This Is the Most Popular Christmas Movie in Your State
The holidays are here, and that means putting on an ugly sweater, pouring yourself a mug of hot chocolate, and binging classic holiday movies. But with so many movies centered around the season, which one do you watch with friends and family?
To help us decide, Looper has released a report revealing the most popular movie in each state. The company’s researchers were able to identify these films by rounding up the 100 top audience-rated Christmas movies on IMDB, then checking Google Trends for the titles with the most searches over the past month.
“As the holiday season approached, it became clear who was victorious this season,” Looper said in a press release.
According to the report, the holiday movie with the most states watching it is the 2004 comedy Christmas with the Kranks starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis. It’s most loved in Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
Interestingly, while it’s currently the most popular Christmas movie in America, it was not always so. Upon its debut, the film actually earned a dismal 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. “How’s that for a glow-up?” added Looper.
In second place on the list is How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Dr. Seuss classic is the top holiday film in states like Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, South Carolina, and West Virginia. In the third spot, meanwhile, is Four Christmases starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. The 2008 comedy is well received in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
There are some surprises in the report too. For instance, you’d expect classics like Elf and Home Alone to be popular everywhere. But based on the findings, these movies are only currently the favorites in a few states. There were also some that missed out completely, such as Die Hard and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Here’s the complete list of the most popular Christmas movie in each state:
- Alabama: Frosty the Snowman
- Alaska: White Christmas
- Arizona: Christmas with the Kranks
- Arkansas: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
- California: Four Christmases
- Colorado: Four Christmases
- Connecticut: Christmas with the Kranks
- Delaware: Jingle All the Way
- Florida: Scrooged
- Georgia: Miracle on 34th Street
- Hawaii: A Christmas Story
- Idaho: A Christmas Story
- Illinois: Miracle on 34th Street
- Indiana: Christmas with the Kranks
- Iowa: It’s a Wonderful Life
- Kansas: A Christmas Carol
- Kentucky: Christmas with the Kranks
- Louisiana: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
- Maine: The Polar Express
- Maryland: The Santa Clause
- Massachusetts: The Santa Clause
- Michigan: Violent Night
- Minnesota: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
- Mississippi: The Santa Clause
- Missouri: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Montana: A Christmas Story
- Nebraska: Love Actually
- Nevada: White Christmas
- New Hampshire: Last Christmas
- New Jersey: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
- New Mexico: Last Christmas
- New York: Four Christmases
- North Carolina: Jingle All the Way
- North Dakota: Last Christmas
- Ohio: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Oklahoma: Frosty the Snowman
- Oregon: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Pennsylvania: Four Christmases
- Rhode Island: Home Alone
- South Carolina: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
- South Dakota: Elf
- Tennessee: Violent Night
- Texas: The Santa Clause
- Utah: A Christmas Carol
- Vermont: Christmas with the Kranks
- Virginia: Christmas with the Kranks
- Washington: Christmas with the Kranks
- West Virginia: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
- Wisconsin: Four Christmases
- Wyoming: Elf
“Now that each state has its own Christmas pick, it’s time to settle in for a marathon,” Looper concluded. “All in all, the list spans picks from 1946 (It’s a Wonderful Life) to 2022 (Violent Night), so no matter where you live, there’s plenty to choose from when guests arrive. Whether it’s an old favorite or a new entry in the Christmas movie canon, our list has you covered this holiday season.”