The Most Popular Soda Brands in Each State, According to a New Study

It’s probably not a stretch to claim that nearly every American consumer has a favorite soft drink. Perhaps you’re a brand loyalist always on the lookout for the newest Spindrift soda, or maybe you can’t get enough of dirty soda (you know, that drink made famous on Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”). It’s also totally okay if you prefer still beverages over their bubbly counterparts. Whatever your personal preference may dictate, tastes in soft drinks and other popular beverages are about as varied as all the different flavors on the market, and there’s never a one-size-fits-all crowd-pleaser in this department.

That said, a new study conducted by Power Brands has given some interesting insight into the true breadth of soft drink preferences across the country. You’ll find some expected names are the choice drink of more than one state, but what may be even more interesting (and revealing, as far as regional preferences go) are the drinks that only one state lays claim to as being its “favorite.” For example, a visit to Indiana will probably show no shortage of Orange Crush in stores, while a pit stop in New Mexico might have you wondering what all the hype is with Dole’s bottled bevvies.

Other single-state soda choices include popular berry-based brands (Welch’s for Wyoming and Ocean Spray for Montana) and citrus-centric choices (like Minute Maid’s favor in Wisconsin or Tropicana’s in Colorado). Washington and New Hampshire each favor a different iced tea—Arizona and Lipton, respectively—while Minnesotans have a particular fondness for 7Up. Lastly, Iowans prefer the comforting classic, A&W Root Beer.

Speaking of regional preferences, a couple of nearby states share the same favorite. Take North and South Dakota, for example, both of which enjoy Kool-Aid above anything else. Massachusetts and Vermont, on the other hand, share an affinity for Canada Dry.

The Most Popular Beverage Brands in the U.S.

Of course, there are some heavy-hitting brands that seriously dominate the soft drink industry as fan favorites in several different states. On the whole, it appears that Americans generally prefer their drinks carbonated. Although some non-soda beverages were noted as single-state favorites above, the following most popular choices are all bubbly.

6th Place: Fanta

Fanta finds favor with consumers in California, Hawaii, and Oregon. Is its West Coast popularity linked to the prolific supply of oranges in California? We may never know.

5th Place: Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew, on the other hand, remains popular among East Coast consumers, particularly those in West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Maine. This could very well be a testament to its staying power in its birthplace of Knoxville, Tennessee.

4th Place: Pepsi

Pepsi may be a controversial pick for Coca-Cola fans; nevertheless, it’s the drink of choice for East Coast consumers in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

3rd Place: Sprite

Sprite sees rather widespread favor, and is enjoyed both on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia all claim this as their favorite soda.

2nd Place: Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper has nine states laying claim to it as their go-to soda, most of which are in the Midwest: Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, West Virginia, Idaho, and Alaska.

1st Place: Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is the unsurprising choice of soft drink for a whopping 14 states, primarily in the South and Midwest: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, and Nevada.