UNITED STATES—
Key Highlights
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715 searches per 100,000 residents. California records 283,700 monthly Google Ads searches across 14 keywords with a population of 39.66 million. It combines the nation’s largest market by volume with near-top per-capita intensity, trailing only Utah at 730 per 100,000.
An analysis by Intuitive Digital examined monthly search volume for 14 Google Ads keywords across all 50 states via Google Keyword Planner, normalized per 100,000 residents using 2025 population estimates.
California Compared Against Western States by Per-Capita Google Ads Searches
| Rank | State | Searches per 100,000 Residents | Total Monthly Searches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | 730 | 26,000 |
| 2 | California | 715 | 283,700 |
| 3 | Colorado | 649 | 39,000 |
| 4 | Washington | 582 | 46,920 |
| 5 | Nevada | 525 | 17,420 |
| 6 | Arizona | 506 | 38,910 |
| 7 | Oregon | 492 | 21,110 |
California ranks 2nd in the West at 715 searches per 100,000, trailing only Utah at 730 by 15, and leads all Western states in total monthly volume with 283,700. The Western region averages 487 per 100,000, and California exceeds that average by 228.
Looking at the study, Nick Footer, CEO of Intuitive Digital, commented:
“California proves that market sophistication compounds. A state this large maintaining near-top per-capita demand signals that every industry segment is competing intensely for paid search share. Agencies in California are not just buying volume, they are navigating one of the most competitive digital environments in the country.”
California’s Monthly Search Volume Across Fourteen Tracked Keyword Categories
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | Share of State Total |
|---|---|---|
| Ad words google | 90,500 | 31.9% |
| Google Ads | 90,500 | 31.9% |
| Google adverse | 90,500 | 31.9% |
| local service ads | 4,400 | 1.6% |
| google local service ads | 2,900 | 1.0% |
| Google advertising | 3,600 | 1.3% |
| Google Ads agency | 390 | 0.1% |
| Google Ads training | 210 | 0.1% |
| Other 6 keywords (combined) | 700 | 0.2% |
| Total | 283,700 | 100% |
Three terms, Google, Google Ads, and Google adverse, account for 271,500 of California’s 283,700 monthly searches, representing 95.7 percent of total state demand. Local service-related terms contribute 2.6 percent, while agency and specialist queries make up 1.7 percent of California’s overall search activity.
Small Population States Ranked by National Per-Capita Google Ads Demand
| National Rank | State | Population (2025) | Searches per 100,000 | Total Monthly Searches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | 3,564,000 | 730 | 26,000 |
| 8 | Nevada | 3,320,570 | 525 | 17,420 |
| 12 | Idaho | 2,032,120 | 467 | 9,490 |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,707,120 | 465 | 17,250 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 1,415,860 | 426 | 6,030 |
| 20 | Kansas | 2,989,710 | 385 | 11,510 |
Six states with populations under four million rank in the national top 20 per capita, with Utah leading at 730. California at 715 per 100,000 outpaces all six small-population states except Utah despite its 39.66 million residents, confirming that California’s demand is driven by both scale and intensity.
States Ranked Lowest Nationally by Per-Capita Google Ads Searches
| Rank | State | Searches per 100,000 Residents | Total Monthly Searches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | North Dakota | 240 | 1,930 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | 236 | 9,750 |
| 43 | Alabama | 230 | 11,970 |
| 44 | Alaska | 211 | 1,570 |
| 45 | Louisiana | 206 | 9,500 |
| 46 | Kentucky | 205 | 9,490 |
| 47 | New Mexico | 196 | 4,190 |
| 48 | Arkansas | 173 | 5,360 |
| 49 | West Virginia | 166 | 2,930 |
| 50 | Mississippi | 115 | 3,380 |
California’s 715 searches per 100,000 is 6.2 times higher than Mississippi’s national low of 115. California alone generates 283,700 monthly searches, nearly 4.7 times the combined total of all 10 lowest-demand states.
Total Monthly Search Volume Ranked Against Per-Capita Standing by State
| Volume Rank | State | Total Monthly Searches | Per-Capita Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 283,700 | 2 |
| 2 | Florida | 159,770 | 3 |
| 3 | Texas | 130,110 | 19 |
| 4 | New York | 126,680 | 5 |
| 5 | Illinois | 57,680 | 14 |
| 6 | Georgia | 47,970 | 17 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 47,840 | 22 |
| 8 | New Jersey | 47,820 | 10 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 47,300 | 18 |
| 10 | Washington | 46,920 | 6 |
California leads all 50 states in total monthly volume at 283,700 searches and ranks 2nd per capita at 715 per 100,000, a near-perfect alignment between the nation’s largest market by scale and its second-highest per-capita demand. Texas ranks 3rd in volume at 130,110 monthly searches but falls to 19th per capita, illustrating how California combines both volume and intensity.
Methodology
Google Keyword Planner data covered 14 keywords: Ad words google, Google Ads, Google Ads agency, Google Ads campaign management, Google Ads consultant, Google Ads expert, Google Ads for small business, Google Ads management, Google Ads services, Google Ads training, Google adverse, Google advertising, Google local service ads, Local service ads. State totals were divided by 2025 population figures and multiplied by 100,000. Volumes are rounded and directional.
Data Sources
Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/106CdlNc6mghRRPqONSzLD3HWq1rKXP5ApeN85eHvawI/edit?usp=sharing
Study by: https://intuitivedigital.com
About Intuitive Digital
Intuitive Digital is a Portland, Oregon-based digital marketing agency specializing in Google Ads management, PPC strategy, and performance-driven search campaigns for businesses nationwide. Learn more at intuitivedigital.com.
