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TV consumption is a common pastime for many people in America; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shares that nearly 80 percent of people do the activity daily. The habit is popular nationwide, but which genres are Americans tuning into the most?
To find the answer, researchers from the TV and streaming services company SmartMove analyzed search data in each state using Google Trends. They looked at 12 of the most popular genres, including reality shows, sitcoms, and cartoons.
The Most-Loved TV Genres By State
People across the U.S. love a good laugh, as indicated by the chart below. Sitcoms rank No.1 in Nevada, Arkansas, Connecticut, and seven other states. Some of the most iconic American sitcoms are Friends, Cheers, and Seinfeld.
California, South Carolina, and Kansas are among the nine states searching for reality shows the most, showing that over-the-top moments and unscripted chaos are still appealing after dominating airwaves for decades.
Sports (ESPN, specifically) round out the top three most popular genres by state. Eight regions favor watching their beloved teams over anything else.
You can find the complete list of the most popular TV genres across the U.S. below:
TV Genre | States Where it Ranked #1 | List of States |
|---|---|---|
Sitcom | 10 | Colorado, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Virginia, Oregon, Iowa, Nevada, Arkansas, Connecticut, Alaska |
Reality TV | 9 | California, South Carolina, Kansas, Maine, Indiana, Delaware, Arizona, Mississippi, Montana |
ESPN (Sports) | 8 | Texas, Ohio, Nebraska, Alabama, Oklahoma, Kentucky, North Dakota, Idaho |
Cartoons | 6 | New York, Washington, Georgia, Utah, Hawaii, Vermont |
News | 4 | Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, Minnesota |
Soap Opera | 3 | Louisiana, West Virginia, South Dakota |
Cooking Show | 2 | Missouri, North Carolina |
Telenovela | 2 | New Mexico, Rhode Island |
Late-Night Talk Show | 2 | Michigan, Massachusetts |
Daytime TV | 1 | Pennsylvania |
Documentary Series | 1 | Wyoming |
Game Show | 1 | Tennessee |
Children’s Show | 1 | Illinois |
The Top 10 States Where People Watch the Most TV
In addition to the table above, SmartMove created a list of the states that watch the most TV based on average hours, using data from the American Time Use Survey. West Virginia takes the cake, averaging 4 hours and 30 minutes daily. Delaware (3 hours and 47 minutes) and Louisiana (3 hours and 41 minutes) follow close behind.
Rank | State | Average Hours |
|---|---|---|
1 | West Virginia | 04:30:54 |
2 | Delaware | 03:47:09 |
3 | Louisiana | 03:41:20 |
4 | Oklahoma | 03:36:34 |
5 | Nevada | 03:34:53 |
6 | North Dakota | 03:34:29 |
7 | Mississippi | 03:29:20 |
8 | Alabama | 03:27:25 |
9 | Georgia | 03:26:29 |
10 | Arkansas | 03:24:52 |
If you’re looking for something to do besides watching screens when you’re bored, consider these activities, from arts and crafts to online learning. Maybe you’ll find a new hobby.
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