The 10 Most Pizza-Loving States (And Each State’s Favorite Slice)
The state with the highest love for pizza is Connecticut, boasting 3 pizza stores per capita.
The state that shows the least enthusiasm for pizza is Hawaii, where there’s only 1 pizza store per capita and their most popular pizza isn’t even Hawaiian.
An impressive 29 states have a preference for cheese pizza over all other varieties.
7 states favor BBQ chicken pizza, making it a contender against the classic pepperoni.
Over 500,000 Americans are employed in the pizza industry, serving up more than 3 billion cheesy pizzas each year.
These roles span beyond servers and pizza delivery drivers, encompassing marketing, accounting, and various managerial positions—each contributing to the flavorful economy of pizza.
With October being National Pizza Month, it’s the perfect opportunity to dive into everything related to pizza and pizza careers. Continue reading for Zippia’s latest insights into the state of pizza:
Other Interesting Findings
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The greatest pizza enthusiasts are found in New England and the Midwest, with other regions clearly making less informed pizza choices.
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States like Georgia, North Dakota, and New Mexico are ordering an astonishing amount of pizza—perhaps an intervention is in order?
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Chicken toppings are surprisingly popular, with 10 states enjoying some form of poultry on their pies.
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The top pizza chains by sales are: 1.) Domino’s, 2.) Pizza Hut, and 3.) Little Caesar’s.
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The average pizza delivery driver earns about $9.95 an hour and drives between 75 to 100 miles per shift—so be sure to tip well!
Keep scrolling to view the complete map of the most pizza-loving states and more.
Where Has the Most Pizza Places?
How We Determined This
Our insights on pizza preferences come from Yelp, which tracked pizza orders across the nation via Yelp and Eat24, filtering results by state. While this data may skew toward premium orders (we see you, caprese and white pizza!), it offers a valuable glimpse into each state’s pizza ordering habits.
Additionally, we sourced information from PMQ Magazine regarding the number of pizza restaurants per capita, as it’s reasonable to assume that more pizza establishments indicate a greater love for pizza in that state.
These elements combined to create our cheesy article.
WHAT PERSON DOESN’T LIKE PIZZA?
Not many! So go ahead and treat yourself to a large pizza with all your favorite toppings. Or keep it classic with just cheese, like 29 other states do.
If you’re one of the half a million Americans for whom pizza isn’t just a passion but a profession, you may even enjoy an employee discount—an underrated perk!
Check out our comprehensive list of pizza preferences, including the beloved pineapple and BBQ facts below:
Table Of All Things Pizza
| State | Favorite Pizza | Stores Per Capita |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | White Pizza | 2 |
| Alabama | Cheese | 1 |
| Arkansas | Cheese | 2 |
| Arizona | Cheese | 1 |
| California | BBQ Chicken | 1 |
| Colorado | BBQ Chicken | 2 |
| Connecticut | Cheese | 3 |
| Delaware | Buffalo Chicken | 3 |
| Florida | Cheese | 2 |
| Georgia | Hawaiian | 1 |
| Hawaii | Caprese | 1 |
| Iowa | Taco | 3 |
| Idaho | Cheese | 2 |
| Illinois | Cheese | 2 |
| Indiana | Cheese | 2 |
| Kansas | Cheese | 2 |
| Kentucky | Cheese | 2 |
| Louisiana | Meat Lovers | 1 |
| Massachusetts | Cheese | 3 |
| Maryland | Cheese | 2 |
| Maine | Grilled Chicken White Pizza | 2 |
| Michigan | BBQ Chicken | 2 |
| Minnesota | BBQ Chicken | 2 |
| Missouri | Cheese | 2 |
| Mississippi | Cheese | 1 |
| Montana | Pepperoni | 2 |
| North Carolina | Cheese | 2 |
| North Dakota | Hawaiian | 2 |
| Nebraska | BBQ Chicken | 2 |
| New Hampshire | Cheese | 3 |
| New Jersey | Cheese | 3 |
| New Mexico | Hawaiian | 1 |
| Nevada | Cheese | 2 |
| New York | Cheese | 2 |
| Ohio | Cheese | 3 |
| Oklahoma | Cheese | 2 |
| Oregon | Pepperoni | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | Cheese | 3 |
| Rhode Island | Cheese | 3 |
| South Carolina | Cheese | 2 |
| South Dakota | Chicken Bacon Ranch | 2 |
| Tennessee | Cheese | 2 |
| Texas | Cheese | 1 |
| Utah | BBQ Chicken | 1 |
| Virginia | BBQ Chicken | 2 |
| Vermont | Cheese | 2 |
| Washington | Cheese | 1 |
| Wisconsin | Cheese | 2 |
| West Virginia | Meat Lovers | 3 |
| Wyoming | Meat Lovers | 2 |
Author
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
