Find out if your favorite soda brand reigns supreme in your state!
New Study: These Are the Most Popular Soda Brands in Each State
Published on Jul. 23, 2025
Whether you call it soda, pop, soda pop, tonic or something else entirely, sodas are beloved soft drinks that never go out of style. In fact, brand loyalty tends to increase over time, and chances are you have pretty strong feelings when it comes to your favorite soda brand and flavor.
With so many soda brands to choose from, it’s hard to figure out exactly which one is the most popular. And tastes very from one region to the next, so the most popular brand in your area might be drastically different from that of a neighboring state.
If you’re secretly wondering if your favorite soda brand also happens to be the most popular in your state, you’re not alone. Keep reading to find out which soda brand is the most popular from one state to the next, and which one takes the cake in the country overall.
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more news, tech, travel, cleaning, humor and fun facts all week long.
How were the most popular soda brands in each state determined?
There’s a lot of debate when it comes to the most popular soda brand, so Power Brands, one of the country’s leading beverage consulting firms, set out to determine which one reigns supreme, both overall and in each state. To complete the study, the firm analyzed Google Trends data, tracking the names of each popular soft drink to find out which brand was the most popular.
What’s the most popular soda brand in each state?
Depending on where you live, the most popular soda brand can vary quite a bit! And, in some cases, there was a tie between two beloved brands. Here’s a full list of the most popular soda brands in every state:
- Alabama: Coca-Cola
- Alaska: Dr Pepper
- Arizona: Dr Pepper
- Arkansas: Coca-Cola
- California: Fanta
- Colorado: Tropicana
- Connecticut: Pepsi
- Delaware: Sprite
- Florida: Coca-Cola
- Georgia: Coca-Cola
- Hawaii: Fanta
- Idaho: Dr Pepper
- Illinois: Sprite
- Indiana: Coca-Cola & Orange Crush
- Iowa: A&W Root Beer
- Kansas: Dr Pepper
- Kentucky: Coca-Cola
- Louisiana: Coca-Cola
- Maine: Mountain Dew
- Maryland: Sprite
- Massachusetts: Canada Dry
- Michigan: Sprite
- Minnesota: 7Up
- Mississippi: Coca-Cola
- Missouri: Coca-Cola
- Montana: Ocean Spray
- Nebraska: Dr Pepper
- Nevada: Coca-Cola
- New Hampshire: Lipton Iced Tea
- New Jersey: Sprite
- New Mexico: Dr Pepper, Dole
- New York: Pepsi
- North Carolina: Coca-Cola & Mountain Dew
- North Dakota: Kool-Aid
- Ohio: Pepsi
- Oklahoma: Dr Pepper
- Oregon: Fanta
- Pennsylvania: Pepsi
- Rhode Island: Pepsi
- South Carolina: Coca-Cola
- South Dakota: Kool-Aid
- Tennessee: Coca-Cola & Mountain Dew
- Texas: Coca-Cola
- Utah: Dr Pepper
- Vermont: Canada Dry
- Virginia: Sprite
- Washington: Arizona Iced Tea
- West Virginia: Dr Pepper & Mountain Dew
- Wisconsin: Minute Maid
- Wyoming: Welch’s
Which soda was the most popular in the U.S.?
All in all, 18 different soda brands made the cut, earning the title of “most popular” in at least one state. But there are a handful of brands that were the clear standouts, taking home the top spot in multiple states.
1. Coca-Cola
Given the brand’s enduring legacy, it comes as no surprise that Coca-Cola is the most popular soda brand in the country. The brand ranked No. 1 in 14 states, mostly in the South and across the Midwest, parts of the country that value time-honored traditions like classic Coca-Cola. Maybe that’s why it’s the hands-down favorite!
2. Dr Pepper
Dr. Pepper is another favorite across much of the Midwest, but it’s also a popular brand in the Southwestern part of the country. The soda brand ranked No. 1 in nine states, nearly 20% of the country.
3. Sprite
In six states, primarily along the Eastern seaboard, Sprite reigns supreme. Michigan and Illinois are the Midwestern outliers where Sprite is ranked No. 1.
4. Pepsi
There are few rivalries as longstanding as that of Coca-Cola versus Pepsi, but in five states, Pepsi comes out on top. New Englanders tend to favor the soda brand over Coca-Cola.
5. Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew is one of those soft drinks that people either love or hate, but it’s getting a lot of love in four states. It’s a favorite among people in three southern states, including its birthplace of Tennessee, plus a curveball from Maine.
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- AllRecipes: “The Most Popular Soda Brands in Each State, According to a New Study”
