Missouri, Kansas Not Screaming for Ice Cream

The average American eats around four gallons of ice cream each year, making it one of the country’s most enduring dessert habits and supporting an industry worth roughly $11.6 billion. However, it is not as popular locally as in the rest of the nation.

In a recent survey of the states in which ice cream is most popular, Kansas was ranked No 43 while Missouri came in at No. 46. Here’s where Americans are most obsessed with ice cream and what they’re actually eating.

Ice Cream Takeaways

• New Jersey is America’s most ice-cream-obsessed state, and its neighbors aren’t far off. Delaware, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York are all near the top and contributes seven of the 10 most ice-cream-loving states overall. Cold weather, it turns out, isn’t much of a deterrent.
• At the other end of the list, Arkansas ranks as the state least interested in ice cream, followed by North Dakota and Oklahoma.
• The “Dairy Belt” also stands out for an unexpected reason. Despite their reputation for dairy production, states such as Minnesota (48th) and Wisconsin (47th) land near the bottom.
• Strawberry is the undisputed national champion. Moving past the classic vanilla vs. chocolate debate, it’s the most-searched flavor nationwide and the top pick in states such as California, Texas and Michigan.
• Halo Top, known for its lower-calorie “light” ice cream, is the most-searched brand nationwide, which suggests consumes want dessert but also want to feel like they have made a responsible decision.

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• Chocolate chip ( No. 2) and cookie dough (No. 3) both outrank plain chocolate (No. 4) and vanilla (No. 5) nationwide, a sign that upgraded classics are now the default. That trend shows up at the state level, too: cookie dough ranks as the top flavor in Massachusetts, while chocolate chip leads in Pennsylvania.
• Talenti ranks as the No. 4 “ice cream” brand — and even takes the top spot in New Jersey — despite technically being gelato. The lines clearly are blurred.
• Some states don’t overthink it; they go with the hometown favorite. Texas goes with Blue Bell, Vermont with Ben & Jerry’s, Oregon with Tillamook, Pennsylvania with Turkey Hill and Arkansas with Walmart’s Great Value. Local loyalty still goes a long way.
• Cold Stone Creamery ranks as the second-most-searched brand nationwide and leads in 13 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho and Utah.
• As with brands, some regional flavor trends make lots of sense — blueberry in Maine, coconut in Hawaii and peach in South Carolina, to name a few.
• In some states, the top search looks a little different — Florida with boba ice cream, Oregon with lavender and Kansas with matcha.

–Alan Goforth