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Michigan Revealed Among the Least Likely Great Lakes States to Propose in New Study

Guest Blogger
Heartfelt marriage proposal on a pebbled beach at sunset, capturing love and surprise.

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva

Article courtesy of Tiny Rituals.

New research has revealed the states least likely to propose, with Michigan ranking 17th in the country, one of the three least likely of the eight Great Lakes states.

The study, conducted by crystal jewelry brand Tiny Rituals, analyzed the monthly number of searches in each state for 245 terms related to engagement rings with different gemstones, such as ‘moissanite engagement ring’ and ‘engagement ring with sapphire.’ The number of searches in each state was compared to its population to reveal the states with the lowest average monthly search volume per 100,000 residents.

Michigan findings:

Michigan ranks as the 17th least likely state, with 60.7 average monthly Google searches per 100,000 people for terms related to engagement rings, a rate 4.1% below the US average of 63.3 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.

Michigan residents make 6,150 engagement ring searches a month, the 10th highest total of any state, level with Virginia.

Michigan has one of the three lowest rates of the eight Great Lakes states, along with Minnesota on 60.4 and Wisconsin on 60.6. All three are below Indiana on 66.0. The rate in Michigan is 9.3% lower than in neighboring Ohio.

Moissanite is the most searched diamond alternative gemstone in Michigan, with 1,900 average monthly searches, ahead of sapphire on 1,000 and emerald on 880. Sapphire takes 14.8% of the state’s gemstone searches, against 17.3% across the US.

The Great Lakes states least likely to propose based on average monthly searches for engagement rings

Rank State Average monthly engagement ring searches per 100,000 residents Average monthly engagement ring searches Rank on total monthly searches
1 Minnesota 60.37 3,520 21
2 Wisconsin 60.61 3,620 20
3 Michigan 60.72 6,150 10
4 Indiana 65.97 4,600 17
5 Ohio 66.97 7,970 8
6 Illinois 68.01 8,650 6
7 Pennsylvania 68.92 9,000 5
8 New York 71.74 14,350 3

 Which gemstones are America’s favorite for engagement rings?

Searches for gemstone engagement rings peaked last December, at 29% above the monthly average across the 12 months studied, which suggests the holiday season will bring the busiest month of the year for engagement ring searches again.

The study also looked at the most popular alternative gemstone rings to diamond that couples choose over diamonds.

The most popular alternative gemstones for engagement rings in the US

Rank Gemstone Average monthly engagement ring searches across the US Share of engagement ring searches across the 49 gemstones Average monthly searches for plain ‘[gemstone] ring’ terms
1 Moissanite 60,500 25.8% 90,500
2 Sapphire 40,500 17.3% 40,520
3 Emerald 33,100 14.1% 40,540
4 Ruby 14,810 6.3% 22,220
5 Opal 12,100 5.2% 33,110
6 Alexandrite 9,900 4.2% 22,200
6 Morganite 9,900 4.2% 8,100
7 Aquamarine 6,600 2.8% 18,100
7 Pearl 6,600 2.8% 14,820
8 Amethyst 5,400 2.3% 22,200
8 Cubic Zirconia 5,400 2.3% 8,100
9 Moonstone 4,400 1.9% 14,800
10 Tanzanite 3,600 1.5% 12,100
10 Turquoise 3,600 1.5% 14,800

Moissanite is the most searched diamond alternative for engagement rings in the US, with 60,500 average monthly searches, just over a quarter (25.8%) of the 234,710 made across all 49 stones each month. Moissanite is the most popular diamond alternative in 49 of the 50 states. The one exception is Montana, where it shares first place with sapphire with 170 searches a month each.

Sapphire comes next, with 40,500 monthly searches, followed by emerald with 33,100, and together the top three account for 57% of all searches.

Ruby and opal complete the top five, with 14,810 and 12,100 average monthly searches, respectively.

Benn Mendelsohn, CEO of Tiny Rituals, has commented:

“A proposal usually begins with a quiet search for the right ring, often months before the question itself, so these figures give a fair picture of where people are getting ready to ask. Michigan is one of the three least likely Great Lakes states to propose, once its population is taken into account.

