Ahh, summer. There's so much to love...the warm weather, the BBQs, the longer days and fun-filled getaways. Another summer favorite: ice cream!
July is National Ice Cream Month 🍨, and this coming Sunday, July 21st, is National Ice Cream Day! To honor the occasion, we thought we'd do what we do best and run some analytics on this national tasty treasure.
Spending Patterns Data from Synergos Technologies (STI)
Our source for the data you'll see below is Synergos Technologies Inc., one of SiteSeer's data partners.
Synergos Technologies Inc. is best known for its quarterly population estimates, STI: PopStats, which supplies the data we discuss in our semi-annual data study blogs about the fastest-growing metropolitan/micropolitan areas in the country (here's the most recent one!). The market research company focuses on data products and software tools for consumer-focused companies--like those who subscribe to SiteSeer.
In addition to PopStats, STI has a suite of other products, including STI: LandScape (consumer lifestyle segmentation data), STI: WorkPlace (data counts of business and employees in today's U.S. trade areas) and several others, including STI: Spending Patterns data.
STI: Spending Patterns data shows how much consumers are spending in different geographic areas on over 600 products and service categories. The source of this data? The Bureau of Labor Statistics' annual Consumer Expenditure Survey, which measures the spending habits of U.S. consumers. Every quarter, Synergos Technologies models this raw data and delivers a weekly per capita, an average spending per capita per week, and a consumer price potential by spending category.
What Markets Spent the Most on Ice Cream in 2023?
We ran the 2023 STI: Spending Patterns data on Ice Cream and Related Products (within the Food at Home category...in other words, this isn't ice cream purchased at the ice cream shop).
We took the average spending per capita per week, multiplied by 52, ranked all U.S. markets that you'll see in the SiteSeer platform, and voila! Below is the good stuff: the top 25 from highest to lowest:
| Rank | Market | Avg. Spend Per Person Per Year |
| 1 | New York, NY | $ 45.27 |
| 2 | Honolulu, HI | $ 44.80 |
| 3 | San Francisco et al, CA | $ 43.75 |
| 4 | Anchorage, AK | $ 43.51 |
| 5 | Sacramento et al, CA | $ 42.50 |
| 6 | Juneau, AK | $ 42.38 |
| 7 | Springfield-Holyoke, MA | $ 41.85 |
| 8 | Monterey-Salinas, CA | $ 41.52 |
| 9 | Chico-Redding, CA | $ 41.45 |
| 10 | Albany et al, NY | $ 41.43 |
| 11 | Fairbanks, AK | $ 40.70 |
| 12 | Hartford & New Haven, CT | $ 40.69 |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $ 40.62 |
| 14 | Santa Barbara et al, CA | $ 40.43 |
| 15 | Buffalo, NY | $ 40.29 |
| 16 | Eureka, CA | $ 40.11 |
| 17 | Reno, NV | $ 40.06 |
| 18 | Providence et al, RI-MA | $ 39.95 |
| 19 | Palm Springs, CA | $ 39.54 |
| 20 | Los Angeles, CA | $ 39.53 |
| 21 | Boston et al, MA-NH | $ 39.37 |
| 22 | Rochester, NY | $ 39.31 |
| 23 | Fresno-Visalia, CA | $ 39.23 |
| 24 | Denver, CO | $ 39.10 |
| 25 | Missoula, MT | $ 38.86 |
States With Higher Cost of Living Can Mean Pricier Groceries
The BLS breaks consumer expenditures down into 14 major categories, with the three largest being housing (33%), transportation (17%) and food (13%).
As we all know, food costs have increased a lot in recent years, along with the cost of just about everything else. So, it's no wonder that the markets you see above include some of the most expensive places to live in the country.
In fact, just this week, Forbes shared this article on the cost of living by state, defining cost of living as "the average amount one can expect to spend on essential expenses while maintaining a reasonable lifestyle in a particular location during a specific period." The top 8 states:
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- California
- New York
- New Jersey
- Alaska
- Maryland
- Washington
Notice anything? Our list of top ice cream spending markets includes one from Hawaii, three in Massachusetts, four from New York, 10 from California, and three in Alaska.
SiteSeer Advice: Let the Data Tell the Story (but Don't Tell a Story with the Data)
This blog post is a fun look at one small piece of the STI: Spending Patterns data sets that SiteSeer subscribers have access to. A word of caution: Data tells a story, but be careful not to get too creative with your own version of that story.
We see it all the time: people want to find data that supports their argument. They might zero in on one part of the data and draw conclusions without considering other factors. In this example, we've presented markets that spent the highest per person on average on ice cream. We shouldn't assume more than what we see here, but the data can certainly give us food for thought (pun intended 🍦) and serve as a jumping off point for further research.
Fun Facts About Ice Cream
Now that you know a little about spending data on ice cream, how about some other interesting facts about the country's favorite dessert? The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) shares that:
- The average American eats about 20 pounds of ice cream each year (about 4 gallons).
- Families are the primary customer group for ice cream retailers.
- Most U.S. ice cream and frozen dessert manufacturers have been in business for 50+ years and many are still family owned.
- The ice cream industry supports ~27,000 direct jobs, generates $1.9 billion in direct wages, and has an $11.4 billion impact on the U.S. economy.
- March-September are the busiest months for ice cream production.
And in a survey IDFA conducted in partnership with Morning Consult of 2,200 Americans, they found that:
- America's top 3 favorite ice cream flavors: 1) Vanilla 2) Chocolate 3) Strawberry
- Consumers' top 3 choices for ice cream toppings: 1) Hot fudge 2) Whipped cream 3) Caramel sauce.
- 63% of consumers prefer to eat ice cream at home.
- Consumers' top 3 favorite containers/cones to eat ice cream from: 1) Waffle cone 2) Bowl 3) Sugar cone. Funny enough, 9% of respondents reported liking to eat ice cream straight from the carton!
Happy National Ice Cream Month!
If you're in the mood for a tasty treat this weekend, you're in luck. Some well-known ice cream chains are celebrating National Ice Cream Day with freebies and discounts:
🍦DQ is celebrating National ice Cream Day with a surprise deal you can get in the DQ app.
🍦Baskin-Robbins will give you $5 off any order of $20 or more when paying with the BR App (7/21-7/27) and using the code SEIZETHEYAY.
🍦Dippin' Dots is giving away a free mini cup during a two-hour window on 7/21 (check their website to find a participating store near you).
🍦Marble Slab Creamery is treating customers to a free small cup of ice cream when they purchase a cup at participating location on 7/21.
🍦Insomnia Cookies is giving out two scoops of free ice cream in a cup with any purchase all weekend long (Friday 7/19 to Sunday 7/21).
🍦Cold Stone Creamery is offering registered My Cold Stone Club Rewards members $5 off their purchase of $10 or more when using the app or purchasing online (Wednesday 7/17 to Tuesday 7/23).
Interested in Spending Patterns and Other Data Sources? Contact Us
SiteSeer has vetted many data providers and can help you understand the benefits of incorporating different data types into your research. Whether you're a grocery chain, a retailer or a commercial real estate broker, we can help you use data to your advantage.
Contact us to learn more. Or better yet, take a demo of SiteSeer to see how we put the power of data analytics in your hands!
