Exploding into Independence Day: States That Use the Most Fireworks

By Kathy Morris
Aug. 7, 2022
Fact Checked
Cite This Webpage Zippia. "Exploding into Independence Day: States That Use the Most Fireworks" Zippia.com. Aug. 7, 2022, https://www.zippia.com/advice/states-use-most-fireworks/


States That Use The Most Fireworks Research Summary

  • The state that uses the most fireworks is Missouri, where there are 43.28 million firework imports and 6.9 imports per capita.

  • The state that uses the least fireworks is Delaware, where there are no firework imports.

  • Only 4 states have a ban on all consumer fireworks, including: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware.

  • Over 285.3 million pounds of consumer fireworks are set off on the Fourth of July each year.

The Fourth Of July is coming up, and for most Americans, that means a day spent with food, family, and fireworks.

In fact, Americans will eat an estimated 155 million hot dogs set off around 30,000 tons of explosives on Independence Day. However, no matter how good the grill master is, let’s be real: The star of the day is the fireworks and that isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Since firework prices are up 15% this year, that means those illuminations will cost.

However, some states will put on far bigger spectacles than others. We hit the data to find where the explosions are legendary (and where fingers may be in the most danger) and on the fourth the skies are bursting red, white, and blue.

How We Determined What States Use the Most Fireworks

The dollar amount of firework imports came from the US trade Census. Of course, more people often equals more fireworks (and firework injuries!), and we didn’t want a list of the largest states. So to determine the states with disproportionately high amounts of fireworks (and thus the most firework economic activity) we used population numbers from the US Census. From there, we determined the states with most firework spending per capita.

1. Missouri

missouri class=

Imports : 42,283,229
Imports Per Capita : 6.9

Missouri comes in with a bang as the state that shoots off the most fireworks in the U.S. The state imports more than 42 million fireworks each, which means there are enough fireworks for each person to shoot off roughly 7. For a state that is anything but lenient on what and when you can shoot off fireworks, that is sure a lot of boom powder. Don’t be surprised if your neighbors break the law a bit to celebrate their independence.

2. Nebraska

nebraska class=

Imports : 11,182,825
Imports Per Capita : 5.9

While the number of fireworks imported into Nebraska isn’t as impressive as the No. 1 spot, the number of fireworks accessible per person may surprise you. The state imports just enough so that each person can shoot off 6 fireworks each year. If you knew 4 people who weren’t going to claim those fireworks, you alone could shoot off 24 fireworks. Here’s to celebrating America’s freedom.

3. Kansas

kansas class=

Imports : 12,247,314
Imports Per Capita : 4.2

You would think that Kansas’s flat land would be ideal for shooting fireworks off, maybe even so without so many injuries. And while the state imports over 12 million fireworks each year, it’s only enough to supply each resident with a little over 4 fireworks. Feels like kind of a missed opportunity.

4. Alabama

alabama class=

Imports : 19,396,430
Imports Per Capita : 4.0

Sweet Home Alabama imports almost 20 million fireworks a year for its residents. While that’s enough to light up the sky, it’s only enough for residents to shoot off 4 each.

5. South Carolina

south carolina class=

Imports : 18,999,940
Imports Per Capita : 3.8

South Carolina makes a booming entrance at No. 5. The state imports almost 19 million fireworks each year. Can you imagine showing up to that firework show?

6. Wyoming

wyoming class=

Imports : 1,853,759
Imports Per Capita : 3.2

You know the saying ‘less is more’? Well, Wyoming lives by that motto when it comes to importing fireworks and it shows with it’s No. 6 ranking. While 1.8 million fireworks is on the lower end of this list, the state still provides enough for each resident to shoot off 3.2 fireworks.

7. Nevada

nevada class=

Imports : 7,548,350
Imports Per Capita : 2.6

Nevada packs a small boom when it comes to importing fireworks. With only 7.5 million imported each year, the state finds itself No. 7 on the list. While that is enough for each person to shoot off 2.6 fireworks, that doesn’t take into account the amount of fireworks each casino shoots off.

8. North Dakota

north dakota class=

Imports : 1,913,692
Imports Per Capita : 2.5

Ka-Boom! North Dakota may come in as the eighth state of using the most fireworks with only importing 1.9 million each year, but what it does with those that it has is what makes it count. The state provides enough so that each person can shoot off 2.5, but what you really want to do in North Dakota is catch one of many fireworks shows/festivals/celebrations instead of exploding the boomsticks yourself.

9. Indiana

indiana class=

Imports : 16,375,305
Imports Per Capita : 2.5

Indiana imports a surprising amount of fireworks each year, which is why it ranks ninth in the country. The more than 16 million that is imported into Indiana provides just enough so that everyone has the option of shooting off 2.5 fireworks.

10. Ohio

ohio class=

Imports : 26,514,838
Imports Per Capita : 2.3

As every grand finale of a fireworks show, it’s not always what you hope for. While Ohio imports a whopping 26 million fireworks, it’s only enough for each resident to shoot off 2.3 apiece.

Baby you’re a firework

If you didn’t think the 4th of July fireworks stands were a booming business before, you probably do now.

While Missouri uses the most fireworks, it’s safe to say it’s not the only state that loves shooting off some big boomers. Check out our table of all the states to see how much your state loves celebrating the fourth.

State Imports Imports Per Capita Rank
Missouri 42,283,229 6 1
Nebraska 11,182,825 5 2
Kansas 12,247,314 4 3
Alabama 19,396,430 3 4
South Carolina 18,999,940 3 5
Wyoming 1,853,759 3 6
Nevada 7,548,350 2 7
North Dakota 1,913,692 2 8
Indiana 16,375,305 2 9
Ohio 26,514,838 2 10
Montana 1,636,271 1 11
New Hampshire 2,097,088 1 12
Wisconsin 7,987,014 1 13
Washington 9,365,359 1 14
South Dakota 914,388 1 15
Tennessee 6,690,239 1 16
Arkansas 2,649,113 0.89 17
Utah 2,671,881 0.88 18
Florida 18,065,772 0.87 19
Michigan 7,236,063 0.73 20
Mississippi 2,069,296 0.69 21
Pennsylvania 8,506,912 0.67 22
Maine 809,437 0.61 23
Texas 17,158,599 0.61 23
Vermont 355,610 0.57 25
Kentucky 2,405,186 0.54 26
Hawaii 672,925 0.47 27
Iowa 1,303,879 0.42 28
Oklahoma 1,482,712 0.38 29
Idaho 585,801 0.35 30
California 13,000,442 0.33 31
Alaska 226,399 0.31 32
Louisiana 1,082,455 0.23 33
Oregon 891,775 0.22 34
Maryland 1,256,016 0.21 35
Colorado 879,850 0.16 36
Arizona 1,034,060 0.15 37
New Jersey 1,248,003 0.14 38
New York 2,841,791 0.14 38
Rhode Island 138,439 0.13 40
Virginia 1,113,267 0.13 40
Connecticut 432,540 0.12 42
Illinois 1,530,614 0.12 42
New Mexico 223,390 0.11 44
West Virginia 173,825 0.1 45
Minnesota 484,924 0.09 46
North Carolina 197,652 0.02 47
Washington D.C. 12,995 0.02 47
Georgia 138,007 0.01 48
Massachusetts 80,953 0.01 49
Delaware 0 0 50

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Author

Kathy Morris

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.

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