15 States Where Pizza Is the Real MVP (Most Valued Pie)
Whether you believe pineapple pizza is an abomination or you love the combination, it’s safe to say Americans love a good slice of pizza. But not all of us have access to many different pizza shops.
Based on a study by Zippia, these are the 15 states where appeasing your pizza craving is the easiest.
The Cheesy Stats
Zippia used a combination of data about nationwide pizza orders from Yelp and pizza restaurants per capita from PMQ Magazine to determine which states love pizza the most. Here’s what they found.
1: Connecticut
Make no mistake: Connecticuters are pizza lovers. Connecticut is the most pizza-loving state in the US, with three pizza stores per capita. That’s the highest pizza store per capita number, though several states join Connecticut in this ranking. So, what’s Connecticut’s favorite pizza flavor? Good ol’ cheese.
2: Pennsylvania
The Keystone State might want to take on the nickname pizza state, for it’s the second most pizza-loving state in America. Pennsylvania also has three pizza shops per capita, and its favorite pizza flavor is cheese.
3: Rhode Island
At the risk of sounding repetitive, Rhode Islanders love cheese more than any other topping on their pizza. And they have plenty of pizza parlor options, given that there are three pizza shops per capita.
4: New Jersey
You guessed it: New Jersey has the same pizza stats as the top three pizza-loving states on this list. You read that right—New York has yet to make this list.
5: Iowa
Can I get a Hallelujah? Iowans’ favorite pizza topping is …. get ready for it … taco. Iowa strays far from the pack in traditional American pizza toppings, but pizza shops there must remain competitive, given that there are three per capita.
6: Delaware
Delaware is a bad place to be a chicken; buffalo chicken is the First State’s favorite pizza topping. Its three pizza shops per capita help it snag the title of the sixth-most pizza-loving state in the US.
7: Massachusetts
Massachusetts is back at it, with cheese being the most popular pizza flavor among its residents. The Bay State has three pizza shops per capita.
8: New Hampshire
New Hampshire ties with Massachusetts for being one of the most pizza-loving states in the US. Yes, cheese is also its residents’ favorite pizza topping.
9: Ohio
Shall we say ditto, Ohio? It’s a cheese topping and three pizza shops per capita situation for the Buckeye State too.
10: West Virginia
Everyone except vegetarians and vegans can breathe a sigh of relief. “Meat Lovers” is the favorite pizza topping among residents in West Virginia. It’s reasonable to expect to find this topping in most of the three shops per capita across the state.
11: New York
New York was bound to join the Northeast in its pizza-loving ways. But perhaps surprising to many, it only has two pizza shops per capita. The Empire State’s favorite pizza topping is cheese.
12: Indiana
Indiana’s stats mirror that of New York, but without the fame that New York has for its pizza.
13: Michigan
Michiganders spice things up with BBQ chicken being their favorite pizza topping. Their two pizza shops per capita keep them firmly in the top 15 list of the most pizza-loving states.
14: South Dakota
South Dakota ties with Michigan for how much its residents love pizza. And while they both adore chicken, these states butt heads on the best pizza topping; Chicken bacon ranch is The Mount Rushmore State’s pizza topping of choice.
15: North Dakota
North Dakota also mixes things up; the state’s preferred pizza topping is Hawaiian. North Dakotans have a comfy two pizza shops per capita, ensuring many have access to pizza when the craving strikes.
Not So Hawaiian
Hawaii’s favorite pizza flavor is caprese. It gets even more surprising: A Greek immigrant founded the Hawaiian pizza topping in Canada in 1962.
Where Are You, Illinois?
Chicago is famous for its deep-dish pizza, as it was the birthplace of this extra-filling pizza version. But Illinois didn’t come close to making the list of states that love pizza the most; it came in 29th place.
Cheese It Is
Zippia found that 29 states prefer a cheese topping over any other kind. Some unique outliers include Alaskans preferring white pizza and Maine preferring grilled chicken white pizza.
Pepperoni? No Thanks
While pizza and pepperoni seem like they should be two peas in a pod, only Montana and Oregon reported that this apparently not-so-popular classic is their favorite pizza topping.
Want Pizza? Head North
The most pizza-loving states have a clear trend: They’re all in the north. The northeast and northern midwest, to be exact.
Business Is Good
Zappia found that the top three pizza shops that make the most sales are Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Little Caesar’s.
American Pizza Consumption
Americans consume the equivalent of 100 acres of pizza per day, according to the Washington Post. That equates to about 350 slices of pizza being sold every second.
An Annual Perspective
So, what do these numbers look like from an annual perspective? Americans eat three billion pizzas per year, which equates to every person in the U.S. eating 23 pounds worth of pizza every 12 months.
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