Everyone knows America is a strange place. But as you can imagine, it's even stranger online. For proof, just take a look at, well, what people taking a look at—or, specifically, looking up. And things get even more bizarre if you filter state-by-state.
To get a crystal-clear picture, we used the Google Trends tool to identify the most popular unique rising Google queries in each state over the span of the past five years. In other words, these terms saw the biggest increase in search frequency since the previous five-year time period. We noted each search query's Google search frequency as a percentage of increase. (Note: Occasionally, instead of a percentage, Google marked the query as "Breakout," which means it experienced an unquantifiable level of exponential increase in search volume.) Here's what we found. And for evidence of just how bizarre this land of ours can get, don't miss The Weirdest Urban Legend in Every State.
1 | Alabama: "Fortnite"
Image via epicgames.comGoogle search frequency increase: +2,800 percent
The hype surrounding Fortnite, the newest video game craze to sweep the nation, seems to have made a particularly big impact on the residents of Alabama. And for more gaming content, check out the 8 Cutting-Edge Video Games That Will Make You A Smarter Man.
2 | Alaska: "Ravn"
Image via flyravn.comGoogle search frequency increase: "Breakout"
If you haven't yet had a chance to explore the Last Frontier, you might not be aware that Ravn is a regional airline service operating solely in Alaska. And for more quirky state-related coverage, don't miss The Weirdest Summer Tradition in Every State.
3 | Arizona: "Snapchat"
Image via snapchat.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,600 percent
With the scorching heat Arizona residents have to endure, perhaps it's understandable that they seem to spend so much time inside, sending Snaps in the A/C. And for some tips on how to best cultivate your own social media presence, don't miss these 30 Facts That Will Change the Way You Use Social Media.
4 | Arkansas: "Eschool"
Image via eschoolplus.k12.ar.usGoogle search frequency increase: +3,950 percent
Arkansas is one of several states that factored into a somewhat surprising trend of searches for educational and instructional software platforms—kudos to them. And to clarify, Eschool is an online educational dashboard catered specifically toward Arkansas' grade schools.
5 | California: "Uber"
Image via uber.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,650 percent
With cities like Los Angeles, known for its notoriously terrible traffic jams, it's no wonder Californians are opting to let someone else do the driving for them. And for more on why the driving situation in Cali is so heinous, don't miss The 50 Worst Cities to Drive In.
6 | Colorado: "CSU Canvas"
Image via canvas.colostate.eduGoogle search frequency increase: +1,450 percent
Canvas is a learning management system specially designed for university use. It would appear, at least from these search trends, that the college kids enrolled at Colorado State University are especially studious. And while we're on the subject of college, bone up on the 20 Secrets Your College Professor Won't Tell You.
7 | Connecticut: "Eversource"
Image via eversource.comGoogle search frequency increase: +4,650 percent
According to the company website, Eversource is the largest energy provider in New England, with customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
8 | Delaware: "Canvas UDel"
Image via udel.eduGoogle search frequency increase: +2,600 percent
Like Colorado State, we have to give major props to the University of Delaware for having such dedicated students (assuming they actually follow through and complete their work after navigating to the Canvas site, that is).
9 | Florida: "Irma"
Image via cbsnews.comGoogle search frequency increase: "Breakout"
In case you don't recall, Hurricane Irma, which raged from August 31 to September 11, 2017, was one of the strongest storms produced by the Atlantic Ocean in recorded history, stretching 650 miles wide and inflicting damage on nine states, according to CNN.
10 | Georgia: "Walmart near me"
Image via walmart.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,850 percent
It would appear that Georgians have really latched onto the idea that shopping at Walmart is the sole best way to save money and live better—we applaud Walmart on an advertising job well done.
11 | Hawaii: "Agario"
Image via agar.ioGoogle search frequency increase: +1,650 percent
Agar.io is an online, multiplayer game that involves a petri dish-type scenario where the aim is to "eat" smaller cells and avoid being "eaten" by larger cells, all in an effort to become the largest cell (apparently).
12 | Idaho: "Trump News"
Image via idahostatesman.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,350 percent
Yes, Idahoans seem to be especially keen on keeping abreast of President Trump.
13 | Illinois: "Ventra"
Image via ventrachicago.comGoogle search frequency increase: +2,050 percent
For those of us not native to the Windy City, a Ventra card is akin to a MetroCard—it's how people pay for public transit when commuting around Chicago. And for more on the ways you know you're cut out for life in the concrete jungle, don't miss 15 Signs You're a City Person.
