What People Google About US States

What People Google About US States
By Carol Patton

Have you ever asked Google questions about US states? 

With 99,000 search queries per second, Google processes trillions of searches every year. While many focus on celebrities, scandals, and politics, some people are also curious about various US states, including their own. Floridians have asked, “Why does everyone hate Florida?”  People in Virginia have asked, “Why is Virginia for lovers?” But here’s my all-time favorite: “What Country am I in if I’m (in the) U.S.A.?”

Although learning more about US geography doesn’t exactly rank high on many people’s to-do list, The Adventures of Mo has gathered questions about US states that people have asked the giant search engine. Some will make you think. Others will make you laugh. But they will all make you realize how much more about this country there is to learn.

 

Alaska

“Is Alaska dark?”

Yes, but it’s also light. Because the Earth is tilted on its axis, it faces away from the sun during part of the year. Alaska is dark for most of the day during winter. Take the Alaskan city of Fairbanks. It has fewer than seven hours of daylight from early November to early February. Likewise, on the winter solstice in December (the day of the year with the fewest hours of daylight), locals only experience several hours of sunlight. But just the opposite is true during the summer months. The nickname for Fairbanks is, “Land of the Midnight Sun”. From late April to late August, the sun never seems to set. Even at two o’clock in the morning, the sun shines brightly. It’s so bright that people may be walking their dogs, gardening or even cutting the grass.

Want to learn more? Click here. 

 

Idaho

“Does Idaho exist?”

This is a popular Google question and maybe the latest conspiracy theory. Some individuals say they don’t know anyone in Idaho. Neither do their friends or relatives. They believe “Idaho Potatoes” is just a brand name, that these potatoes are grown everywhere. They’re not. Maybe they never watched Dante’s Peak or any of the other dozen or so movies filmed in the state. One person even claims that Ketchum, the name of one city in Idaho, sounds made-up.

Idaho is real. It shares a border with six other states: Washington and Oregon to the west, Montana and Wyoming to the east, and Nevada and Utah to the south. Its capital city is Boise. 

Even Canadians know Idaho is not fake since the state is also bordered by British Columbia, a Canadian province, to its north. So do the estimated 3,500 residents of Ketchum and roughly 50,000 students who attend the seven universities in the state.  

Just in case more facts are needed, click here.  If you still doubt or deny its existence, consider visiting the state, which is a major outdoor destination. That’s all the proof you will ever need. 

 

Indiana

“Why is Indiana called the Hoosier state?”

No one knows exactly why but here are three different theories.

The first claims that a contractor named Sam Hoosier was working on the Ohio Falls Canal in Louisville, Kentucky. The state borders Indiana to the south. As the story goes, Hoosier preferred workers from Indiana over those in Kentucky, believing they were more reliable and hardworking. The workers from Indiana soon became known as Hoosier’s men.

I like this next story better. More imaginative. 

An article in the 1833 Pittsburg Statesman claimed that the word sprang from surveyors mapping the state who encountered many squatters on public land. After spotting cabins with smoke rising from them, the surveyors would often ask, “Who’s here?” 

This question became so common on the Indiana frontier that it was shortened and altered to “hooshere” and finally “hoosier.” 

Here’s one last theory by historian Jacob Piatt Dunn Jr. that was published in his 1907 book “The Word Hoosier.” 

Dunn claims that numerous immigrants from the Cumberland region of England settled in the southern mountains of Indiana. According to Cumbrian dialect, the nickname for highland dwellers was “hoozer”.

So which story do you believe? 

 

Kansas

“How to find Kansas.”

It may be hard to believe but someone from Kansas Googled this phrase. Hmmm…Did this Kansan skip elementary school?

Mo won’t judge. Instead, we’ll take this opportunity to offer a crash course in US geography.

Kansas is in the Midwest or central part of the United States. The 34th state is bordered by Nebraska in the north, Missouri in the east, Oklahoma in the south, and Colorado in the west.

Most of the state is flat, covered by flatlands and prairies. The capital city is Topeka. Likewise, anyone who has ever watched The Wizard of Oz knows that Kansas experiences tornadoes. Lots of them. It’s part of Tornado Alley because its geography and weather patterns make it more susceptible to tornadoes. Scientists at the Storm Predictions Center in Norman, Oklahoma, reported 89 tornadoes across the state in 2024.

