This Is What Your State Googles the Most
Updated: Dec. 23, 2022
Curious as to which news stories, people, issues, trends, and events made people in your state say, "Hey, Google" the most? Come on in because we've got the results of a recent analysis of each state's most Googled search terms from last year.
Alabama: Della Reese
Thank’s to a brilliant analysis by Internet news outlet The Daily Dot, we know that “Della Reese” (the Touched by an Angel actress and singer who passed away in 2017) was on the minds of folks from Alabama, along with:
- eclipse glasses WalMart
- Roy Moore allegations
- Niger soldiers killed
Don’t miss these 50 facts about the 50 states.
Alaska: What is a dotard?
In an example of world leaders not playing exactly “nice,” the leader of North Korea disparagingly referred to President Donal J. Trump as a “dotard.” It’s not a new slur; in fact, it goes all the way back to the middle ages. But it sure caught the attention of Alaska, making it one of Alaska’s most searched terms. Unlike dotard, these old insults have become compliments.
Arizona: Alyssa Milano me too
When actress Alyssa Milano tweeted about the #MeToo movement, she caught the attention of Arizona in a big way. Arizonans also were curious about:
- Chester Bennington (singer-songwriter)
- Joe Arpaio pardon
- Lil Peep (rapper)
Arkansas: Glenn Campbell
It might be surprising to learn that Arkansas folks were particularly interested in googling Glenn Campbell, the country singer who passed away in 2017. He was the great “Arkansas Farmboy,” after all.
California: iPhone X
A big state like California naturally had quite a lot of popular Google searches attributed to its people and technology. These include the following searches that are naturally of particular interest to California folks
- UC Berkeley protests
- Best Picture 2018
- Ed Westwick allegations
- Brett Ratner allegations
Colorado: Tour de France
Considering Colorado has one of the best bike tours you can take in all the nation, it’s only natural that the Tour de France cycling race was on the minds of Coloradans. Other popular Colorado Google searches included:
- Michael Flynn guilty
- Bill O’Reilly allegations
- How can I help Puerto Rico
Connecticut: Puerto Rico
Another state particularly concerned with Puerto Rico, Connecticut was doing a lot of searching for ” Puerto Rico news” and “Puerto Rico electricity.” Throughout 2017, folks in Connecticut were also interested in Connecticut native Paul Manafort (Trump’s former campaign manager, who is standing trial for tax evasion and other crimes), Aaron Boone (former MLB player and current manager of the Yankees), and “opioid addiction” (Connecticut is currently in the midst of an opioid addiction crisis).
Delaware: John McCain cancer
One of our nation’s tiniest states, Delaware nevertheless has broadly eclectic interests, as their top Google searches reveal:
- elf on the shelf meme
- Mariah Carey (singer)
- Roy Halladay (former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, who died in a plane crash in 2017)
- Warren Beatty Oscars 2017
- Cosby trial
Florida: Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria
Florida has quite the history with hurricanes, which is probably why these 2017 hurricanes, along with Puerto Rico, were up there among the most Googled search terms last year. Also popular in Florida searches:
- James Comey (former FBI director)
- Chelsea Manning (soldier, analyst)
- Venezuela coup
- Venezuela travel ban
Georgia: Georgia special election
It was an exciting year in Georgia politics, and Georgia was on the edge of their seats for the April 18, 2017, special election for the House of Representatives 6th Congressional District seat, which resulted in a runoff on June 20 (Republican Karen Handel ultimately was the victor). Georgia also was keenly interested in the health of one musician—Usher, who famously sang “Georgia On My Mind” in a 2016 Ray Charles tribute—and the death of another—Gregg Allman, who died in Georgia in 2017.
Hawaii: Bitcoin
Hawaii is made up of eight separate islands, and that may be why Hawaii’s most popular Google searches were, well, all over the map. In addition to bitcoin, they searched for :
- Matt Lauer accuser
- North Korea sanctions
- Gal Gadot (actress)
- Iron Fist (web TV series)
- Tabata workout
- complicit ((Merriam-Webster’s #2 Word of the Year for 2017)
- George and Amal Clooney Twins
Idaho: Doctor Who
Apparently, Idaho is fascinated by the television series, Doctor Who, as well as Jodie Whittaker, the English actress famous for playing the 13th Doctor Who character. Find out the strangest roadside attraction in every state.
