Pocket’s state-by-state guide to the most popular articles in 2021
We’re just going to say it: it feels a little bit weird to wrap up 2021 because this year feels like three years in one and an extension of 2020 simultaneously. At some point in the near future, 2020 and 2021 will be studied in history books. While we can’t predict what the history books will say, we can analyze what defined this year for us.
We do just that in Pocket’s Best of 2021 — the most-saved, -read and -shared articles by Pocket readers, spanning culture, science, tech and more.
As we analyzed the winning articles, we wondered what we might learn if we looked at the data state by state.
Setting aside the top story worldwide for 2021, Adam Grant’s piece naming that ‘blah’ feeling we felt after 2020, the top story in all but five states was a guide to deleting all of your old online accounts. And most of the five locales that differ — D.C., Maine, New York, North Dakota and Montana — have that story as the second most-saved story.
We saw a few patterns among top stories across several states. Americans weren’t just deleting old online accounts; they were also trying to strengthen their memory, pondering how the rich avoid income tax and wondering how to be wittier in conversation.
We might all have been languishing but we were also questioning if we could improve ourselves — or at least our bank accounts. Some things don’t change, even after two of the strangest years in modern history.
Check below to see the top two stories from your state.
Alabama
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Alaska
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Delta Has Changed the Pandemic Endgame published on The Atlantic
Arizona
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Arkansas
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- How to be witty and clever in conversation published on Quartz
California
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Colorado
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Connecticut
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Delaware
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Among the Insurrectionists published on The New Yorker
District of Columbia
- The Pandemic Has Erased Entire Categories of Friendship published on The Atlantic
- Grief and Conspiracy 20 Years After 9/11 published on The Atlantic
Florida
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Curious Case of Florida’s Pandemic Response published on The Atlantic
Georgia
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Hawaii
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- How to Practice published on The New Yorker
Idaho
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Great Resignation Is Accelerating published on The Atlantic
Illinois
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- A Battle Between a Great City and a Great Lake published on The New York Times
Indiana
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Iowa
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election published on TIME
Kansas
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Kentucky
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Six Morning Routines that Will Make You Happier, Healthier and More Productive published on Scott H. Young
Louisiana
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- How to be witty and clever in conversation pubished on Quartz
Maine
- Delta Has Changed the Pandemic Endgame published on The Atlantic
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
Maryland
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Massachusetts
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Michigan
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Minnesota
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Mississippi
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- How Fit Can You Get From Just Walking? published on GQ
Missouri
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- How to be witty and clever in conversation published on Quartz
Montana
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
- Scientist Author Busts Myths About Exercise, Sitting And Sleep : Shots – Health News published on NPR
Nebraska
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Delta Has Changed the Pandemic Endgame published on The Atlantic
Nevada
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
New Hampshire
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Six Morning Routines that Will Make You Happier, Healthier and More Productive published on Scott H. Young
New Jersey
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
New Mexico
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
New York
- Who Is the Bad Art Friend? published on The New York Times Magazine
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
North Carolina
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
North Dakota
- Inside the Worst-Hit County in the Worst-Hit State in the Worst-Hit Country published on The New Yorker
- 5 Questions the Most Interesting People Will Always Ask in Conversations published on Inc
Ohio
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Oklahoma
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- 5 Questions the Most Interesting People Will Always Ask in Conversations published on Inc
Oregon
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Delta Has Changed the Pandemic Endgame published on The Atlantic
Pennsylvania
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Rhode Island
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Among the Insurrectionists published on The New Yorker
South Carolina
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Six Morning Routines that Will Make You Happier, Healthier and More Productive published on Scott H. Young
South Dakota
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Tennessee
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Texas
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Utah
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- 5 Questions the Most Interesting People Will Always Ask in Conversations published on Inc
Vermont
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Among the Insurrectionists published on The New Yorker
Virginia
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax published on ProPublica
Washington
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Delta Has Changed the Pandemic Endgame published on The Atlantic
West Virginia
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- The Six Morning Routines that Will Make You Happier, Healthier and More Productive published on Scott H. Young
Wisconsin
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Wyoming
- How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts (and Why You Should) published on How To Geek
- Train Your Brain to Remember Anything You Learn With This Simple, 20-Minute Habit published on Inc
Learn more about Pocket’s Best of 2021: