How well do you know your home state? Do you fit in, or are you more similar to the residents of some other state? Would you be able to accurately guess what the top-selling item was in your state in 2018?
Some of the top sellers were predictable, some were practical, and some were completely off the wall — I’m looking at you, state who’s most-purchased product was Diet Coke.
Don’t just take our word for it — all this data comes from an app called Earny, which compiled purchase data from more than 100 million transactions to generate this list of geographic heavy-hitters. You can even check it out yourself with the link at the end of this article!
51. Wyoming Just Loves Stevia
When thinking of our least populated state, Wyoming, we generally conjure images of craggy mountains, wide open plains once teeming with bison, and a rugged, wilderness surviving, truck driving population. Well, those rugged men and women bought more Stevia online than anything else during last year. So, picture Paul Bunyan in an apron baking figure friendly banana bread. Mr. Bunyan has a sweet tooth, and is watching is weight.
50. Vermont Folk are Buying Up Puppy Pads Because, Baby, It’s Cold Outside
When you live in Vermont, you accept that sometimes it’s ridiculously cold outside. And sometimes when you open your front door you are met with a door-sized wall of snow. While Vermonters are busy tunneling out of their homes, their pooches have gotta go. So, they buy Puppy Pads in bulk and let them go indoors, I suppose. Or maybe they just have more puppies to train than the rest of us do.
49. Washington, DC Spent Last Year Reminiscing With Obama: An Intimate Portrait
Peter Sousa’s best seller, Obama: An Intimate Portrait, was released in November 2017 and quickly sold out in bookstores everywhere. It even sold out on Amazon, where it set the all time single day sales record for any book ever! But nobody bought up this hot new release as fervently as the people in Washington, DC. Our capital dwelling friends spent their holidays looking back on the Obama years.
48. Alaska is Busy Nursing Joint Pain With Turmeric Pain Relief
Life in Alaska is not easy. Half the year is spent in mostly darkness. Alaskans tend to spend their winters indoors, apparently nursing all the injuries they sustained during the rest of the year. Alaska’s biggest purchase last year was various versions of Turmeric Pain Relief. This natural supplement does more than address joint pain. It reduces overall inflammation, which can have positive effects on one’s joints, eyes, skin, digestion, circulation, and even mood!
47. North Dakota Fixes All Sorts of Stuff With Glue
I don’t know what type of glue the people of North Dakota are buying in such large quantities, but I’d like to think it’s awesome glue – the kind of glue you might give or receive as a gift. This Sugru Moldable Glue is just that kind of special glue that one would be happy to find in their stocking. It can be used to fix almost anything – from broken hoses to broken charging cables to the racks in your dishwasher or even oven. North Dakotans know that it’s better to fix something than to replace it.
46. South Dakota Spends the Winter Getting Stains Out With Carpet Cleaner
While their neighbors to the north are busy fixing stuff, the people of South Dakota are cleaning house. Carpet Cleaner was their biggest online purchase during 2017. Let’s hope this was not considered a gift from one spouse to another in any circumstance, and instead is simply a testament to how devoted South Dakotans are to a clean home, and how often they inadvertently track mud indoors or spill on their carpets.
45. Delaware Had Work to do so They Bought Printers
What were the people of Delaware so busy printing last year? Recipes? Resumes? Manuscripts? Was there a big Delaware only printer sale that the rest of us didn’t know about? We may never have the answers to these burning questions. All we know is that Delawareans bought more Printers than anything else. A good home printer is a necessity no matter where you live.
44. Montana Can Turn On the Lights From Anywhere With All the Smart Light Bulbs They Have
The people of Montana want to turn their lights on as they approach their dark houses. Or maybe they like having the option to change the color of their light, to create sunrises indoors, or to sync their lights to their music. They can do it all with the Smart Light Bulbs they bought which can be controlled with their smart phones. They can even dim their lights just by speaking to their light bulbs!
43. Rhode Island is Perfectly Comfortable in Their Gaming Rocker Chairs
Maybe the people of Rhode Island play more video games than the rest of us. Or maybe they’re just more serious about their gaming. Or, perhaps, it’s their comfort that they’re more serious about. Whatever the reason, the people in our tiniest state – just 48 miles high by 37 miles across – are sitting back in style in the Gaming Rocker Chairs they bought last year.
42. Maine Can’t Get Enough Banpresto Figures
Maine can’t get enough of what, you’re asking? Banpresto Figures are Japanese figurines based on Japanese characters from shows and games, like Dragon Ball Z. These figurines were the number one online purchase in Maine and I think that’s my favorite bit of information ever. This guy is a character from the game Dragon Ball Super, and he, apparently, can be found in homes all across Maine.
