Still looking for a date this Valentine’s?
If your plans for Valentine’s Day remain uncertain, we’ve got the perfect solution for you: a dreamy movie night filled with the best romantic comedies.
So, grab your popcorn because we’ve selected the most popular rom-coms by state. To do this, we looked at which movies were the hottest topic on Google Trends over the past year.
According to our findings, the most popular rom-com across the US (in a whopping 13 states) is 2024’s The Idea of You. The plot follows Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who owns an art gallery, and Hayes, a 24-year-old who’s the lead singer in a famous boy band. After fate brings them together at Coachella, the pair embark on a surprising romance that puts their love to the test.
Which rom-com is the most popular in your state?
As well as The Idea of You, a few other movies were a top pick across the US. These were:
- Anyone But You (2023) – The plot follows Bea and Ben. On paper, they look like the perfect couple but their first date falls flat. When they later stumble across each other at a destination wedding in Australia, they try their hardest to seem like the perfect couple. With a fresh take on enemies-to-lovers, this modern love story has charmed many audiences–especially those in Alaska, Delaware, Maine, and South Dakota.
- Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) – This hilarious and heartfelt rom-com with a solid IMDb rating of 7.4 follows Cal Weaver whose seemingly perfect life unravels when his wife asks for a divorce. Enter Jacob, a smooth-talking bachelor who takes Cal under his wing, transforming him into a confident dater. That is until Jacob finds himself falling for someone rather unexpected. Nebraska, New Mexico, and Rhode Island favor this one.
- The Proposal (2009) – Proof that the classics are sometimes the best, The Proposal follows career-driven Margaret who faces deportation to Canada. In a bid to stay in America, she comes up with a plan to marry her unwitting assistant, Andrew. But a trip to Andrew’s hometown in Alaska sparks a series of events (and chemistry) that may just turn this sham of a marriage into something more. Still a sought-after choice in Hawaii, Louisiana, and Minnesota.
- How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) – Benjamin (Matthew McConaughey) takes on a bet that he can make a woman fall in love with him in just 10 days. His target, Andie (Kate Hudson), has her own agenda, however, as she’s writing an article on how to lose a guy in 10 days. North Dakota, West Virginia, and Iowa love this 20-year-old classic.
- 500 Days of Summer (2009) – The highest-rated movie (alongside When Harry Met Sally) with an IMDb rating of 7.7, 500 Days of Summer is a unique take on love and heartbreak. Tom reflects on his 500-day relationship with Summer–the girl he thought was “the one.” It appears those in Missouri and South Carolina could watch it 500 times.
Some states can’t get enough of the classics
While most of the rom-com favorites emerged from the post-2000s era, some states just can’t resist the older classics.
- When Harry Met Sally (1989) – Not only is this rom-com the oldest on our list, but it’s also one of the highest-rated on IMDb. With an overall score of 7.7/10, it explores the friendship of Harry and Sally and asks one of life’s most burning questions: can men and women really just be friends? It’s the most popular movie choice in Arkansas and Vermont.
- Sleepless in Seattle (1993) – Oklahoma’s movie of choice, this story follows Sam, a widowed father, whose son decides his dad needs a new wife. After making a call to a radio show it leads to an unforgettable meeting with Annie.
- Notting Hill (1999) – When fate brings together London bookstore owner, William (Hugh Grant), and famous Hollywood actress, Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), life will never be the same again. As they try to overcome the challenges of fame, can true love really conquer all? A favorite in Alabama and Maryland.
- 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) – Based on the classic Shakespeare play, The Taming of the Shrew, this movie stars Julia Stiles as Kat and the late Heath Ledger as Patrick. Kat’s younger sister, Bianca, isn’t allowed to date until Kat does, so Patrick’s paid to try and charm Kat so another high-school boy, Cameron, can start dating Bianca. Naturally, things don’t go to plan. Montana and New Hampshire definitely don’t hate this one.
- Miss Congeniality (2000) – Who doesn’t like a good Sandra Bullock movie from the 2000s? FBI agent Gracie Hart goes undercover at a beauty pageant to stop a potential terrorist threat. What starts as a tough assignment for the no-nonsense, tomboyish agent soon transforms into a hilarious and heartwarming journey of self-discovery, unexpected friendship, and maybe even more. Arizona still can’t get enough of this one.
The most popular Valentine’s Day movie in the US as a whole
Interestingly, when analyzing the most popular “romantic comedy” across the entire US, The Fall Guy emerges as the top choice.
Starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, The Fall Guy mixes action, comedy, and romance to create a feel-good movie that suits a range of audiences. The rom-com follows Colt Seavers, a veteran stuntman, who finds himself back in the spotlight after the star of a blockbuster action movie mysteriously disappears. But as Colt tries to find the missing actor, he also finds himself caught up in an unexpected conspiracy. Jam-packed full of action and that all-important romance, there’s no wonder The Fall Guy scores 6.8 on IMDb.
Even if The Fall Guy isn’t your cup of tea, one thing’s for sure, there are enough rom-coms here to keep you busy way beyond Valentine’s Day…
Which is your favorite and why? Comment below!
Methodology
Using Google Trends to search for the genre “romantic comedy” in each state, we looked to see which movie was a rising topic in the related topics section over the past five years. Rising topics are the top related search terms users looking at rom-coms also searched for over the past year and saw the biggest influx in searches during that period. The top result for each state was the designated movie for that state. In some cases, no movie was available. In these cases, we searched all of the top results for the other states to see which came out on top in that particular state during the same period.
Data researcher: Danka Delić
