50 States, 50 Favorites: The Candy Each State Craves Most

Are you more of a chocolate candy person, or do you prefer a fruit-flavored sweet treat? From sodas to sweets, Americans love a sugar rush. The average American spends over $250 on candy every year, with spikes around the holiday season. Since Halloween is quickly approaching, we decided to do a deep dive into candy culture in the U.S. and unwrap which candies are the most popular in each state. The results of this study are impressive to say the least, and it might have you switching up your Halloween candy for trick-or-treaters!

Our friends at Innerbody conducted a year-long study, examining each state to reveal what candies they're searching for. By analyzing the Google Trend search data for every state (and the District of Columbia), they were able to determine which sweets reign supreme. Does your state accurately reflect your favorite candy?

Sweetest States in the USA

These states can really embrace candy. It seems like the Midwest, the South, and the Northeast are the kings and queens of candy, with only two states outside of those three regions. 

• Nebraska
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• West Virginia
• Utah
• Arkansas
• Wisconsin
• Pennsylvania
• South Dakota
• Indiana

Most Popular Candies in the U.S.

America has spoken, and it seems that fruit-flavored candy trumps chocolate candy. I’m personally disappointed Reese’s didn’t rank higher on the list, although I’ll never turn down a pink Starburst.

• Starburst: 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin
• Sour Patch Kids: 8 states: Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington
• Reese’s: 4 states: Iowa, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming
• Skittles: 4 states: Arkansas, Georgia, Nebraska, Virginia 
• Sour Punch: 4 states: Arizona, California, Louisiana, Texas
• Jolly Rancher: 3 states: Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska

Least Candy-Loving States:

We’re all about balance, and since we’ve revealed the top 10 most candy-loving states, it’s only fair to let you in on the states that don’t care for candy as much:

• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Wyoming
• Alaska
• California
• Florida
• Vermont
• Washington
• Colorado
• New York

Vermont is considered the Candy Capital of the United States because it has more candy stores per capita than anywhere else, so why did it rank so low? Remember, the data is Google search-driven, so it’s more likely that Vermonters prefer the local candy scene vs. big box candy. 

Least Popular Candies in the U.S.

While Starburst and Sour Patch Kids take the gold and silver in sweets, a handful of candies get a thumbs down from nearly every state. 

• Candy Corn: Candy corn has one true fan, and it’s Kansas. Not surprisingly, given that Kansas is one of the country’s top 10 corn-producing states. 
• Blow Pops: South Dakota and New Mexico are the only states that chose Blow Pops as a favorite, which is actually an improvement over previous years!
• Hot Tamales: New Mexico loves this top-selling cinnamon candy, but they’re the only ones. 

Given America’s love for sugary sweets, I’m not surprised that Hot Tamales ranked so low. Cinnamon is one of those acquired tastes, and I understand why the average kid would pass on it. Blow Pops are timeless, and though I prefer Tootsie Pops over Blow Pops, Blow Pops are a nostalgic candy. I’m glad they’re still around for new generations to enjoy. Candy Corn, though… Kansas, are you ok? Candy Corn is the most resilient candy that’s ever been created. I bet Nickelback loves Candy Corn. 

The Most Popular Candy in Each State:

And now, the list you've all been waiting for: a breakdown of the most popular candy in each state.

• Alabama: Starburst
• Alaska: Twix
• Arizona: Sour Punch Straws
• Arkansas: Skittles, Starburst
• California: Sour Punch Straws
• Colorado: Jolly Ranchers
• Connecticut: Starburst
• Delaware: Salt Water Taffy
• District of Columbia: Starburst
• Florida: Starburst
• Georgia: Skittles
• Hawaii: Twix
• Idaho: 3 Musketeers
• Illinois: Starburst
• Indiana: Sour Patch Kids
• Iowa: Reese’s, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst
• Kansas: Candy Corn
• Kentucky: Dubble Bubble
• Louisiana: Sour Punch Straws
• Maine: Sour Patch Kids
• Maryland: Sour Patch Kids
• Massachusetts: Swedish Fish
• Michigan: Sour Patch Kids
• Minnesota: Snickers
• Mississippi: Butterfinger
• Missouri: Jolly Ranchers
• Montana: Life Savers
• Nebraska: Jolly Ranchers, Skittles
• Nevada: M&M’s
• New Hampshire: Swedish Fish
• New Jersey: Sour Patch Kids
• New Mexico: Blow Pops, Hot Tamales
• New York: Kit Kat
• North Carolina: Starburst
• North Dakota: Tootsie Roll
• Ohio: Starburst
• Oklahoma: Lemonheads
• Oregon: Starburst
• Pennsylvania: Hershey’s Kisses, Swedish Fish
• Rhode Island: Almond Joy
• South Carolina: Starburst
• South Dakota: Blow Pops, Milky Way, Snickers, Twix
• Tennessee: Starburst
• Texas: Sour Punch Straws
• Utah: Reese’s
• Vermont: Reese’s
• Virginia: Skittles, Sour Patch Kids
• Washington: Sour Patch Kids
• West Virginia: Life Savers
• Wisconsin: Starburst
• Wyoming: Reese’s

Does your state reflect your favorite candy? I need to move to Utah, Vermont, Iowa, or Wyoming, where my chocolate and peanut butter lovers reside. Visit the Innerbody website to see the full breakdown of this study.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own candy-themed road trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.