41. New Hampshire Needs to Move Snow and Has the Snow Broom and Ice Shovels to do it
It’s all about practicality up in New Hampshire. The people of New Hampshire took their mittens off long enough to order a bunch of Snow Broom and Ice Shovels last year. When your car can regularly be covered in a foot or more of snow, you do what you gotta do. Also needed in New Hampshire: rakes to pull snow off of the roof. It’s all fun and games in the granite state!
40. Hawaii is Alive With the Sound of Music From so Many Portable Karaoke Speakers
One cannot simply do karaoke in a bar or at home with some large machine. No. If you live in Hawaii then you know that you need to be able to take your karaoke with you. Their number one purchase last holiday season was portable karaoke speakers. We don’t know which one they all bought, but we love this light up, rose gold Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone for our singing on the move.
39. Idaho Loved the Movie so Bought the Book Wonder
The people of Idaho cried last year. I know this because they bought so many copies of Wonder and nobody can read that book without shedding tears. If you have somehow not read this book yet, stop what you’re doing and order yourself a copy. It’s beautiful, charming, moving, and will fill you up with the good stuff. But you will cry, like all those folks in Idaho did last holiday season.
38. West Virginia Just Can’t Get Enough Chocolate Bars
Who can blame them? Chocolate Bars are amazing, always fit, and are never recalled because of E. coli. West Virginians know that you can count on chocolate bars during the holiday season to bring joy, comfort, and deliciousness. If you need a gift for just about anyone on your list, chocolate bars will do the trick. I’ve said “chocolate bars” so many times now, I bet you’re craving chocolate!
37. Nebraska is All Stretched Out on Exercise Mats
If it turns out that Nebraska is more full of people doing yoga than any other state, then I am officially surprised. Or maybe it’s just that they’re new to the practice, so they needed to buy their Exercise Mats while the rest of us are still using our old, already sweaty ones. Or, maybe it’s not yoga at all, but some new, uniquely Nebraskan stretching exercise practice that will soon be all the rage across the nation. Come to think of it, maybe we all deserve a new mat?
36. New Mexico is Rocking Clip On Hair Extensions
I love the idea of people all over New Mexico walking around with different types of Clip On Hair Extensions, and I hope they all look as great as this picture. Now I can add funky, colorful hair extensions to my limited mind’s eye image of New Mexico, which heretofore involved only Road Runner landscapes, complete with Acme anvils, UFOs, the feeling that Santa Fe is a very cool and unique city, but not really knowing why, and the sense that the food in New Mexico is amazingly delicious and awfully spicy.
35. Kansas Loves This Electronic Duck Hunting Game
It turns out, there’s more to Kansas than expansive flat landscapes, tornadoes, and preparation for tornadoes. There’s also a passion for this Electronic Duck Hunting Game. This is a very specific and unusual item to have as your state’s most purchased item. Every school child in Kansas must have their own game. It actually looks pretty awesome, so the people of Kansas aren’t crazy here or anything. I want to play and I’ve never even been to Kansas.
34. Mississippi Just Loves the Look of a Phone Belt Clip Holster
If you’re like me, you can’t say, read, or think Mississippi without quickly spelling it. OK, now you’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about Phone Belt Clip Holsters. Holsters like these were all the rage in the days of the beeper, and then the flip phone. These days, holsters are mostly worn by dads, grandpas, and the people of Mississippi. It must be very convenient to have your phone on hand without bulging out of your back pocket. And many of these holsters also include places to carry some cash and cards. Maybe it’s time for holsters to make a fashion comeback?
33. Nevada Keeps its Crypto-Assets in This Ledger Nano S Cryptocurrency Wallet
I would have thought that Nevadans carried their money as cash or chips. But I’d be wrong. Apparently, they’re all about the crypto-currency. This very specific Ledger Nano S Cryptocurrency Wallet was the most frequently purchased item online in Nevada during last holiday season. This tells me that the average Nevadan understands things that I do not understand. Or, maybe, there’s just one guy in Nevada who has a bunch of these.
32. Arkansas Prefers Essentia Water Over Any Other Water
Actually, it seems that people in Arkansas prefer Essentia Water not only over any other water, but over any other beverage, food, or non-consumable commodity that one could potentially buy online. What is it about Essentia Water that drives Arkansans wild? According to the folks at Essentia, they simply produce a better bottle of water than anyone else. “We are the only ionized alkaline water clinically shown to rehydrate better than a leading bottled water.” Well, there you go. Stay hydrated, Arkansas!
