New Jersey is not only the Garden State, but it’s also the ice cream state, according to recent surveys and Google Trends data.
People from New Jersey are America’s biggest “ice cream connoisseurs,” according to Talker Research, based on a survey of 5,000 Americans, and Innerbody Research, based on Google Trends analysis.
In the survey of 5,000 Americans, evenly split by state, respondents in New Jersey were most likely to identify as a connoisseur of ice cream (58%) — and they were tied for No. 1 as the state that loves ice cream the most.
Among connoisseurs, New Jersey was followed closely by New Mexico (56%). Third place was a four-way tie between California, Kansas, New York and North Dakota (all at 55%).
Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Undeniably Dairy for National Ice Cream Month in July, the survey also looked at Americans’ favorite ice cream flavors.
Chocolate ranked No. 1 as the country’s favorite flavor (15%). Vanilla — the other classic — and mint chocolate chip were the next two favorites (tied at 12%). These were closely followed by butter pecan (10%), cookies and cream (9%) and cookie dough (8%).
The average American eats around 4 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, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.
Different Generations, Different Taste Buds
However, the findings indicated that taste buds differ by age. Both Gen Z (18%) and millennials (17%) named cookies and cream their most-loved flavor, while Gen X (15%) and baby boomers (16%) prefer chocolate. The survey also uncovered which up-and-coming flavors people are most interested in trying for the first time this summer. And these turned out to be black raspberry (27%), toasted marshmallow (24%), peach (22%), praline (14%) and lavender (11%).
The poll asked respondents to rate their love of ice cream on a scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the highest) and found that Americans love ice cream quite a bit, with an average score of 8.6/10.
However, some states love ice cream more than others. And the states that love this frozen sweet treat the most are Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, all averaging 8.9/10.
Almost three-quarters of respondents (72%) said ice cream is their all-time favorite dessert, and the states that eat the most ice cream per week on average are Delaware (4 days per week), New Mexico (3.9 days per week) and Wyoming (3.9 days per week).
The results found that Friday (19%) and Saturday (29%) are the most popular days to eat ice cream and Americans are most likely to enjoy a serving of this frozen goodness at 5:42 p.m., on average.
The most common vehicle for ice cream consumption is a bowl (49%), although 35% opt for a cone and 17% like eating it straight from the carton best.
And people’s most enjoyed toppings are hot fudge (48%), caramel sauce (40%), chocolate syrup (39%) and whipped cream (36%).
Desserts that are high in protein are also a priority for many (39%) and nearly a fifth of Americans (18%) are even planning to make their own ice cream at home this summer. Which makes sense considering that respondents agreed that a hot summer day (47%) is the best occasion to enjoy some ice cream.
Top States for Ice Cream Enthusiasts
Top States for Ice Cream Connoisseurs
🍧New Jersey (58%)
🍧New Mexico (56%)
🍧California (55%)
🍧Kansas (55%)
🍧New York (55%)
🍧North Dakota (55%)
🍧Connecticut (53%)
🍧New Hampshire (53%)
🍧South Dakota (53%)
🍧Utah (53%
Top States for Ice Cream by Search
- New Jersey
- Delaware
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Hampshire
- Hawaii
- Maine
- Wyoming
- Utah
Least Ice Cream Obsessed States
Arkansas ranks as the state least interested in ice cream, according to Inner Body data, followed by North Dakota and Oklahoma. Minnesota (48th) and Wisconsin (47th) — known as “dairy belt states” — ranked near the bottom.
America’s Favorite Ice Cream Flavors
Strawberry is the most-searched flavor nationwide, Inner Body said, and the top pick for California, Texas, and Michigan.
The Talker Research survey showed America’s favorite flavor is chocolate,
🍦Chocolate (15%)
🍦Vanilla (12%)
🍦Mint chocolate chip (12%)
🍦Butter pecan (10%)
🍦Cookies and Cream (9%)
🍦Strawberry (8%)
🍦Salted caramel (8%)
🍦Cookie dough (8%)
🍦Rocky road (6%)
🍦Pistachio (4%)
America’s Favorite Ice Cream Toppings
🍨Hot fudge (48%)
🍨Caramel sauce (40%)
🍨Chocolate syrup (39%)
🍨Whipped cream (36%)
🍨Chopped nuts (26%)
🍨Cookie crumbles (22%)
🍨Peanut butter cups (22%)
🍨Sprinkles (19%)
🍨Strawberry sauce (18%)
🍨Butterscotch sauce (16%)
America’s Favorite Brands
Talenti, technically gelato, ranks as the No. 4 “ice cream” brand — and takes the top spot in New Jersey. Halo Top, known for its lower-calorie “light” ice cream, is the most-searched brand nationwide. Cold Stone Creamery ranks as the second-most-searched brand nationwide and leads in 13 states.