OWNx Research – January 2026
Silver Surges to Records:
Where Americans Are Rushing to Buy
As silver prices hit all-time highs above $/oz – up over 200% in a year – Google search data reveals which states show the strongest intent to purchase the precious metal.
$
Silver Price (Record High)
55%
Wyoming’s “Buy Silver” Share
488%
Search Interest Spike
"Buy Silver" Searches Exploded in 2025
Google search interest for “buy silver” surged nearly 500% from January to December 2025, peaking during the holiday season as prices hit record highs.
17
Jan 2025 Interest
100
Dec 2025 Peak
+488%
Year-Over-Year
THE STORY
Silver's Record Run Is Driving Action
Silver has been the standout performer among precious metals, surging from around $30/oz to over $94/oz – a gain of more than 200% in just 12 months. The rally has been fueled by safe-haven demand, China’s export restrictions, and industrial demand from the green energy transition.
To understand where Americans are most actively looking to buy silver, we analyzed Google search behavior across all 50 U.S. states and Washington D.C. over the past 12 months.
The data shows a clear pattern: “buy silver” searches have exploded nationwide, but certain states – led by Wyoming and Washington D.C. – show dramatically higher purchase intent than others.
KEY FINDINGS
What the Data Shows
Wyoming Leads Again
At 55%, Wyoming has the highest “buy silver” search share – 5 points higher than second-place D.C. The state also leads for gold-buying intent.
Collector States Differ
States like South Dakota, West Virginia, and Alaska show higher “silver coins” interest (37-39%), indicating more collector-oriented behavior.
D.C. Shows Strong Intent
Washington D.C. ranks #2 with 50% “buy silver” share – and notably has the highest “silver bars” interest (20%), suggesting institutional-level purchases.
488% Search Surge
“Buy silver” searches exploded from an index of 17 in January 2025 to 100 in December – nearly a 6x increase as prices hit records.
State-by-State Silver Search Breakdown
How silver-related searches are distributed within each state. All columns sum to 100% per state.
| Rank | State | Buy Silver | Silver Bars | Silver Coins | Bullion | How To Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 55% | 9% | 22% | 9% | 5% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 50% | 20% | 15% | 7% | 8% |
| 3 | New York | 43% | 11% | 28% | 10% | 8% |
| 4 | Maryland | 42% | 15% | 27% | 8% | 8% |
| 5 | Louisiana | 42% | 11% | 29% | 9% | 9% |
| 6 | California | 42% | 12% | 28% | 10% | 8% |
| 7 | Texas | 42% | 11% | 30% | 10% | 7% |
| 8 | Illinois | 42% | 12% | 27% | 11% | 8% |
| 9 | Florida | 41% | 11% | 29% | 11% | 8% |
| 10 | Virginia | 41% | 12% | 28% | 11% | 8% |
| 11 | Alaska | 40% | 10% | 37% | 13% | <1% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 40% | 12% | 31% | 10% | 7% |
| 13 | Vermont | 40% | 13% | 36% | 11% | <1% |
| 14 | Massachusetts | 40% | 12% | 28% | 11% | 9% |
| 15 | Iowa | 39% | 9% | 29% | 18% | 5% |
| 16 | Nevada | 39% | 12% | 30% | 12% | 7% |
| 17 | Oklahoma | 39% | 10% | 32% | 11% | 8% |
| 18 | Missouri | 39% | 11% | 32% | 11% | 7% |
| 19 | Utah | 39% | 9% | 32% | 12% | 8% |
| 20 | Hawaii | 39% | 8% | 30% | 14% | 9% |
| 21 | Connecticut | 39% | 13% | 29% | 12% | 7% |
| 22 | Georgia | 39% | 12% | 29% | 11% | 9% |
| 23 | Alabama | 38% | 12% | 32% | 11% | 7% |
| 24 | New Jersey | 38% | 15% | 28% | 11% | 8% |
| 25 | New Mexico | 37% | 11% | 32% | 13% | 7% |
| 26 | North Dakota | 37% | 14% | 29% | 13% | 7% |
| 27 | North Carolina | 37% | 12% | 32% | 11% | 8% |
| 28 | Washington | 36% | 13% | 31% | 12% | 8% |
| 29 | Arkansas | 36% | 10% | 35% | 12% | 7% |
| 30 | Arizona | 36% | 12% | 31% | 14% | 7% |
| 31 | Colorado | 36% | 12% | 32% | 12% | 8% |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 36% | 12% | 32% | 14% | 6% |
| 33 | Tennessee | 36% | 12% | 33% | 12% | 7% |
| 34 | South Carolina | 36% | 11% | 33% | 13% | 7% |
| 35 | Kansas | 35% | 10% | 34% | 15% | 6% |
| 36 | Oregon | 35% | 12% | 32% | 14% | 7% |
| 37 | Indiana | 35% | 12% | 33% | 13% | 7% |
| 38 | Delaware | 35% | 13% | 35% | 11% | 6% |
| 39 | Kentucky | 35% | 11% | 34% | 13% | 7% |
| 40 | New Hampshire | 34% | 11% | 35% | 14% | 6% |
| 41 | Nebraska | 34% | 13% | 33% | 15% | 5% |
| 42 | Maine | 34% | 10% | 37% | 14% | 5% |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | 34% | 12% | 34% | 13% | 7% |
| 44 | Minnesota | 34% | 12% | 33% | 15% | 6% |
| 45 | Ohio | 34% | 13% | 31% | 15% | 7% |
| 46 | Mississippi | 34% | 9% | 33% | 18% | 6% |
| 47 | Montana | 33% | 12% | 34% | 14% | 7% |
| 48 | Michigan | 33% | 14% | 31% | 16% | 6% |
| 49 | Idaho | 32% | 11% | 35% | 16% | 6% |
| 50 | West Virginia | 32% | 12% | 38% | 13% | 5% |
| 51 | South Dakota | 29% | 14% | 39% | 12% | 6% |
“Silver’s record-breaking rally – up over 200% in 12 months – has triggered a search surge unlike anything we have seen. Americans are not just watching prices rise, they are actively looking to buy.
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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.