31. Utah Went All-In With MoviePass Subscriptions
The ads were certainly compelling. A low monthly subscription fee and in return you could see as many movies per month as you wanted. The people of Utah signed up! MoviePass Subscriptions were the number one online purchase for the beehive state last holiday season. We don’t know how many movies Utahns have seen since then, or if they’re annoyed that MoviePass has changed from unlimited movies to limited movies since then.
30. Iowa Loves Snapping Photos With Fujifilm Film
I don’t know what the people of Iowa are taking all their photos of, but I do know that they’re printing them out right away and probably shaking them dry. Iowans (also called Iowegians – I looked it up,) are not currently into snapping selfies on their phones. OK, they probably are, but they’re also super into their Fujifilm Instax cameras that they keep needing to refill. I wonder if they’re buying variety packs of Fujifilm Film like this one?
29. Connecticut is Working on its Complexion With Indian Healing Clay
Maybe it was the stress of the holidays that caused the people of Connecticut to break out last year. Or maybe they already had and loved this face mask, and bought up more jars of it as gifts. Either way, folks from the nutmeg state bought a ton of the incredibly popular Indian Healing Clay face mask. And with nearly 19,000 4 and 5 star Amazon reviews, the people of CT are happy they did.
28. Oklahoma Likes to Order More With the Amazon Dash Button
I can’t say for sure that the people of Oklahoma bought a bunch of Amazon Dash Buttons to ward off Pringles emergencies, but they could have. Sure, it’s more likely that they got Dash Buttons for sundries like toilet paper or laundry detergent, but I like to think of the Pringles Dash Button like a bat signal for those times when you suddenly realize that you are completely out of Pringles.
27. Oregon Probably Looked Great Last Spring Thanks to All the Garden Tool Sets
Oregonians love to garden. Or, maybe they really want their friends and neighbors to spruce up their curb appeal. Either way, they bought more Garden Tool Sets last holiday season than anything else. You’ve got to think that with all those tools, and all that rain, the spring and summer of 2018 saw some impressive landscaping in Oregon. I wonder what they’ll buy this year?
26. Kentucky Prefers to Read on a Fire HD 8 Tablet
Kentuckians didn’t buy just any old tablet last holiday season, they bought the Fire HD 8 Tablet. Whether they use it for reading, on it’s adjustable backlit display, or they use it for games or even streaming TV shows and movies through apps like Netflix, HBO NOW, and, of course, Amazon Video, this powerhouse tablet has surely kept the people of Kentucky entertained all year.
25. Louisiana Got Over the Flu With Flu Symptoms Pellets
Lousianans, or Lousianians, just do not have time for the flu. And why should they when they know they can temporarily alleviate their symptoms with these homeopathic Flu Symptoms Pellets? Even the youngest Lousianians can use this as it’s safe for flu-ridden people aged 2 and up. Oscillococcinum works to temporarily relieve flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, body aches, chills and fever, without negative side effects.
24. Alabama Has Dinner Ready in a Fraction of the Time Now Because of Their Pressure Cookers
The people of Alabama are certainly not the only ones to hop on the Pressure Cooker trend in 2017. One could hardly go anywhere without hearing people talk about their latest Instant Pot creation. At this point, I’m pretty sure there are two kinds of people in this world: those who have an Instant Pot, and those who want one. In Alabama, there aren’t many left of the second category.
23. South Carolina Spent Their Online Dollars on Toilet Paper
I’m going to go ahead and assume that the fine people of South Carolina were not buying Toilet Paper as holiday gifts last year. Instead, their shopping carts in real, brick and mortar stores were so full of gifts and sundries for others, that they didn’t have space for their TP, so they ordered that online. And it’s not a bad idea. Do as the South Carolinians do and order your TP online in bulk and skip the whole walking around in public thing with a giant package of toilet paper.
22. Minnesota is Cat Country, Apparently, Because They Buy a Lot of Cat Food
We can’t know if they’re buying wet or dry, or cheap or fancy, all we know for sure is that Minnesotans cats’ breath smells like Cat Food, thanks to all the cat food the people of Minnesota bought last holiday season. Maybe they have more cats than the rest of us or maybe they are just buying it in case they come across a hungry cat – they are extremely nice people, dontcha know.
21. Colorado Knows What’s in Their Blood Thanks to This Ancestry DNA Kit
There’s no question that 2017 saw a tremendous increase in mail in DNA testing kits. Coloradoans were on trend then in their shopping last holiday season when they snapped up more of these Ancestry DNA Kits than anything else. When it comes down to it, a veritable ton of people from Colorado sent their saliva through the mail last year. I wonder how many were surprised at their results?
