Mental Floss

The Most Popular Heart-Shaped Item in Each State, Mapped

Here are the heart-shaped items people are searching for across the U.S. ahead of Valentine’s Day.

ByCaLea Johnson|
Baking and food items were most popular.
Baking and food items were most popular. | Google Trends

Whether you dread or anticipate it, February 14 is around the corner. Love is in the air as people search online for Valentine’s Day-themed items to match the mood. If you’re looking to treat yourself or a loved one to something special for the holiday, the team at Google Trends has gathered data on the most uniquely-searched heart-shaped products across the country.

The map below is based on terms that were most often Googled with the phrase “heart-shaped” between Tuesday, January 21 and Tuesday, January 28. For their report, analysts at Google Trends defined “uniquely searched” as a term that is overrepresented (searched twice as much) in an individual state compared to the rest of the nation.

heart shaped items per state map
Food and baking items were most popular. | Google Trends

Based on search trends in most states, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to embrace your inner chef. Food and baking goods overwhelm the map, with 26 states searching for items in the category above all others ahead of the holiday. States like Texas, Idaho, and Florida showed a particular interest in sweet treats by searching for cakes, waffles, and marshmallows, respectively. Other states were more partial toward savory dishes. Heart-shaped pasta topped search trends in Alaska, Delaware, and New Hampshire, while heart-shaped pizza was preferred by Google users in North Dakota.

Ten states searched for home decor the most. Some were interested in smaller decorative items like heart-shaped picture frames, while others were curious about investing in larger purchases like tubs, chairs, and end tables. Seven states—including Louisiana, Connecticut, and Illinois—strongly preferred heart-shaped fashion. Boots, earrings, and purses are some of the items shown on the map. Three states were outliers. Washington searched for heart-shaped lighters, Nevada looked for heart-shaped bandages, and Wyoming was interested in heart-shaped bubble wrap—both items that don’t appear anywhere else on the map.

For a closer look at the image above, click here.

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