“The most searched stones point to what couples want from a ring they will wear every day. Moissanite tops the list in Michigan, as it does in almost every state. It is easy to see why, as it is hard enough for everyday wear and leaves more room in the budget for the setting or a matching band.

“Sapphire is one of the hardest gemstones you can buy after diamond, so it copes well with everyday things that can damage more fragile rings such as gym sessions or gardening. Opal and pearl are much softer than sapphire or moissanite, so they suit someone who is happy to take their ring off when doing things that could damage it.

“If you are torn between two stones, a birthstone can settle it, whether that is the month you met, a birthday or the month you plan to marry. Pick the stone that means something to you both, then build the ring around the life it will be part of.”

Methodology

Data was gathered from Google Ads search volumes for the US and each state. 245 search terms covering 49 gemstones were used, with data covering the most recent 12-month period. Searches that Google treats as the same phrase were counted once.

States are ranked on monthly engagement ring searches per 100,000 residents, using US Census Bureau 2025 population estimates. The ranking counts the 14 gemstones in the gemstone table above, which make up 92% of US searches across all 49 stones, as rarer stones get too few searches to measure reliably in smaller states.

The rate for the US as a whole uses Google’s national figure for the same 14 stones. The Great Lakes states are the eight states that border the Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Plain ring terms are ‘[gemstone] ring’ and ‘[gemstone] ring ideas,’ shown for context only.

Search volume measures interest rather than purchases, and does not record who goes on to propose. The District of Columbia is not included.

Sources

Google Ads search volume data, collected through the DataForSEO Keywords Data API

US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 state population estimates

Full ranking: The states least likely to propose based on average monthly searches for engagement rings

Rank State Engagement ring searches per 100,000 residents Average monthly engagement ring searches Rank on total monthly searches
1 Mississippi 46.71 1,380 34
2 South Dakota 53.47 500 45
3 New Mexico 56.93 1,210 37
4 Louisiana 57.38 2,650 26
5 Arkansas 57.79 1,800 33
6 New Jersey 57.92 5,530 11
7 Alaska 58.32 430 47
8 Iowa 59.29 1,920 31
9 Georgia 59.90 6,770 9
10 South Carolina 60.14 3,350 22
11 Minnesota 60.37 3,520 21
12 Alabama 60.46 3,140 23
13 Florida 60.52 14,200 4
14 Texas 60.55 19,200 2
15 California 60.58 23,840 1
16 Wisconsin 60.61 3,620 20
17 Michigan 60.72 6,150 10
18 Nebraska 61.45 1,240 36
19 Kansas 61.47 1,830 32
20 Hawaii 62.12 890 41
21 Delaware 62.27 660 44
22 North Dakota 62.55 500 45
23 Maryland 62.89 3,940 19
24 Montana 63.77 730 43
25 West Virginia 63.98 1,130 38
26 Oklahoma 64.03 2,640 27
27 Idaho 64.54 1,310 35
28 Kentucky 64.69 2,980 24
29 Connecticut 64.80 2,390 29
30 Nevada 64.90 2,130 30
31 Missouri 65.23 4,090 18
32 Indiana 65.97 4,600 17
33 Arizona 66.24 5,050 14
34 Ohio 66.97 7,970 8
35 Washington 66.99 5,360 12
36 Oregon 67.39 2,880 25
37 Wyoming 67.94 400 48
38 Illinois 68.01 8,650 6
39 Tennessee 68.08 4,980 15
40 Pennsylvania 68.92 9,000 5
41 Virginia 69.26 6,150 10
42 Vermont 69.80 450 46
43 Utah 70.08 2,480 28
44 Massachusetts 71.15 5,090 13
45 North Carolina 71.26 7,980 7
46 New York 71.74 14,350 3
47 Rhode Island 71.78 800 42
48 New Hampshire 72.07 1,020 40
49 Maine 75.63 1,070 39
50 Colorado 80.17 4,820 16

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