Ticket sales open a window into where people are—and aren’t—re-entering the outside world more quickly. The data is specific to cinemas, but can be seen as a proxy for many industries that rely on consumers—the restaurants, hotels, stores and other businesses that depend on people’s ability or willingness to spend time and money indoors with strangers.

Utah is rebounding the fastest of all 50 states at the box office, with ticket sales down 50% from 2019, according to Comscore. That may not sound so great, and in the broader scheme of things it wouldn’t be, but consider Washington, D.C. Its comeback is the nation’s slowest, with ticket sales down nearly 76% from pre-pandemic levels.

But the data isn’t just important for social trends. It also matters for the movie industry itself as Hollywood brings back big-budget theatrical releases with titles like “Dune,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Eternals.” The North American box office grossed $2.27 billion last year, down from $11.4 billion in 2019. That figure is projected to hit $4 billion this year, according to Comscore.

Percentage change in box-office revenue

STATES WITH BEST RECOVERY

STATES AND D.C. WITH WORST RECOVERY

Percentage change in box-office revenue

STATES WITH BEST RECOVERY

STATES AND D.C. WITH WORST RECOVERY

Percentage change in box-office revenue

STATES WITH BEST RECOVERY

STATES AND D.C. WITH WORST RECOVERY

Adding further pressure, the number of theaters operating in North America dropped nearly 12% to 4,877 today, down from 5,524 in 2019.

For movie studios, audiences in California, Texas, Florida and New York are key to any recovery. The four states account for close to half of all ticket sales nationwide, and without their moviegoers, film executives say sales won’t return to 2019 levels anytime soon.

California’s box office remains down 65% from 2019—in other words, about a third of moviegoers have returned in that state. Texas is down more than 60%. Florida is down more than 66%. New York is down 69% from its pre-pandemic levels, according to Comscore.

“The road to recovery has different bumps, curves and obstacles in each state,” said

Paul Dergarabedian,

senior media analyst at Comscore.

Cities are critical to the industry’s recovery, with major markets like Los Angeles and New York not only bringing in bigger crowds but commanding higher ticket prices. Studio executives hope titles including “House of Gucci,” out Nov. 24, and Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of “West Side Story,” out Dec. 10, will do especially well in those cities given their focus on the fashion industry and urban life, respectively.

As more studios abandon simultaneous streaming and stick with theatrical releases, box-office numbers could further stabilize, movie executives say. That hasn’t entirely happened yet. Last week, “King Richard,” featuring Will Smith as Richard Williams, the hard-charging father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, arrived on HBO+ and in theaters on the same day.

Box-office revenues have been gradually climbing throughout the year. October was a high point, down approximately 20% compared with the same month in 2019.

The country’s return to the movies generally reflects the varying restrictions around reopening at the state and local level, and the degree of comfort citizens feel around virus risks. Generally, audiences have returned most strongly in areas of the country that relaxed Covid-19 restrictions more quickly. That often tracks with political views, the data show.

The chart below shows the change in box-office revenues this year compared with 2019, plotted against the 2020 presidential-election margin of victory.

The outlook overall has improved since early September, when Disney released its hit “Shang-Chi.” It is the highest grossing film of the 2021 domestic box office to date.

“As markets began to come back in early 2021, studios felt more confident to release some of their delayed blockbusters, and we saw the gradual return to steadily growing box-office results,” said Mr. Dergarabedian.

Moviegoers have been quicker to return to theaters in states that voted for Donald Trump than Joe Biden.

Change in box-office revenue, 2019– 2021

2020 presidential election margin of victory

Change in box-office revenue, 2019– 2021

2020 presidential election margin of victory

Change in box-office revenue, 2019– 2021

2020 presidential election margin of victory

Major states have maintained their market share. California, Texas, Florida and New York made up 41% of the market in 2019 and this year.

New York fell close to the bottom of all 50 states for the speed of its recovery. Its grosses went from about $561 million in 2019 to $173 million so far this year, according to Comscore.

“New York was really taking its time—both because of the very strict restrictions and the fact that Manhattan, in a way, was relatively empty at a certain stage,” said Mooky Greidinger, chief executive of Cineworld Group, which owns Regal cinemas. “It took time for people to come back. We see now a great growth in New York.”

Movie theaters in Washington, D.C., were among the last to open in the U.S. Some theaters there have remained closed for good.

One reason for Utah’s relative rebound lies in chains like the Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres, which operates 14 theaters in the state and added some renovations and upgrades during the pandemic, said Blake Andersen, president of Megaplex.

On a lesser note, the chain even continued to honor its refillable MegaTub popcorn buckets, using disposable paper liners for lower-risk transactions. Mr. Andersen said the tubs, and cravings for movie-theater popcorn, can at least take a little credit for the state’s recovery.

Write to Ellen Gamerman at ellen.gamerman@wsj.com and Brian McGill at Brian.McGill@wsj.com