The Most Popular Netflix Documentary in Each State

Before there was Making a Murderer, there was The Staircase. The true crime docuseries—which debuted in 2004 before making its way to Netflix in extended form—chronicles the 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson and the bizarre twists and turns of her husband Michael's subsequent murder trial. Though the extended version only arrived on the streaming service in June 2018, it's already America’s favorite Netflix documentary, according to a new analysis by DISH.

To map America's viewing habits, DISH figured out which Netflix Originals documentaries and docuseries had at least a 7.8 rating on IMDB, then plugged them into Google to track their search volume over the last year. The results reveal the geographic regions where Netflix viewers are dying to learn more about certain documentaries.

It’s perhaps no surprise that The Staircase, which left viewers with more questions than answers, is one of the top-searched series. It's the fan favorite in 12 states, including North Carolina, where the incident occurred. The 2016 documentary 13th follows closely behind as the most popular documentary in 11 states. Last Chance U (2016), Making a Murderer, and series The Toys That Made Us also made the top five.

Among the most popular documentaries, three are related to murder cases, three are related to the natural world, two are about the healthcare industry, and two are about the police and race relations. Others tell the story of specific events in history (like the time a cult overtook a sleepy town in Oregon) or cultural phenomena (like how certain toys shaped our childhoods).

Events that hit close to home also add another layer of fascination. This year's Flint Town is the most-searched documentary in Michigan, and Making a Murderer is a favorite in Wisconsin, where the events take place.

Keep scrolling to see the full breakdown by state, courtesy of DISH. Looking for something new to binge? Check out these 25 documentaries that you can stream right now.