Where are people buying the most candy corn? Instacart data may have the answer

(NEXSTAR) – So that’s who buys all the candy corn.

A new analysis from Instacart suggests that Americans are divided on their opinion of candy corn, with shoppers in some states appearing to favor the waxy little sweets more than others.

The results, which were determined using online-ordering data from October 2023, indicate that candy corn is more beloved among Instacart customers in parts of the Midwest and South (or, as the area should henceforth be known, the Candy Corn Belt). More specifically, online shoppers in Nebraska, Iowa, Mississippi, West Virginia and Kansas — in that order — are consuming the most, according to Instacart.

To come to their findings, Instacart’s analysts first determined the average rate of candy corn purchases on the Instacart platform (per order, not volume) across the United States. They then compared each state’s shopping data to the national average, presenting the results as a percentage difference.

(Instacart)

The map above highlights a few other interesting tidbits, as well: Even though shoppers in parts of the Midwest and South are buying the most, there are a couple of candy-corn strongholds in the Northeast (Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine) as well as the Mountain states (Utah, Wyoming and Colorado). And shoppers in Hawaii couldn’t care less about the corny candies, at least when compared to the rest of the country.

Each state’s percentage difference of candy corn purchases, when compared to the national average, can be found below.

Alabama18%Alaska14%Arizona-29%Arkansas83%California-40%Colorado56%Connecticut1%Delaware12%District of Columbia-55%Florida-31%Georgia-1%Hawaii-80%Idaho9%Illinois7%Indiana48%Iowa116%Kansas88%Kentucky9%Louisiana12%Maine16%Maryland0%Massachusetts-9%Michigan20%Minnesota51%Mississippi97%Missouri49%Montana5%Nebraska119%Nevada-24%New Hampshire43%New Jersey-18%New Mexico-14%New York-17%North Carolina28%North Dakota-2%Ohio66%Oklahoma28%Oregon23%Pennsylvania35%Rhode Island-8%South Carolina32%South Dakota72%Tennessee28%Texas-6%Utah68%Vermont27%Virginia25%Washington-8%West Virginia89%Wisconsin42%Wyoming38%

Despite Hawaii’s opinion of candy corn, the chewy treats are still quite popular in the lead-up to Halloween. CandyStore.com, an online candy retailer specializing in wholesale and bulk orders, recently determined the sweets to be the seventh most-purchased candy (by weight) in the months leading up to Halloween.

“It’s definitely a strange one, considering it also regularly ranks as one of the most despised candies,” Ben George, the marketing director of CandyStore.com, wrote in a blog post published earlier this month. “But hey, it looks like this polarizing treat is getting its moment in the spotlight!”