Discover The States With The Most Garden Friendly Houses: Ranked

Curious to see if your state is ranking in the top? Read below to see how which factors we used to rank each state with the most garden friendly houses.

Key Takeaways

• Our recent study has revealed top states with most garden-friendly houses, assessing various factors, including yard sizes, the percentage of detached houses, and interest in gardening.
• Texas leads the nation by having the most garden-friendly houses among all states, due to its large yard sizes and significant gardening interest.
• Arkansas has the largest average yard size at 24,348 square feet, making it a standout for spacious outdoor living.
• California shows the highest engagement in gardening-related activities, with 2,133,500 average monthly searches, reflecting its residents' strong interest in gardening despite smaller yard sizes.

Texas tops the list of having the most garden-friendly houses with a composite score of 3.09. The state leads with an impressive average yard size of 14,876 square feet, combined with a high number of community gardens, totaling 64. The state also shows high engagement in gardening activities, reflected by 1,687,860 average monthly searches. The state's abundant sunlight of 5,137 kJ/m^2 plays a crucial role in its top ranking.

Illinois ranks 2nd with a composite score of 2.55. It is notable for its high percentage of detached houses at 80.09% and a strong presence of community gardens, totaling 62. The average yard size of 13,308 square feet and 994,230 gardening-related searches highlight the state's dedication to green living. Additionally, moderate sunlight levels of 4,380 kJ/m^2 support these efforts.

California comes 3rd on the list with a composite score of 2.53. California excels in community engagement with a substantial 2,133,500 gardening-related searches. The state's high annual sunlight of 5,050 kJ/m^2 and a fair percentage of detached houses, at 59.41%, are crucial factors in its high ranking.

Iowa is the 4th state with the most garden-friendly houses with a composite score of 2.45. This state has the largest average yard size among the top states at 20,690 square feet and a high percentage of detached houses at 75.95%. With 87 community gardens and 243,520 gardening-related searches, Iowa supports its green initiatives even with moderate sunlight levels of 4,331 kJ/m^2.

New York ranks 5th with a composite score of 2.39. New York combines moderate yard sizes of 9,933 square feet with a high percentage of detached houses at 77.74%. The state's 49 community gardens and 1,520,830 gardening-related searches underscore its green efforts, despite lower sunlight levels of 3,904 kJ/m^2.

Arkansas comes 6th with a composite score of 2.35. It stands out with the second-largest average yard size of 24,348 square feet and a high percentage of detached houses at 78.15%. The state’s 62 community gardens and 184,220 gardening-related searches hugely contribute to its ranking.

Arizona is the 7th state with the most garden-friendly houses with a composite score of 2.29. This state has high sunlight levels of 5,755 kJ/m^2 and substantial yard sizes of 17,953 square feet. Arizona also has a moderate number of gardening-related searches totaling 296,960, with a fair percentage of detached houses at 71.27%.

Louisiana ranks 8th with a composite score of 2.22. It has a moderate yard size of 16,456 square feet and a high percentage of detached houses at 75.52%. With 56 community gardens and 229,100 gardening-related searches, the state is well-supported by high sunlight levels of 4,725 kJ/m^2.

Missouri comes 9th on the list with a composite score of 2.21. Missouri has a high percentage of detached houses at 81.59% and substantial yard sizes of 20,593 square feet. The state’s 44 community gardens and 448,580 gardening-related searches reflect its strong gardening culture.

Nebraska is 10th with a composite score of 2.14. Nebraska combines moderate yard sizes of 13,921 square feet with a high percentage of detached houses at 75.81%. The state’s 55 community gardens and 151,160 gardening-related searches highlight its commitment to green spaces.

Andy Wu, CEO of Backyard Oasis commented on the study “Gardening has always been a beloved pastime, but it’s fascinating to see how it varies across the country. What’s particularly interesting is how states like Texas and Arkansas leverage their large yard spaces to foster a community-oriented approach to gardening. Meanwhile, California’s enthusiasm for gardening, despite smaller yard sizes, shows a unique urban gardening trend that's gaining traction.”

Methodology: The study evaluated each state based on several metrics, such as yard sizes, the percentage of detached houses, climate, community gardens, and interest in gardening. The percentage of detached houses in each state was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) data. Sunlight data was sourced from World Population Review, which ranks the sunniest states based on the average annual sunlight measured in kilojoules per square meter (kJ/m^2). Information on community gardens was also added to provide a detailed analysis of community gardening activities across different states. Lastly, average monthly searches for gardening-related terms were analyzed using Google Keyword Planner, indicating the level of public interest and engagement in gardening activities. A composite score was calculated to determine the states with the most garden-friendly homes.

You can see the full research by the link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQqirXrd_BUaUK55GvbzoNMJFLUjzwmSP9aZ2yyTHLkZgo0x79ZywhXm5Qpl4-eI5ppDsbjnnwQ629t/pubhtml?gid=1140995789&single=true