14 | Indiana: "Unblocked Games"
Image via iunblock.weebly.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,500 percent
If you aren't one of the people frequently scouring the web for "unblocked games," you might not be aware that the search leads to a popular site where young children (probably mostly in the preteen age range) can play a plethora of free online games.
15 | Iowa: "Cubs Score"
Image via milb.comGoogle search frequency increase: +2,000 percent
You might not be aware that despite their neighboring state's claim to the Major League Baseball Chicago Cubs, Iowans have their own baseball-playing bears to root for: the Iowa Cubs minor league team. And for more on America's favorite pastime, find out which state claims to be home to the founders of baseball with The Biggest Folk Hero in Every State.
16 | Kansas: "StudentVue"
Image via parentvue.usd259.netGoogle search frequency increase: +1,900 percent
As with Arkansas, ensuring that the state's grade-school students are taking school seriously seems to be a top priority in Kansas.
17 | Kentucky: "Canvas UKY"
Image via uky.eduGoogle search frequency increase: +600 percent
Despite often receiving acclaim for their consistently top-ranked men's basketball team, it seems that the University of Kentucky places a decided emphasis on education—so much so that the Canvas site is among the state's most popular web searches.
18 | Louisiana: "Unblocked Games"
Image via iunblock.weebly.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,750 percent
They really, really dig online gaming in bayou country.
19 | Maine: "MobyMax"
Image via mobymax.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,250 percent
No, this site has nothing to do with Herman Melville's classic novel about a relentlessly elusive white whale. MobyMax is actually an online learning software system geared toward engaging young students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
20 | Maryland: "BCPS One"
Image via bcpsone.bcps.orgGoogle search frequency increase: +3,200 percent
Baltimore County Public Schools take the lead for web searches in Maryland, just barely beating out competitors like "123movies" and "food near me."
21 | Massachusetts: "Trump News"
Image via thehill.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,250 percent
Massachusetts is another state that seems to be very preoccupied with carefully eyeing President Trump's every move.
22 | Michigan: "Fortnite"
Image via epicgames.comGoogle search frequency increase: +2,500 percent
The ever-popular Fortnite strikes again.
23 | Minnesota: "Wells Fargo Login"
Image via wellsfargo.comGoogle search frequency increase: +900 percent
Minnesotans seem to be a practical lot, concerned, first and foremost, with the state of their bank accounts.
24 | Mississippi: "i-Ready"
Image via i-ready.comGoogle search frequency increase: +4,900 percent
Another online scholastic tool, i-Ready helps prepare grade school students for the Common Core assessments.
25 | Missouri: "Royals Score"
Image via mlb.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,250 percent
Missourians are born and bred to be diehard Kansas City Royals fans.
26 | Montana: "Airbnb"
Image via airbnb.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,000 percent
Looks like Montanans, despite hailing from a vacation destination, still crave some out-of-state time.
27 | Nebraska: "Majestic Theater"
Image via hebronmajestic.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,250 percent
What's better than a trip to the theater? And to find out what bizarre pastime Nebraskans are fond of in the summer months, don't miss The Weirdest Summer Tradition in Every State.
28 | Nevada: "Golden Knights"
Image via nhl.comGoogle search frequency increase: "Breakout"
These knights are anything but relics from the medieval past. The newly minted Las Vegas Golden Knights advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural season, bringing hope and a rallying icon to Las Vegas as the city recovered from the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
29 | New Hampshire: "Eversource"
Image via eversource.comGoogle search frequency increase: +4,650 percent
Like their fellow New Englanders in Connecticut, New Hampshire residents are concerned with what's important: making sure the electricity stays on, especially during the chilly winter months.
30 | New Jersey: "2048"
Image via 2048game.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,200 percent
2048: a logical number sense game that's surprisingly addictive—try it out if you don't believe us.
31 | New Mexico: "Nusenda"
Image via nusenda.orgGoogle search frequency increase: "Breakout"
For any of you not hailing from the Land of Enchantment (that's New Mexico's official state nickname, by the way), Nusenda is a New Mexico-based credit union.
32 | New York: "MTA Bus Time"
Image via bustime.mta.infoGoogle search frequency increase: +1,100 percent
It seems like New Yorkers might be making an effort to escape the recesses of the city's subway tunnels. But let's be honest, in the Big Apple, any public transit option is bound to be a gamble.
