We all know that each part of the country has its own flavor profiles. Every state has its own official food, varying from peaches to pork to potatoes. Candy distributor Candystore.com decided to test if these differences, and when you narrow the parameters to just candy, it turns out that each state definitely has a distinct favorite. They analyzed sales data from the past 10 years to record what each state's favorite Halloween candy really is, and here are the results.
Alabama: Candy corn
Over the past 10 years, Alabama residents have purchased 55,274 pounds of candy corn from Candystore.com, closely followed by 54,369 pounds of Hershey's mini bars.
Alaska: Twix
It took Alaskans 10 years to buy 4,678 pounds of Twix from Candystore.com. Compared to other states, Alaska's totals were pretty low, but this makes some sense, as it takes a lot more work for Candystore.com to ship the candy there in the first place.
Arizona: Snickers
Residents of Arizona bought 904,633 pounds of Snickers. That's over 90,000 pounds a year—snack on, Arizona.
Arkansas: Jolly Ranchers
In Arkansas, consumers bought 225,990 pounds of Jolly Ranchers from Candystore.com alone over the past 10 years. That just sounds like an incredibly sticky situation to me, especially with Butterfingers coming in close second with 215,897 pounds.
California: M&M's
1,548,990 pounds of M&M's were purchased in California over the 10 year period. That's 743,515,200 individual candies, from just one company.
Colorado: Milky way
I'm kind of surprised by the (relatively) small amount of candy purchased in Colorado. Their total was only 5,620 pounds of Milky Way bars—followed by 5,478 of Twix, which was last years favorite.
Connecticut: Almond Joy
I prefer Mounds myself, but admire Connecticut's individuality. They purchased 2,457 pounds of Almond Joy bars, which for a pretty small state seems on par.
Delaware: Lifesavers
Delaware is apparently that Grandma that thinks giving out a single Lifesaver candy on Halloween is acceptable. Although with 20,748 pounds, maybe they hand out two at a time.
Florida: Skittles
Florida loves itself some Skittles—630,938 pounds of them, to be exact.
Georgia: Swedish fish
Swedish Fish have my whole heart, and apparently Georgia's too. Georgians splurged on 130,647 pounds of Swedish Fish over the 10-year period.
Hawaii: Skittles
Somehow it makes sense to me that the island state would taste the rainbow—267,872 pounds of rainbow candies.
Idaho: Candy corn
It makes sense that Idaho would want a starch-themed candy. Home of the potato, and also candy corn.
Illinois: Sour patch kids
It took Illinois 10 years to consume 155,782 pounds of sour-sweet gummies.
Indiana: Hot tamales
I truly don't understand this one. Hot Tamales are one of the more irrelevant candies and I wonder how 95,092 pounds have been sold ever, much less in one state in 10 years.
Iowa: Reese's cups
Personally, I think consuming 58,974 pounds of Reese's seems like a great way to spend 10 years. Cheers, Iowa.
Kansas: Reese's cups
It's cute that Kansas and Iowa coordinating their candy-consumption. However, not to be outdone, Kansas ate a ton more—231,476 pounds of peanut butter chocolate bliss.
Kentucky: Tootsie pops
I wonder how many licks it took Kentucky to get to the center of 67,829 pounds of Tootsie pops. Seems like quite the tongue workout.
Louisiana: Lemon heads
I had forgotten Lemonheads existed until this article. So, thanks Louisiana (and your 102,833 pounds of Lemonheads) for bringing this gem back into my life.
Maine: Sour patch kids
I expected Maine to prefer taffy, but 58,290 pounds of Sour Patch Kids it is.
Maryland: Milky way
I've lived in Maryland for quite a while, and I've seen Milky Way bars on Halloween like twice. But my skepticism aside, Marylanders have purchased 38,782 pounds of Milky Way bars since 2007, so someone must be eating them.
Massachusetts: Sour patch kids
I've learned that Sour Patch Kids are a lot more popular than I initially thought. Even Massachusetts got in on 75,638 pounds of the stuff.
Michigan: Candy corn
Michigan has filled its mitten with 146,782 pounds of candy corn since 2007.
Minnesota: Tootsie pops
Seriously, why is pairing a lollipop with gummy chocolate a thing? How can a state consume of 195,783 pounds of this mess? Minnesota, I need answers.
