New York has been identified as the state with the highest level of social media addiction in the United States, according to a study by Winder Law Firm. Analysts for the firm examined Google search volume per capita for terms related to major U.S.-based social media platforms.

New York recorded 157,537 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, which is 16% higher than the national average. This places the Empire State ahead of Virginia, which ranked second with 156,340 monthly searches per 100 residents, and Washington, which was third with 153,725.

Top Social Media Engaged States

Rounding out the top five were North Carolina and Georgia, with 153,583 and 153,418 monthly searches per 100 residents, respectively. The top 10 most socially media-addicted states, according to the study, were:

  • New York (157,537)
  • Virginia (156,340)
  • Washington (153,725)
  • North Carolina (153,583)
  • Georgia (153,418)
  • Massachusetts (152,178)
  • Texas (151,961)
  • Oregon (147,383)
  • Illinois (146,896)
  • Pennsylvania (145,650)

Across New York, the most popular platforms identified were YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Reddit. Nationally, the order of Instagram and X swapped for the third and fourth spots, but the top platforms remained consistent across states.

The study's methodology involved using Google Keyword Planner to track monthly search totals for terms associated with platforms like X, LinkedIn, Threads, and Instagram in each state over the past year. These figures were then averaged and adjusted for population size to ensure a fair comparison between states with varying populations.

Aaron A. Winder, Managing Attorney at Winder Law Firm, noted that the data suggests a correlation between population density and social media engagement. "While you might assume that people in more rural or isolated states would use social media platforms more to stay connected, this data shows the opposite," Winder stated. "We can see that social media engagement is much more concentrated in high-density areas that are known more for their tech scene."