When it comes to screen time, no one did it better than the South this year.
According to Roku’s new 2025 streaming trends report, Mississippi logged more viewing hours per capita than any other state — and it wasn’t even close.
Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, and West Virginia rounded out the top five, proving that when it comes to binge-worthy habits, Southern folks lead the pack. And honestly? We love that for Dixieland.
January Bingers + Thanksgiving Streamers
Roku’s data — pulled from more than 90 million streaming households — revealed that January kicked off the year strong, with over one in three sessions lasting eight hours or more.
(It’s called hibernation — and it’s good for the soul.)
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When it comes to screen time, no one did it better than the South this year.
According to Roku’s new 2025 streaming trends report, Mississippi logged more viewing hours per capita than any other state — and it wasn’t even close.
Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, and West Virginia rounded out the top five, proving that when it comes to binge-worthy habits, Southern folks lead the pack. And honestly? We love that for Dixieland.
January Bingers + Thanksgiving Streamers
Roku’s data — pulled from more than 90 million streaming households — revealed that January kicked off the year strong, with over one in three sessions lasting eight hours or more.
(It’s called hibernation — and it’s good for the soul.)
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Still, the top streaming weekend of the year came just after Thanksgiving, confirming what most of us already know: There’s no better combo than a full belly, holiday leftovers, and a good show.
Big Moments on the Small Screen
2025 brought plenty of pop culture moments that played out right on our TVs:
- SNL’s 50th season was one of the year’s most-searched events, especially around its anniversary special in February. Fans flocked to episodes hosted by Ariana Grande, Jean Smart, and Shane Gillis.
- Emmy season still hit hard — searches for winners like Severance and The Studio doubled after the ceremony, showing the power of prestige TV.
- And in a surprise twist, Love Island USA became Roku’s #1 searched show of the summer, with interest jumping 180% over last season. (We get it.)
Southern States Stream, But Horror Screamed
When it came to movies, original horror was the breakout genre of the year.
Fueled by buzzy new titles like Sinners — which pulled in twice the search volume of the next top horror title — the genre grew by 20% year over year, driven by fresh, original stories (and even some early Oscar buzz).
Meanwhile, star power still sells: Adam Sandler and Ariana Grande were Roku’s most-searched actors, thanks to hits like Happy Gilmore 2 and Wicked.
So, What Did 2025 Teach Us About Streaming?
- Southern states set the pace.
- Holiday weekends are sacred.
- Horror’s back — and bolder than ever.
- And binge-watching? Still a full-blown cultural event.