Mississippi: Three musketeers
3 Musketeers bars are a confusing candy to me, but I like it. And so does Mississippi, with 109,783 pounds of it.
Missouri: Milky way
Funny that I moved from one Milky Way state to another. Missouri (home of my Washington University in St. Louis) eats more of it, though: 42,739 pounds.
Montana: Double bubble gum
First of all, this shouldn't count as candy. It's not quite gum either, I suppose, but Halloween is not the time to solve the enigma of Dubble Bubble. Montana has tried—by buying 24,675 pounds of it over the 10 year period.
Nebraska: Sour patch kids
Again with the Sour Patch Kids, but Nebraska beats out Maine and Massachusetts with 106,728 pounds of it.
Nevada: Hershey kisses
This pairing seems fitting—Hershey's are simple and reliable and unassuming, which is pretty much how I imagine Nevada (Las Vegas is an exception, of course). But maybe it's the gamblers that are buying all 322,884 pounds of chocolate.
New Hampshire: Snickers
63,876 pounds of Snickers bars, 62,468 pounds of Starburst, and 25,987 pounds of salt water taffy. I knew the taffy had to make it in there somewhere.
New Jersey: Skittles
Somehow, I have a feeling that Jersey's 159,324 pounds of Skittles are tropical flavored. Or maybe sour. Traditional just seems too basic.
New Mexico: Candy corn
New Mexicans purchased 83,562 pounds of candy corn in 10 years, followed by 65,682 pounds of Milky Way bars.
New York: Sour patch kids
Fun fact: All 200,008 pounds of Sour Patch kids would provide every resident of New York City with about four pieces of candy each.
North Carolina: M&M's
North Carolina consumed 96,110 pounds of M&M's from Candystore.com alone, with 95,763 pounds of Reese's following close behind.
North Dakota: Hot tamales
Seriously, what's with the Hot Tamales? Ten years is definitely not enough time to consume 65,782 pounds of this stuff.
Ohio: Blow pops
I'm not sure what I expected Ohio's favorite to be, but Blow Pops wasn't it. Seriously, 150,324 pounds of lollipops is a feat, even in a decade.
Oklahoma: Snickers
I wonder how many kids it would take to be trick-or-treating to have Oklahomans hand out all 20,938 pounds of Snickers on Halloween?
Oregon: Reese's cups
I support you, Oregon, and your 90,826 pounds of Reese's cups.
Pennsylvania: M&M's
290,762 pounds of M&M's edged out 281,847 pounds of Skittles to be Pennsylvania's favorite candy.
Rhode Island: Candy corn
17,862 pounds of candy corn would give each resident of Rhode Island 7 pieces of candy corn. This one store could feed the state's Halloween.
South Carolina: Candy corn
South Carolina consumed 114,783 pounds of candy corn and only 98,782 pounds of the runner-up (Skittles). This one's a clear favorite.
South Dakota: Starburst
24,783 pounds of Starbursts doesn't seem like that much as compared to other states, but South Dakota also has less than a million residents.
Tennessee: Tootsie pops
59,837 pounds of Tootsie Pops is just too much. Why, Tennessee? Why?
Texas: Starburst
1,952,361 pounds of Starburst. Everything's bigger in Texas.
Utah: Jolly ranchers
Utah purchased 475,221 pounds of Jolly Ranchers, 298,233 pounds of Reese's cups, and 198,564 pounds of Tootsie Pops. Hard sugar, then chocolate, then both in one—makes sense, I guess.
Vermont: Milky way
29,837 pounds of Milky Way bars gives Vermont a fair showing by population.
Virginia: Snickers
I would've expected Virginia to buy more candy (although maybe it's just coming from a different source). Virginians only bought 26,783 pounds of Snickers bars over the decade.
Washington: Tootsie pops
223,850 pounds of Tootsie Pops. Maybe this is a Western thing?
West Virginia: Blow pops
43,776 pounds of a candy even more confusing than Tootsie pops. Why would you ever want fruity gum in the middle of candy?
Wisconsin: Starburst
116,788 pounds of Starburst takes Wisconsin's top spot, but the 115,982 pounds of Butterfinger bars followed closely behind.
Wyoming: Reese's cups
32,889 pounds of predictable, dependable Reese's cups. Wyoming follows the pack.
The general trends here aren't that surprising—a lot of Reese's cups and candy corn—but I'm surprised by the strong showings of Tootsie Pops and Hot Tamales. Turns out the states are pretty divided in their tastes, but regardless, everyone eats a lot sugar.