Illinois: Calories in a Unicorn Frappuccino
Well, who isn’t curious about the number of calories in a Unicorn Frappucino? So we can’t really blame the residents of Illinois for searching for it… a lot. They also were interested in the sexual assault allegations against actor Danny Masterson, as well as a nonspecific list of “celebrities accused of sexual assault.” Other popular Illinois Google searches included:
- NHL champions
- Keystone Pipeline leak 2017
- Chicago murder rate
Indiana: “What is a solar eclipse”
While folks in Alabama were searching for “eclipse sunglasses at Walmart,” folks in Indiana were keen to find out exactly what a solar eclipse is. They also searched for:
- Paul George (NBA player)
- Erin Moran (actress who died in Indiana in 2017)
- St. Petersburg subway blast
- Navy Seal killed in Yemen raid
- Blake Shelton Sexiest Man Alive
Ever wonder how Indiana got its name? Here’s the backstory on every state name.
Iowa: net neutrality
With net neutrality a thing of the past, the Des Moines Register asked the question: Is it a non-event in Iowa, or the next great divide? Apparently, this was on the minds of quite a lot of Iowans, because it was one of the two most Googled search terms in Iowa, along with “Keurig boycott.”
Kansas: Louis CK allegations
He’s not from Kansas, but he’s known for his (faux) hatred of “Kansas City”, but Louis CK was clearly on the minds of people from Kansas, who Googled about the sexual allegations against him more than almost anything else in 2017. Also popular search terms in Kansas:
- Samsung Galaxy S6
- National Anthem protests
- How many mass shootings in 2017
Kentucky: Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd grew up in Kentucky and is a huge fan of Kentucky basketball. No wonder “Ashley Judd” and “Ashley Judd Speech” (at the Washington D.C. Woman’s March in 2017) were two of the most Googled search terms, along with “How to watch Mayweather vs McGregor free” and “Harry Dean Stanton” (the Kentucky-born actor who passed in 2017). Don’t miss the most misspelled word in every state.
Louisiana: Al Sharpton selfie
Bayou State natives were particularly interested in the selfies Al Sharpton takes of himself and posts on Instagram (he does look quite fit, actually). Folks in Louisiana were also doing a lot of searching for “Robert Guillaume” (the actor who passed in 2017) and “Fats Domino” (the Louisiana-born musician who died in Louisiana in 2017).
Maine: Blake Farenthold pajamas
The disgraced Texas Congressman’s pajamas had duckies on them, and Maine is known for its abundant waterfowl, so perhaps that’s the reason people from Maine Googled “Blake Farenthold pajamas” more than almost any other search term. Folks from Maine were also Googling:
- monkey selfie
- Sam Shepard (playwright who passed in 2017)
- Martin Landau (actor who passed in 2017)
- Charlie Rose allegations
- the #MeToo movement
- Mueller investigation
- transgender rights
- Michael Flynn immunity
We’ll save you the trouble from Googling: Here are the best bucket lists ideas for Maine and all the states.
Maryland: Meghan Markle
The now Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, captured the attention of Marylanders—along with the rest of the world. Some other most-Googled searches in Maryland:
- Mugabe resigns (Zimbabwean president)
- Russell Simmons allegations
- Jeremy Piven allegations
- Confederate statues meaning
- Trump inauguration crowd size
- Time’s Person of the Year
- recuse (Merriam-Webster’s #3 Word of the Year for 2017
Massachusetts: Ben Affleck rehab
You can’t blame folks in Massachusetts for their continuing interest in Commonwealth native, Ben Affleck. Same with their interest in the “Super Bowl champs” (hello….New England Patriots, we’re looking at you!). Folks in Massachusetts also spent time Googling:
- March for Science
- Ariana Grande (singer)
- Ed Sheeran (singer-songwriter)
- Boston free speech rally
- Joyner Lucas (hip-hop artist)
- Kushner investigation
- South Sudan famine
- transgender bathroom law
Michigan: Symptoms of eye damage from eclipse
Michigan is another state that had the eclipse on its mind, only this time, the concern was the after-effects, specifically, eye damage. Other popular Google searches in Michigan included:
- Did North Korea launch a missile today?