20. Wisconsin Smells Terrific Thanks to Oil Diffusers
Wisconsinites are feeling a lot less stressed this holiday season than they were last year, thanks to all the Oil Diffusers they bought.
Or, perhaps they’re feeling more energized and awake? Maybe they keep an oil diffuser in each room with a different scent and they walk around their homes flipping between moods like they’re the characters in Inside Out. Probably, they’re just enjoying the relaxing effects of a good oil diffuser.
19. Maryland is Looking for an Outlet for Their USB Cable
The people of Maryland know that one can never have too many charging cables. When you’re in the market for a new USB Cable, like Marylanders were last holiday season, don’t settle for the same type of short, weak cable that came with your device. Instead, opt for a durable, braided nylon cable with reinforced ends. And go for 6 feet, or even 10 feet! Free yourself from the wall!
18. Missouri Was Pretty Certain That Giraffes Can’t Dance
I’m dying to know the set of circumstances that led the people of Missouri to buy a bunch of copies of Giraffes Can’t Dance. Was there an incident at some Missouri zoo? Was it required reading for some state wide preschool entrance exam? Whatever the reason, I’m happy to know that a little micro-generation of Missourian children have been read this charming book about Gerald the giraffe, who wants nothing more than to dance.
17. Indiana Saves Photos on SanDisk Memory Cards
The people of Indiana do not trust their photos to their smart phones alone. No, Hoosiers carry cameras. Whether it’s point and shoot or some fancy SLR, we can’t know. We know only that the resulting photos are stored on SanDisk Memory Cards over all others. When some far distant future explorers happen upon the land that was once Indiana, and they excavate hundreds or thousands of these memory cards, will they ever figure out what they were for and what wonderful things they may contain?
16. Tennessee Dentists Recommend Using an Electric Toothbrush
Actually, all dentists do, well 9 out of 10 do anyway (those guys never all agree on anything). And Tennesseans listened. Last holiday season they spent their online shopping dollars on more Electric Toothbrushes than any other thing. I fully expect to be dazzled by sparkling white smiles all over the state of Tennessee – something I might not have expected before. Look at us all learning about one another!
15. Massachusetts Can’t Get Enough of This What Do You Meme? Party Game
The people of Massachusetts have been laughing hysterically since last year thanks to how many copies of What Do You Meme? Party Game exist in homes all across the state. Keep in mind, Bay Staters bought up this game above all other things last holiday season even though it is a game decidedly not meant for kids. This highly inappropriate game was purchased for adults only. Hopefully the kids in MA got some other games and toys, and it wasn’t an adults only holiday last year.
14. Arizona Can Probably Beat You in Air Hockey
What does it say about Arizona that its people purchased more Table Air Hockey Games than anything else last holiday season? Well, for one thing, it says that the average Arizonian can beat me in a game of air hockey. It also says that these people like to have fun, even if there’s no room for a full sized air hockey table. These table top games are a ton of fun!
13. Washington is Full of Doll Houses
Unlike the adults in other states who clearly were thinking of only themselves, I’m looking at you, Massachusetts, the good people of Washington State bought a bunch of Doll Houses last holiday season. And the Washingtonian children have been delighted ever since. I’m kidding. They played with their new toys for a hot minute just like the kids in all the other states. BUT, their friends are super jealous when they come over and see their great doll house sets!
12. Virginia Hit the Holiday Bullseye With the Electronic Dartboard
Maybe don’t go placing bets that you can beat a Virginian in a bar game of darts. Considering that the people of Virginia bought more Electronic Dartboards than anything else last holiday season, that Virginian talking smack in a bar about how good he is, has some dart throwing experience. He probably has a board at home. If you must go around challenging random bar goers to games of darts, maybe pick up an electric dart board of your own first for practice. Just remember, beer affects accuracy, so practice after as many beers as you tend to drink in a bar.
11. New Jersey, (and I Couldn’t Possibly Make This Up,) Bought a Bunch of Diet Coke
New Jersey is honest to goodness a beautiful place full of a diverse range of people. But, it’s also the state that so many people love to hate. To that end, let’s rank on NJ a bit for the fact that they bought more Diet Coke than anything else last holiday season. They’re so committed to their calorie-free, food-free, nutrition-free, anything-remotely-appropriate-to-ingest-free beverage, that it outranked everything else on Earth that they could have purchased online. You do you, New Jersey.
