The Most Common Dreams in Each State

Dreams are a unique phenomenon. No one really knows the root cause of a dream, or if those dreams have an actual serious significance. Something as simple as the foods we eat may stir a certain dream, or maybe our dreams change with age. Some people wake up and remember what they dreamt, while others swear they’ve never dreamt a night in their life. 

But for those who wake and remember what they dream, do they ever ask Google what their dreams mean? 

We were curious as to the most common dreams in each state. We analyzed more than 9,000 Google search terms relating to dreaming or dreams over the past 24 months to determine the most common dream in every state. 

Dreams are truly a personal and unique experience, but that doesn’t mean certain themes can’t be shared by the masses. Perhaps recent statewide events are influencing people’s subconscious, or maybe there’s just something in the water. Whatever the explanation, there are certain regional trends when it comes to dreams.

In the South, people in states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia all dream the most about snakes. To quote Indiana Jones, “Snakes…Why’d it have to be snakes?” As those states are in a climate where reptiles are more common, it makes sense. Just like it makes sense that people in Florida are dreaming the most about alligators.

On the West Coast, people are having romantic dreams about a crush or love interest. In states such as California and Arizona, people see their one true love when they close their eyes. 

However, not everyone on the West Coast is dreaming about their heart’s desires, some are dreaming about things way darker than love. People in Nevada dream the most about death or dead people, while residents of Utah, Idaho, and Montana dream about their partners or spouses cheating. Meanwhile, people in Oregon are just having good ol’ sex dreams.

Another common dream theme revolves around teeth or losing teeth. People in states such as Missouri, Illinois, and New York are dreaming the most about their dental health. If it’s not teeth, maybe it’s eyelashes? North Dakota and Minnesota both report dreams about eyelashes falling out.

Some states like Ohio, South Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Arkansas, report unique dreams. People in these states have dreams about tornadoes, fish, birds, roosters, and getting hit by a car, respectively. Just because Arkansans are dreaming about being hit by a car, it doesn’t necessarily mean death, only in Alaska and Nebraska are people specifically dreaming about being murdered. 

We were also curious as to the most common dreams in major cities across the U.S. Some cities echo their states in terms of dream themes, such as people in Portland also having sex dreams. People in Cleveland dream about tornadoes, while people in Denver dream about an ex. 

While people in Tampa dream about alligators, in other Florida cities, namely Orlando and Miami, people have more dreams about a cheating partner or losing their teeth rather than the reptile.

Similar to the themes across the states, some of these common dreams make sense based on where the people live. For example, people in New York City are dreaming about rats, people in Los Angeles are dreaming about a tsunami and people in Nashville dream about horses.

Some other cities with notable dreams include Seattle (getting married), Philadelphia (spiders), and Washington, D.C. (cat scratches). 

When it comes to the United States as a whole, what are the most common dreams to have? According to our analysis, the most searched dream revolves around teeth or losing teeth. This is followed by snakes, horses, a love interest or crush, and being pregnant. 

Rounding out the top 10 dreams include dreaming about spiders, an ex, tornadoes, cats, and a cheating partner.

Whatever you dream, hopefully, it means you’re sleeping well and taking care of your health (especially your eye health)!

Methodology

We analyzed more than 9,000 Google search terms related to dreams and dreaming to complete this study. For state-level data, we looked at search volume per capita averages over the past 24 months. 

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Fair Use

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