If you still can’t figure out where Kansas is, ask Google for a US map. Kansas will be on it. Promise.

 

New Mexico

“Is New Mexico in the US?”

Ok. Let’s start with the basics.

The United States has 50 states. New Mexico is one of them. It was admitted into the Union back in 1912 as the 47th state. Its state capital, Sante Fe, is the oldest state capital in the US.

New Mexico is also the same US state where aliens may have crashed in 1947. (Ever hear of Roswell?) Likewise, the International Hot Air Balloon Festival is held in the US every year. More specifically, it’s located in a New Mexico city called Albuquerque. The White Sands National Park, known for its glistening white sand, is also in the state. I could go on and on. But I won’t. 

My guess is because it has “Mexico” in its name, some believe New Mexico is in another country called “Mexico”. Now may be a good time to Google “Map of North America”. 

 

New York

“Central Park”

Not surprisingly, this was among the most searched parks on the planet in 2024.

Central Park is a world-famous park in New York, attracting more than 42 million visitors each year. The 843-acre urban park is in the center of Manhattan, which is one of New York’s five major areas called boroughs.

It was the first landscaped park in the United States. Its planning began more than 100 years ago, in the 1850s. It features woodlands, streams, lakes, a carriage drive, baseball and soccer fields, a carousel, two ice skating rinks, a zoo, formal gardens, concert and theater venues…You will never run out of things to do.

But the Park is also environmentally friendly. Its 18,000 trees cool and clean the air. Not to mention that it’s a stopover on the Atlantic Flyway for over 200 species of birds.

I can’t think of a better place to spend the day.

 

South Dakota

“What is South Dakota’s time zone?”

The United States is mainly divided into four time zones: Eastern time, Central time, Mountain time, and Pacific time. The other two time zones are Alaska and Hawaii-Aleutian. (US territories observe different time zones.)

South Dakota is one of many states with more than one time zone. Approximately 60 percent of the state observes Central time while the remainder follows Mountain time.

That was easy. Now comes the hard part. Eastern time is one hour ahead of Central time, which is one hour ahead of Mountain time, which is one hour ahead of Pacific time. Most people in Alaska set their clocks to Alaskan time, which is one hour behind Pacific time. Hawaiians are one hour behind Alaskan time.

Confused? The following may help the next time you call an out-of-state relative or friend.

If it’s 2pm in states that observe Eastern time, it will be:

1pm in states that observe Central time

Noon in states that observe Mountain time

11am in states that observe Pacific time

10am in most of Alaska

9am in Hawaii

Make sense? Don’t get me started on Daylight Savings time. Feel free to Google that!

 

Vermont

“Why do leaves change color?”

Although this question is not about a specific state, it is about physical changes that happen in every state so Mo included it.

During the spring and summer, leaves produce most of the food needed for a tree’s growth. The process occurs in the leaf’s cells that contain chlorophyll, which also gives leaves their green color.

In the fall, however, leaves stop making food due to less sunlight and colder temperatures. The chlorophyll breaks down. The green color is replaced by brilliant yellow to orange colors. These chemical changes can also form more colors like red and purple.

So why do some trees (like oaks) display mostly browns? The color of the leaves really depends on two factors: the amount of the chlorophyll residue and how it mixes with other pigments that have remained in the leaf during fall.

Want to learn more? Click here.

 

Washington

“How to prepare for earthquakes in Washington”

When most people think about earthquakes, California immediately comes to mind. But they should think of Alaska since it is the most earthquake-prone US state and the most seismically active region in the world. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), this 49th state experiences a magnitude 7 earthquake almost every year. Worse yet, an earthquake of at least a magnitude 8 happens on average every 14 years.

Still, Washington has had its fair share of earthquakes – more than 1,000 each year. Typically, only a dozen or so are strong enough that people feel the ground shaking.

Surprisingly, all 50 US states have earthquakes. Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington have the most while Florida and North Dakota have the fewest. 

So if you feel the ground starting to shake or roll, what should you do?

Check out these tips from the USGS. Keep in mind that no place in this country or on the planet is free of natural disasters.

What’s your favorite Google question about US states or geography? Mo wants to know!  Click here to share and we’ll post it online along with your first name and state.