The Most Turkey Crazy States In America

Thanksgiving is a long-standing tradition in America and the humble yet famous turkey is the centerpiece of the holiday. Native Americans prized the wild turkey for its attractive feathers and good meat. It is the largest ground-nesting bird endemic to North America. 

Benjamin Franklin even thought about choosing the turkey as the national bird instead of the bald eagle. He compared them, saying: “The turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America”.

Top States For Thanksgiving Turkey Searches

Every November, internet searches for "turkey" soar to their peak, reflecting the nation's craze for this holiday staple. 

According to Google Trends, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Illinois have the highest search volume for the term "turkey," with West Virginia and Tennessee rounding out the top 5. The other states in the top ranking are Indiana, Delaware, Vermont, and Maine, in that order.

New England states are prominent in these statistics because of their strong Thanksgiving traditions that have been passed down through generations. On the other hand, states such as Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, Arizona, and Hawaii rank at the bottom of the list and show the least interest in Thanksgiving turkey according to search trends.

Thanksgiving Food Trends 2023

Today the fascination with Thanksgiving's culinary offerings extends beyond turkey searches. One of this year's hottest searches revolves around the ideal potato-to-person ratio for Thanksgiving, indicating a broader interest in holiday side dishes.

One of the hottest searches is “how many pounds of potatoes per person for Thanksgiving?”. Here are the top most searched Thanksgiving side dishes for 2023.

If you searched for green bean casserole, apple crisp, hash brown casserole, candied fruit, or cornbread you were a part of the top Thanksgiving side items this year.

Our modern Thanksgiving owes much to Sarah Josepha Hale, an advocate whose relentless efforts spanned three decades. Her passion for the holiday's recognition played a pivotal role in its establishment as a national holiday. Small localized celebrations from the 19th century gradually paved the way for the widespread celebration of Thanksgiving.

Turkey Methodology

We looked at Google Trends for past 30 days in November, analyzing the search term “turkey” and “thanksgiving turkey” and their popularity in different areas of the country. For “thanksgiving side dishes” we also looked at the popularity across the nation in the last month.

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