- Giuliani Muslim ban
- human trafficking
- giant penguin (prehistoric penguin bones as tall as a human discovered in New Zealand)
Minnesota: Mary Tyler Moore
Minnesotans already knew the answer to the question, “Who can turn the world on with her smile” because Minneapolis was the other star of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970 to 1977). Moore died in 2017, but a statue of her endures downtown. Other popular Google search terms in Minnesota included “sexual misconduct,” in general, as well as the allegations against Al Franken and Garrison Keillor. Find out the 9 things you should never Google.
Mississippi: Cardi B
Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar was born and raised in the Bronx, New York in 1992 and shot to astounding fame around 2015 (and is still ascending) as Cardi B, is an American rapper. She’s super-hot in Mississippi, apparently, which is also captivated by the following Google searches in 2017:
- How to make slime?
- Get Out (2017 film)
- Janet Jackson baby
- Donald Trump LaVar Ball (they had a famous “feud” in 2017)
- Nelly (rapper) arrested
Missouri: Jeremy Piven allegations
Jeremy Piven was born in California, attended college in Iowa, and makes his career in Hollywood. But somehow, he’s on the Missouri radar, especially in regards to the allegations of sexual harassment made against him in 2017. But Missouri’s curiosity went far beyond tabloid salaciousness: their other most Googled search term in 2017 was “St. Louis protests,” which took place in September.
Montana: Sean Spicer resigns
President Trump’s former press secretary, Sean Spicer, is from New York, but Montana was keenly interested in his resignation, based on the volume of Google Searches their residents entered on the topic. Montanans also Googled the following terms more than any others in 2017:
- Lady Gaga
- Russia investigation
- wildfire (wildfires ravaged over a million acres of Montana in 2017)
Nebraska: Harvey Weinstein accusors
The number one Googled search term in Nebraska in 2017 was “Harvey Weinstein accusers,” which doesn’t mean they didn’t Google a lot of other things. In fact, it’s likely that Nebraska folk Googled a great many things, but that Weinstein’s accusers were the one that many had in common. As of late October 2017, there were 87 Harvey Weinstein accusers, so this topic certainly had a lot of depth.
Nevada: Las Vegas shooting
Nevada had quite a lot of popular Google searches in 2017, and the tragic, October “Las Vegas shooting” that left 58 people dead, was among them. Other popular searches in Nevada include:
- Mayweather vs McGregor fight
- Linkin Park (band)
- Ralphie May (comedian who died in Las Vegas in 2017)
- Jerry Lewis (comedic actor who died in Las Vegas in 2017)
- Colin Kaepernick (Football quarterback free agent, educated at University of Nevada)
New Hampshire: How to make solar eclipse glasses
In another version of the solar eclipse search that was popular last year around the country, New Hampshire was interested in how to make solar eclipse viewing glasses and Googled that more than almost anything else. In addition, New Hampshire folk did a lot of Googling of:
- Matt Lauer allegations
- Sally Yates fired
- Tom Petty (musician who passed in 2017)
- SpongeBob mocking meme
- Malcolm Young (AC/DC guitarist who passed in 2017)
- Kevin Spacey allegations
- Presidential pardon
New Jersey: Frank Vincent
Born Frank Vincent Gattuso Jr., Vincent played a prominent roll in HBO’s New Jersey-based series The Sopranos, and he died in Nutley, New Jersey in 2017. Other popular Google searches from the Garden State in 2017 include:
- Iota (cryptocurrency)
- John Heard (actor who passed in 2017)
- #MeToo movement
- Don Rickles (comedian who passed in 2017)
- Dustin Hoffman allegations
- Kurdish referendum results
- Manafort indictment
Check out these 12 funny Google searches.
New Mexico: Samsung Galaxy S
Well, New Mexico, you certainly are mysterious. We don’t know why “Samsung Galaxy S” was the single most popular Google search in New Mexico during 2017, but perhaps the answer lies somewhere in the New Mexico dessert along with Leon Trabuco’s hidden treasure!
New York: Anthony Weiner sentenced
New York politician Anthony Weiner had more than one chance to straighten out his personal life, but he failed in epic proportions in 2017 with the sexting scandal involving a minor that netted him 15 months in a federal prison. Other top Google searches in New York:
- Harvey Weinstein
- Rose McGowan (actress)
- Jeffrey Tambor allegations
- obstruction of justice Trump
- Iranian presidential election
- Martin Shkreli jailed
- French election
- Presidential pardon limits
North Carolina: Why was Bill O’Reilly fired?
