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We have a newer article on the most popular holiday toys for 2022. In case you want to check it out instead, click here.
You may have wondered ‘what were the most popular toys in the US for the past year?‘
We went to our friend Google Trends to find the answer to this question for each state. The compiled data are based on trending searches during the past 12 months.
We then plotted the information on a US map where each toy is represented by a distinct color. This helps to better visualize the data and identify the trends if any.
Keep in mind that we’re still going through the pandemic, which probably have had a large effect on the toys that are popular.
Here are the research results:
Most Popular Toy in Each State
The most popular toys during the last year include a total of 11 toys. They fall into 6 categories as follows: Lego, toy figurines, dolls, fidget toys, toy guns, and mystery toys.
Lego Tops the List
Legos are by far the winner in popularity as they were the most trending in 34 states including 4 expensive sets.
For the past year, Lego Home Alone (retailed at $250) was the top most popular toy in 25 states (basically 50% of the US). The remaining 3 Lego sets had the highest popularity in 9 states and they include Lego World Map ($250), Lego Typewriter ($200) and Lego Titanic which costs a whopping $630.
As indicated by the data, the cheapest Lego sets out of the 4 most popular ones cost about $200-250. This shows that inflation doesn’t seem to be limiting the interest Americans have in toys they really want including Lego, no matter how expensive the product is.
Other than being based on a popular comedy/family movie, the high interest in Lego Home Alone may have to do with the feeling of isolation at home that people feel since the pandemic started in 2020.
Toy Figurines Comes Second
After Lego, toy figurines appear to be gaining high momentum as the most sought for toys (including in 9 states). They all are based on characters from popular Disney movies.
Luca Toys and Encanto Toys are basically figures of characters in the two new 2021 Disney movies Luca, and Encanto. Mr Potato Head is also a character in the famous Disney franchise Toy Story which consists of 4 movies total.
The high interest in toy figures based on Disney movies is to be expected. Since people are stuck home due to the pandemic, children are more likely to watch most movies online through Disney Plus including new Disney animation films which are available for free with the subscription.
As for the recent surged interest in Mr Potato Head, it probably has something to do with the new gender-neutral versions of Potato Head (without the ‘Mr’ part). They were released by Hasbro last year with the aim to broaden the appeal of this toy figure among customers.
Another factor that probably boosts the popularity in those toy figures is their relatively cheap price which is usually under $30.
Other Popular Toys
The fidget toy Pop It appeared to be quite famous in 4 states all in the Southeast region. Interestingly enough, 3 of those states are in the top 5 poorest states in the country, which may explain why this affordable toy (typically goes for $5-10) was very popular there.
Spyra Water Gun was the most popular toy only for Hawaiians. Could this possibly be because they have an abundance of water around them?!
The remaining two toys were each popular in one state and they’re as follows:
- Mini Brands Toys; plastic capsules that contain surprise mini replicas of real-life products like Mentos gum or a tiny pack of Spam.
- Rainbow High Dolls; fashion dolls that revolve around an elite high school for visual arts, featuring students who represent colors of the rainbow.
List of Most Popular Toys by State
| State | Top Toy |
| Alabama | Lego Home Alone |
| Alaska | Lego Titanic |
| Arizona | Encanto Toys |
| Arkansas | Pop It |
| California | Luca Toys |
| Colorado | Lego Home Alone |
| Connecticut | Luca Toys |
| Delaware | Lego Home Alone |
| Florida | Lego Home Alone |
| Georgia | Lego Titanic |
| Hawaii | Spyra Water Gun |
| Idaho | Lego Home Alone |
| Illinois | Lego Home Alone |
| Indiana | Lego Home Alone |
| Iowa | Lego Home Alone |
| Kansas | Luca Toys |
| Kentucky | Lego Home Alone |
| Louisiana | Pop It |
| Maine | Lego Home Alone |
| Maryland | Lego Typewriter |
| Massachusetts | Encanto Toys |
| Michigan | Lego Home Alone |
| Minnesota | Lego Home Alone |
| Mississippi | Pop It |
| Missouri | Lego Home Alone |
| Montana | Lego Titanic |
| Nebraska | Rainbow High Dolls |
| Nevada | Lego Home Alone |
| New Hampshire | Lego Home Alone |
| New Jersey | Lego Home Alone |
| New Mexico | Lego Titanic |
| New York | Lego Home Alone |
| North Carolina | Lego Typewriter |
| North Dakota | Lego Titanic |
| Ohio | Lego Home Alone |
| Oklahoma | Lego Home Alone |
| Oregon | Lego Home Alone |
| Pennsylvania | Lego Home Alone |
| Rhode Island | Lego Titanic |
| South Carolina | Lego Home Alone |
| South Dakota | Mr Potato Head |
| Tennessee | Pop It |
| Texas | Luca Toys |
| Utah | Lego World Map |
| Vermont | Mr Potato Head |
| Virginia | Lego Home Alone |
| Washington | Lego Home Alone |
| West Virginia | Mini Brands Toys |
| Wisconsin | Lego Home Alone |
| Wyoming | Mr Potato Head |
Conclusion
These are the most popular toys in each state based on trending searches in the last 12 months.
As indicated, few pricey Lego sets were trending the most in the majority of states (68%) which include 4 products total. Toy figurines that are based on Disney movies came second in popularity, being the most famous toy in 9 states.
Use the map (or the table) above to figure out the most popular toy in your state. And check if your current favorite toy is aligned with people in your region.
And don’t forget to share the word about this topic for the benefit of others.
