New York Tops US States for Social Media Search Activity, Study Finds

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New York is the most social media-obsessed state in the US, according to new research from personal injury firm Winder Law Firm.

Analysts examined the average number of monthly Google searches each state makes for social media-related terms, such as “Facebook login” and “TikTok desktop”. Search totals were then measured against each state’s population to calculate the average number of monthly searches per 100,000 residents, allowing for a fair comparison between states of different sizes.

Nationally, the three most searched social media platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and X.

The 10 most search active states

1. New York: 157,537 average monthly searches per 100,000 residents, with 30,831,885 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
2. Virginia: 156,340 per 100,000, with 13,626,111 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and X.
3. Washington: 153,725 per 100,000, with 12,010,336 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
4. North Carolina: 153,583 per 100,000, with 16,641,498 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and X.
5. Georgia: 153,418 per 100,000, with 16,920,814 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and X.
6. Massachusetts: 152,178 average monthly searches per 100,000 residents, with 10,654,558 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
7. Texas: 151,961 per 100,000, with 46,353,266 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and X.
8. Oregon: 147,383 per 100,000, with 6,239,262 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
9. Illinois: 146,896 per 100,000, with 18,435,049 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and X.
10. Pennsylvania: 145,650 per 100,000, with 18,878,638 total monthly searches. Its top platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and X.

At the opposite end of the scale, West Virginia recorded the lowest rate of social media-related searches, with an average of 106,076 per 100,000 residents. Mississippi and Alaska followed, with 108,152 and 111,291 searches per 100,000 residents, respectively.

Aaron A. Winder, Managing Attorney at Winder Law Firm, said: “While you might assume that people in more rural or isolated states would use social media platforms more to stay connected, this data shows the opposite. We can see that social media engagement is much more concentrated in high-density areas that are known more for their tech scene.”

The average search rate across all states stands at 135,356 per 100,000 residents. New York’s figure is 16% above this average, while West Virginia’s is 22% below it, highlighting a sharp contrast in social media search behaviour between states.

The findings point to clear regional differences in online behaviour and social media platform use across the US.