Your State’s Favorite Rom-Com Movie

We’ve done the research to learn your state’s romantic-comedy crush.

By Randy Harward

Share | Feb 2, 2024

Hello, lovers. More specifically, hello lovers who live in states. You know who you are. You know where you are. But do you know your state’s favorite romantic comedy, or “rom-com?” CableTV.com does.

We understand if you aren’t ready to meet the love of your cinematic life. But love comes when you least expect it.

At any moment, cosmic forces—like a listicle from Harper’s Bazaar, other people’s internet searches within a particular date range, and some rando with a platform analyzing that data—might conspire to tell you your state’s favorite rom-com. That moment is now.

But this is the 21st Century, and our study results are just data. If you don’t vibe with your state’s favorite unrealistic romance fantasy, you don’t have to marry it. So let’s take a noncommittal look at your state’s preferred rom-com—and then we’ll gobble ice cream and overanalyze the results.

The hottest goss

So many rom-coms start with a breakup. Let’s make a group text and dish on who dumped their old favorite rom-com for new hotness.

After a super sad breakup with The Princess Bride and a polyamorous experiment with Groundhog Day and Clueless, Idaho has chosen its bae: As Good As It Gets.
New Hampshire gets around, having had previous dalliances with Groundhog Day, 10 Things I Hate About You, and The Princess Bride. Now the Granite State is all over Bridesmaids. No shame, tho.
Oregon risks losing its hipster card after dumping the artsy Amélie and cult classic The Princess Bride to run off with Bridesmaids.
Vermont called it quits with Love Actually, then took up with 10 Things I Hate About You—and now the Green Mountain State is into Clueless. Why so fickle, Vermont?

Lean in—it gets better. Actually, no state is still with their “favorite” rom-com from last year. Do we love it? It’s drama—of course we do.

Popularity contest

Which of the six rom-coms in this list is the biggest Baldwin (hint)? Well, the world is butt-crazy in love with Clueless, to paraphrase Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) in the film. May Silverstone’s second come-up never end.

Here’s how many states dig the same film:

Clueless—27
Bridesmaids—17
10 Things I Hate About You—2

As Good As It Gets—2
Sleepless in Seattle—1
500 Days of Summer—1

Perfect matches

We didn’t set out to be matchmakers with this study, but the data reveals two potential perfect matches.

Washington is still all about Sleepless in Seattle ‘cause, like, OMG, Seattle is in Washington. It’s like it was meant to be.
California and 10 Things I Hate About You seemed perfect together—until 500 Days of Summer came along. Do we smell a new mashup rom-com idea?

Bizarre love triangles

Four states and two rom-coms formed two love triangles:

In 2022, Wyoming dumped 10 Things I Hate About You to play peek-a-boo with Groundhog Day. Then the Cowboy State rode back into 10 Things’ life and is now in a love triangle with Utah. (If it sounds steamy, it’s totally not—I mean, Utah.)
Massachusetts and Idaho get to fight over who settles for As Good As It Gets.

Are these films, being torn between two lover-states, breakin’ all the rules? Not in the age of ethical non-monogamy. Otherwise, given their body counts on this list, Clueless and Bridesmaids would be feelin’ like fools. And this is the age of no shaming.

Celluloid singles!

These movies didn’t appear in our data this year, so they’re fair game.

Love Actually—Does the entire country now hate love, actually?
The Princess Bride—Inconceivable!
Groundhog Day—If Punxsutawney Phil can’t find love, it’s gonna be six more weeks of emotional winter.