10. Michigan Has Kept Busy Putting Fingerlings to Sleep All Year
If you have never played with a Fingerling than you may not understand what all the fuss is about. The people in Michigan get it though. They bought up more Fingerlings Baby Monkeys than anything else last holiday season. Since then, they’ve been occupied cooing at their little monkeys, holding them upside down, and putting them to sleep. Sounds weird, but trust me, Michigan is right on this one. This is one cute toy.
9. North Carolina Takes the Easy Way With These Duraflame Fire Logs
The people of North Carolina love a good fire. But, they don’t love the work it takes to start one. Instead, they take the easy route by ordering a bunch of these Duraflame Fire Logs, which ignite quickly, with the mere rumor of flame, and then burn slowly and evenly just like real logs. North Carolinians know that these logs work great in both indoor and outdoor fires.
8. Georgia Knows How Soothing and Effective Aromatherapy Oils Can Be
Last holiday season, Georgians spent their internet dollars on Aromatherapy Oils. While essential oils and aromatherapy might seem new age or trendy, the people of Georgia are actually part of an ancient tradition. Heck, even Jesus was given essential oils on his birthday, which I’m pretty sure makes the people of Georgia like the three wise men, and it all makes sense now that this was Christmas-spending.
7. Ohio Proves That It’s Still 1977 With Their Lava Lamps
Ohioans are catching up with the rest of us. They’ve discarded their poodle skirts and sock hops and have bought up all the Lava Lamps they can. I’m kidding. Lava lamps are officially “in” again and all the kids want them. What’s not to love about mesmerizing orbs of blobbiness floating in slowly changing colored goo? I’m pretty sure lava lamps are especially popular in states where marijuana has been legalized. But even if you’re not in one of those states, the times they are a’changin,’ and you might want to do as the Ohoioans did and get your lava lamp now while you still can.
6. Illinois Has So Much Love For Pop Sockets
These colorful, super useful little gadgets were apparently in every Christmas stocking across the state of Illinois last year. Pop Sockets are an equal opportunity gift as they are also a perfect little Hanukkah present. The immensely useful phone holds/stands are easy to love, as any Illinoisan (yes, that really is the word) can tell you. No teen or tween is worthy of their selfie stick without one.
5. Pennsylvania is Ready For the Next Big One With Their Storm Proof Auto Covers
Between hurricanes and blizzards, the people of Pennsylvania are no stranger to extreme weather events. And they’re doing all they can to protect their belongings ahead of the next storm. Last holiday season, Pennsylvanians bought more Storm Proof Auto Covers than anything else. While a good cover won’t protect your car from the worst flooding or hurricane strength gales, it certainly can keep the snow off. They’re especially handy for those lucky people who have a seasonal car – that sweet convertible that doesn’t need to see the light of day all winter.
4. New York Turned its Regular Appliances into Smart Appliances With Smart Plugs
Last year New Yorkers looked around their homes and saw a bunch of appliances that they couldn’t control with their voices or smart phones. How boring! They decided to step into the future by buying up as many Smart Plugs as they could. If you’re very quiet on a still New York night, you can hear the people of the Empire State talking to their appliances. “Alexa, turn on the lights.”
3. Florida is All About Epic Adventures With Super Mario Odyssey
While people visiting Florida try to spend all of their time soaking up the sunshine, Floridians are inside playing video games. Specifically, they’re playing Super Mario Odyssey. They’re not tempted by the palm trees outside, the ocean, of even Harry Potter over at Universal Orlando. Instead they’re happy exploring the virtual world and places like the Mushroom Kingdom along with Mario and his sidekick Cappy. Actually, that sounds pretty fun, and there are probably no lines.
2. Texas is All About the Fire 7 Tablet
Normally we think everything is bigger in Texas, right? Turns out that their tablet preference is actually smaller. Texans couldn’t get enough of the Fire 7 Tablet last holiday season. It makes sense. This extremely affordable tablet still has a ton of bells and whistles making it a great value. The screen may be a bit smaller, but with a price tag well under $100, like, seriously well under, it looks like Texans are all about that bargain.
1. California Surprises No One By Buying a Bunch of iPhone X Screen Protectors
California, the most populous state in our union, has a bit of a reputation. Actually, California has many reputations depending on which part of the state you’re thinking of. There’s the botoxed, showbiz, stuck in traffic LA area, the laid back surfer beaches, San Francisco’s eclectic vibe, and Silicone Valley’s young tech millionaires. What they all have in common is money, which is why no one on Earth is surprised that the thing they bought last year were screen protectors for their brand new $1000 phones. Eyeroll. (But the phones are awesome.)
Wanna be sure we didn’t miss anything? Feel a compulsive need to double-check that your state did, in fact, buy more finger-puppet monkeys than any other product last year? You can read all about it here.