It stands to reason that this search would captivate North Carolinians more than any other because it was a University of North Carolina graduate who was at the center of the firing of Bill O’Reilly for sexual misconduct.
North Dakota: syzgy
“Syzygy,” Merriam-Webster’s #6 Word of the Year for 2017 was one of the most Googled terms by North Dakotans in 2017. It refers to a pair of connected or corresponding things, which might explain its appeal to North Dakota folks (who have South Dakota connected with them by name and geography). Other popular North Dakota Google searches:
- Glenne Headly (actress who died in 2017)
- Judge Joseph Wapner (The People’s Court judge, who died in 2017)
- Equifax hack (which put the personal information of many people in jeopardy; here’s what you can do to protect your identity post-Equifax).
Ohio: Ken Doll man bun
The man-bun-coiffed Ken doll also came in two different body-positive body types, and folks from Ohio clearly had a lot of questions because they Googled this term more than almost any other, along with:
- Trump travel ban blocked
- Otto Warmbier (the American college student held prisoner in North Korea, who died in 2017)
- U bum (LeBron James tweet about Trump, which was the most retweeted tweet in 2017)
Check out the most historic first from Ohio—and every other state.
Oklahoma: Bill Paxton
Many were gutted by the unexpected death of actor Bill Paxton in early 2017, but Oklahomians must have felt a keen connection to Paxton, because they Googled his name more than almost any other search term (that connection may well have been the fact that Paxton had spent almost two months in Wakita, a small Oklahoma town near the Kansas border, while filming the blockbuster movie Twister.) Other popular Google searches from the Sooner State:
- Hugh Hefner (Playboy publisher)
- Nia Jax selfie
- Patty Jenkins (director)
- Serena Williams baby pics
Oregon: Julia Louis-Dreyfus breast cancer
The beloved comic actress may be best known for her New York- and Washington D.C.-based television shows (Seinfeld and Veep, respectively), but Oregon folks were obviously concerned for her health, judging by the volume of Google searches originating in Oregon on the topic. Oregonians also were concerned for Olivia Newton-John’s health because they Googled her name with “cancer” as well as “Harvey Weinstein allegations.” Find out the nicest place in Oregon and the other 49 states.
Pennsylvania: This Is Us
Awww, who doesn’t love the hit NBC television series? But Pennsylvania has a special connection to it that probably explains why “This is Us” was Googled more than almost any other search term in Pennsylvania: the show is set in Pittsburgh. Other popular Pennsylvania searches:
- Meek Mill prison
- What are Beyonce twins names?
- Mario Batali allegations
- Trump transgender military ban
- Putin Trump handshake
Rhode Island: Where is Richard Simmons?
The 68-year-old fitness instructor vanished from the spotlight about four years ago, but when he returned, it seems no state was happier than Rhode Island, which Googled about his whereabouts more than almost any other search term during 2017. Rhode Island also spent lots of their Google search time in search of info on:
- Matt Lauer
- Aaron Hernandez (deceased New England Patriots player, convicted of murder)
- TRX workout
- Chuck Low (actor who passed in 2017)
- Prodigy dies (rapper who passed in 2017)
- Pepsi Kendall Jenner ad
South Carolina: Who is George Papadopoulos
The answer to the question asked more than any other by South Carolinians on Google last year is: the former Trump campaign aid who pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents about contacts he had with the Russian government relating to the campaign. This, along with “eclipse glasses,” “bungee workout” and “R. Kelly Buzzfeed” was on the mind of folks from South Carolina in 2017 more than anything else, if sheer Googling volume is an indication.
South Dakota: Where is Guam on the map?
In addition to “What is net neutrality,” South Dakotans asked “Where is Guam on the map” more than any other question on Google in 2017. South Dakotans also searched for:
- Mariah Carey New Years performance
- Christopher “Big Black” Boykin (reality TV star who passed in 2017)
- Tiger Woods mugshot
- Amazon buys Whole Foods
- Oumuamua (interstellar asteroid being investigated for signs of alien technology)
Tennessee: Gal Godot Wonder Woman salary
Who knew Tennessee folks were so interested in the salary of the actress who’s been playing Wonder Woman lately? Well, Google, apparently, because this was one of Tennessee’s most popular Google searches, along with:
- Where to buy solar eclipse glasses?
