network. 

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