OWNx Research • January 2026
Gold & Silver Hit Record Highs:
Where Americans Are Rushing to Buy
As precious metals surge to all-time highs amid geopolitical uncertainty, Google search data reveals which states show the strongest intent to buy — and one state leads them all.
$
Gold Price
$
Silver Price
+488%
“Buy Silver” Surge
51
States Analyzed
🏆 The State Leading America's Precious Metals Rush
Wyoming ranks #1 in the nation for both gold AND silver buying intent — the only state to top both charts.
61%
“Buy Gold” Share
55%
“Buy Silver” Share
THE STORY
Precious Metals Are Having a Historic Moment
Gold has surged past $ per ounce. Silver has exploded from $30 to over $ — a gain of more than 200%. Together, they represent the strongest precious metals rally in decades, driven by geopolitical uncertainty, inflation concerns, and central bank buying.
But who’s actually searching to buy these metals, not just watch prices rise? To find out, we analyzed Google search behavior across all 50 U.S. states and Washington D.C. over the past 12 months.
The data reveals a clear pattern: Americans aren’t just curious about precious metals — they’re actively searching where to buy them. And one state stands above all others.
KEY FINDINGS
What the Data Shows
Silver Searches Explode 488%
“Buy silver” searches surged from an index of 17 to 100 over 12 months — nearly a 6x increase as prices hit record highs.
Major Metros in Top 10
New York, D.C., Florida, and California all rank in the top 10 for both metals — contradicting narratives about rural-only demand.
Geopolitics Drives Demand
Search spikes align with tariff threats, inflation data, and geopolitical flashpoints — showing real-time fear response.
Wyoming's Double Crown
America’s least populous state leads the nation in both gold (61%) and silver (55%) buying intent — the only state to top both charts.
SIDE-BY-SIDE
Gold vs Silver: How the Data Compares
🥇 Gold
🥈 Silver
COMPLETE DATA
State-by-State Rankings
How precious metals searches are distributed within each state. All columns sum to 100% per state.
| Rank | State | Buy Gold | Gold Bars | Gold Coins | Bullion | How To Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 61% | 8% | 15% | 8% | 8% |
| 2 | Washington | 53% | 13% | 16% | 8% | 10% |
| 3 | New York | 53% | 14% | 16% | 6% | 11% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 53% | 18% | 13% | 6% | 10% |
| 5 | Georgia | 53% | 13% | 15% | 8% | 11% |
| 6 | Hawaii | 52% | 13% | 17% | 7% | 11% |
| 7 | New Jersey | 52% | 15% | 15% | 8% | 10% |
| 8 | Florida | 52% | 13% | 19% | 6% | 10% |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 51% | 14% | 16% | 7% | 12% |
| 10 | Virginia | 51% | 14% | 16% | 8% | 11% |
| 11 | Illinois | 51% | 16% | 17% | 7% | 9% |
| 12 | Maryland | 51% | 15% | 17% | 6% | 11% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 51% | 13% | 19% | 7% | 10% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 51% | 14% | 20% | 6% | 9% |
| 15 | Texas | 50% | 14% | 19% | 7% | 10% |
| 16 | Ohio | 50% | 15% | 18% | 7% | 10% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 50% | 14% | 18% | 8% | 10% |
| 18 | California | 49% | 16% | 18% | 7% | 10% |
| 19 | Arizona | 49% | 14% | 19% | 9% | 9% |
| 20 | Louisiana | 49% | 14% | 19% | 7% | 11% |
CONTEXT
Why Precious Metals, Why Now?
Gold and silver are both benefiting from a “perfect storm” of factors driving safe-haven demand:
Record-Breaking Prices
Gold has surged 75%+ to $/oz. Silver has exploded 200%+ to $94/oz. Both are at all-time highs.
Central Bank Buying
Central banks globally are accumulating gold reserves, adding structural support to prices.
Inflation Hedging
With inflation above central bank targets, precious metals’ traditional hedge role keeps investor interest elevated.
China Export Restrictions
China’s new restrictions on silver exports have tightened global supply, adding unique upward pressure.
Geopolitical Tensions
Tariff threats, trade tensions, and global conflicts are keeping safe-haven demand elevated worldwide.
Green Energy Demand
Silver’s critical role in solar panels and EVs has created sustained industrial demand alongside investment buying.
METHODOLOGY
How We Analyzed the Data
Google Trends data was analyzed for searches related to buying gold and silver across the United States over the past 12 months. For gold, we analyzed: “buy gold,” “gold bars,” “gold coins,” “gold bullion,” and “how to buy gold.” For silver, we analyzed the equivalent terms.
The percentages represent the share of precious metals searches devoted to each term within each state. All terms sum to 100% per state.
Keywords
10 search terms
Timeframe
Jan 2025 – Jan 2026
Data Source
Google Trends
Geography
50 States + D.C.
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Data analyzed January 2026
Source: Google Trends “Interest by Subregion” • 12-month analysis covering all 50 U.S. states and Washington D.C.
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