- Aaron Carter mugshot
- Obamacare skinny repeal
- Stanley Cup
- white supremacist rally (which took place in Charlottesville, Virginia)
Texas: Hurricane Harvey
It was in southern Texas where Hurricane Harvey touched down at near peak intensity on August 25. It’s tied with Hurrican Katrina for the costliest hurricane on record, inflicting $125 billion in damage, primarily from catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding in the Houston area. So naturally, it was at the top of Texan Google searches, along with “World Series,” “Who are the Rohingya?” and “bathroom bill.”
Utah: Stranger Things
Stranger Things, the Netflix series, has loads of fans across the country, but one reason it was so well-searched in Utah may be that one of the stars, Gaten Matarazzo, has been working with a non-profit foundation in Utah for those who have cleidocranial dysplasia, the condition he was born with. Other popular Utah Google searches in 2017 were:
- Nintendo Switch (video game console)
- Wonder Woman (2017 film)
- Beauty and the Beast
- Justice League (2017 film)
- Gordon Hayward injury video (NBA player)
- Riverdale (TV series)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- Taylor Swift
Vermont: impeachment
Considering Vermont’s connection and continuing affection for its home-state senator, Bernie Sanders, it’s not too surprising “impeachment” was on the minds of folks from Vermont, who Googled the term more than almost any other during 2017, along with the following others:
- Louis C.K. (comedian/sexual misconduct)
- cash me outside meme
- Michael Flynn
- feminism (Merriam-Webster’s #1 Word of the Year for 2017)
- empathy (Merriam-Webster’s #4 Word of the Year for 2017)
- June Foray (voice actor who passed in 2017)
- Trump speech Boy Scouts
- UK election
Virginia: Charlottesville protests
The “Unite the Right” rally took place in Charlottesville in late summer 2017, and it clearly captivated Virginia folks, who Googled “Charlottesville protests” more than almost any other search term. Other popular Virginia Google searches in 2017 were:
- independence vote Catalonia
- George Foreman Steven Seagal (Foreman challenged Seagal to a fight)
- Danica Roem (Virginia politician)
Think you know your U.S. state flags? Test yourself with this state flag quiz.
Washington: Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell, the lead singer of Soundgarden, died of suicide in May of 2017, leaving fans devastated. It makes sense this touched a nerve in Washington since Soundgarden was formed in Seattle and was named after an art installation in Seattle (the Sound Garden). Other popular Washington Google searches for 2017 included:
- Unicorn Frappuccino
- Chris Pratt Anna Faris divorce
- Shohei Otani (Japanese baseball player who plays for the California Angels)
- Westminster Bridge attack
- Daniel-Day Lewis retires
- Trump approval rating
- white supremacy
- Mogadishu blast
- Vault 7 WikiLeaks
West Virginia: “How to make a fidget spinner”
Creative folks in West Virginia managed to place “How to make a fidget spinner” into the top terms Googled by West Virginians in 2017. Other popular West Virginia Google terms in 2017:
- Bill Skarsgård (Swedish actor)
- Jason Aldean (singer-songwriter)
- eclipse selfie
- Jennifer Garner divorce
- Quebec mosque attack
- Bill O’Reilly fired
- Confederate statues
Find out the 19 fun Google tricks you’ll want to do immediately.
Wisconsin: Russia banned from Olympics 2018
In late 2017, the New York Times reported that “Russia’s Olympic team has been barred from the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea: “The country’s government officials are forbidden to attend, its flag will not be displayed at the opening ceremony and its anthem will not sound.” This was interesting enough to Wisconsin folks that in the less-than-one-month that followed, it became one of the top three most-Googled terms in Wisconsin for 2017 along with “Tony Romo announcer” and “Randy Bryce.”
Wyoming: ANTIFA
“ANTIFA” stands for the “anti-fascism” political ideology, and Wyoming folks were interested in what it was all about, judging by the volume of Google searches they conducted on the topic. They also Googled:
- solar eclipse (Wyoming was one of two states in the “Path of Totality” for the eclipse)
- Meryl Streep
- Murphy CrossFit workout
- coup in Turkey
- Alyssa Milano
- Otto Warmbier coma
- Yemen raid
Originally Published: September 27, 2018
