We May Not Be Romantic, But North Dakotans Take Proposals Seriously

Yesterday we delivered the news that North Dakota doesn’t exactly sweep anyone off their feet when it comes to romance rankings. Not exactly shocking to anyone who’s ever tried to plan a candlelit dinner during a 40-mph prairie wind, but still… it stung a little.

Read More: North Dakota Love Check: Are We Really One of the Least Romantic States?

Now we know why our romantic score is struggling, and the answer might surprise you. According to data from Innerbody, one of the biggest indicators of romantic pressure shows up around wedding proposals. Across the country, search terms like “how to propose” and “marry me” consistently land in the top ten romantic searches. But in a handful of states, including Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, and Tennessee, those terms rocket straight to the top.

Translation? When it comes time to pop the question, a lot of people are not freelancing it.

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Why North Dakotans Don’t Wing the Big Question

There’s something oddly comforting about that. Proposals are a huge moment, whether you’re planning a grand public spectacle or a quiet, private “hey, wanna do this forever?” Asking someone to marry you comes with pressure, expectations, and the very real fear of saying something incredibly awkward at the worst possible moment. So people do what they do best: they Google it.

In North Dakota, that pressure might be amplified by our generally low-key approach to romance. We’re practical people. We plan for winter. We plan for harvest. Of course we’re going to plan a proposal.

How the Romance Rankings Were Calculated

Innerbody’s methodology dug deep into this idea. Researchers analyzed Google Trends data from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., pulling together dozens of search terms tied to romance. That included Valentine’s Day favorites, relationship questions, romantic gestures, anniversaries, and major milestones like proposals. They tracked interest over a full 12-month period, capturing both everyday curiosity and those seasonal Valentine’s spikes when panic buying chocolate becomes a competitive sport.

Each state earned a romance score based on combined search interest, and then states were ranked from most to least romantic. The data was sifted even further to see which romantic topics dominated in each state, and for North Dakota, proposals were front and center.

So while we may not be writing poetry or planning flash mobs, it turns out North Dakotans care deeply about getting the big moments right. We just prefer instructions, reassurance, and maybe a step-by-step guide before we drop to one knee. Romantic? Maybe not by national standards. Thoughtful? Prepared? Slightly nervous but trying our best? Absolutely. And honestly, that might be the most North Dakota love story of all.