33 | North Carolina: "NCEdCloud"
Image via ncedcloud.orgGoogle search frequency increase: +4,250 percent
Yet another online instructional platform, NCEdCloud is specially designed to support grade school teachers in guiding their students toward meeting North Carolina's Race to the Top initiatives.
34 | North Dakota: "Carson Wentz"
Image via gobison.comGoogle search frequency increase: +4,550 percent
Super Bowl 2018-winning quarterback Carson Wentz grew up in North Dakota and played college football at North Dakota State University before joining the Philadelphia Eagles—making him a shining star in the Roughrider State.
35 | Ohio: "Cavs Game"
Image via nba.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,250 percent
People in Ohio take their sports seriously. Take note, and never come between an Ohioan and a TV broadcasting the Cleveland Cavaliers game.
36 | Oklahoma: "MP3 Juice"
Image via mp3juices.ccGoogle search frequency increase: +1,250 percent
As evidenced by the high frequency of searches for an MP3 conversion site, some Oklahomans might be a tad bit behind the times.
37 | Oregon: "StudentVue"
Image via portal.coos-bay.k12.or.usGoogle search frequency increase: +3,500 percent
As we've seen with several of the previous states, there's certainly a trend to keep students' noses to the grindstone—and Oregon seems to be on board.
38 | Pennsylvania: "Chromecast"
Image via google.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,100 percent
Google Chromecast's video streaming services really caught the eye of the Keystone State.
39 | Rhode Island: "Santander Bank"
Image via santanderbank.comGoogle search frequency increase: +2,350 percent
The smallest state seems to be most concerned with making the big bucks.
40 | South Carolina: "South State Bank"
Image via southstatebank.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,900 percent
South Carolina seems to be just as invested as Rhode Island in keeping an eye on their savings. And for more interesting state-to-state comparisons, check out The Craziest Amusement Park Ride in Every State.
41 | South Dakota: "Outlook 365"
Image via outlook.office365.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,500 percent
What are South Dakotans spending so much time sending emails about? We're not sure either, but maybe they're talking about their state's contribution to the 30 Places So Surreal You Won't Believe They're in the U.S.
42 | Tennessee: "Credit Karma"
Image via creditkarma.comGoogle search frequency increase: +650 percent
Surprisingly, Tennessee residents seem to be even more concerned with their personal finances than they are with Amazon Prime—but now that we think about it, one does pay for the other.
43 | Texas: "TTM"
Image via thinkthroughmath.comGoogle search frequency increase: +850 percent
The trending emphasis on learning seems to have taken root in the Lone Star State, too, as evidenced by the popularity of this supplemental math site.
44 | Utah: "Utah Compose"
Image via write.utahcompose.comGoogle search frequency increase: +3,100 percent
As its name suggests, Utah Compose is an online program directly targeted at improving grade-school students' writing skills.
45 | Vermont: "Google Classroom"
Image via classroom.google.comGoogle search frequency increase: +4,650 percent
Aimed at making the exchange between student and teacher even more efficient via digital technology, Google Classroom garnered "Breakout" popularity from nearly every state.
46 | Virginia: "WhatsApp"
Image via whatsapp.comGoogle search frequency increase: +2,200 percent
We're also not sure why this service especially designed for international messaging has such a high prevalence in Virginia—but perhaps it has something to do with the state's proximity to the nation's capitol, and the host of international embassies located there.
47 | Washington: "Bitcoin Price"
Image via coindesk.comGoogle search frequency increase: +1,050 percent
Cryptocurrency seems to be all the rage in Washington, which is especially understandable since the Evergreen State has become a prime location for "mining" electricity to support bitcoin.
48 | West Virginia: "Office 365"
Image via office.comGoogle search frequency increase: +4,250 percent
Very practical, West Virginia.
49 | Wisconsin: "Agario"
Image via agar.ioGoogle search frequency increase: +1,450 percent
Yes, this is the same online game that was popular in Hawaii. Fun fact: the game's name, Agari.io, is derived from the actual agar substance, which is used to culture bacteria.
50 | Wyoming: "WyoLotto"
Image via wyolotto.comGoogle search frequency increase: "Breakout"
The best part of the WyoLotto? The net revenue from the statewide lottery goes back to Wyoming communities. And to learn more about the truth behind the nation's favorite game of chance, don't miss these 30 Surprising Facts about the Lottery.
To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to sign up for our FREE daily newsletter!
