As food prices rise across the United States, more people are turning to scrutinizing their groceries, leading to an increase in popularity of veganism. According to a recent study by Gambling.com, the state whose residents are most likely to adopt a plant-based diet is Hawaii.
The study analyzed vegan vs. meat savings per pound, Google search volumes, and vegan restaurants and meetup groups per million residents to determine which state’s residents are the most likely to go vegan. Hawaii scored 91.7 out of 100 overall, with the highest number of vegan restaurants per capita in the country, the second-highest number of vegan meetups per capita, and the fifth-highest savings regarding vegan alternatives versus meat.
Oregon came in second place, with an overall vegan score of 86.6, while California was third, with a score of 85.6. New York and Washington rounded out the top five.
On the other end of the scale, the study found that Wyoming is the state whose residents are least likely to adopt a vegan diet, with an overall vegan score of 16.4. Arkansas and West Virginia came in at second and third, respectively.
The increasing popularity of veganism in the United States is due in part to the growing environmental consciousness of Americans, as well as people looking for a competitive edge or to save money on groceries. As more people turn to plant-based diets, it is likely that the popularity of veganism will continue to rise across the country.