This Is the Most Popular Home Improvement Show in the US (And It’s Not ‘Fixer Upper’)

Megan Johnson
Megan Johnson
Megan Johnson is a reporter in Boston. She got her start at the Boston Herald, where commenters would leave sweet messages like “Megan Johnson is just awful.” Now, she's a contributor to publications like People Magazine, Trulia and Architectural Digest.
updated May 3, 2019
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Who hasn’t spent a day or two on the couch bingeing home improvement shows? Whether it’s HGTV or the DIY Network, we’ve all been sucked into the renovation zone via our TV screens. Now, the folks at Joybird have analyzed data to determine which programs are the most popular across the country.

It may or may not come as a surprise, but HGTV’s “Flip or Flop” scored the number one slot. The program, which follows former spouses Tarek and Christina El Moussa as they purchase dilapidated properties, renovate them, and then sell them for big money. We’re guessing the show reels in viewers for a few reasons: Not only are the properties they purchase often absolutely horrifying, but the whole intrigue of their tumultuous divorce adds an entirely new dramatic element.

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Coming in as the second most watched home renovation show is none other than “Fixer Upper,” starring your favorite couple, Chip and Joanna Gaines. The wonders of Waco, Texas, help a couple pick a home, before renovating it (Joanna is the design mind, while Chip serves as contractor), and subsequently making their dreams come true.

There is one unique twist, however: Despite its filming location of Waco, Texas, it turns out that the Lone Star State doesn’t have Chip and Joanna Gaines in the number one slot. The data shows that Texans prefer the DIY Network’s program “First Time Flippers” above all others. (Alabama, Kansas, Montana, and North Carolina do, however, prefer Chip and Joanna’s shiplap-drenched program.)

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In third place is “Home Town,” the HGTV program that follows couple Ben and Erin Napier as they revitalize historic homes in Mississippi. Rounding out the top five are “This Old House,” the OG PBS home improvement show, followed by “Sweat Equity,” the DIY Network’s program where contractor Amy Matthews helps couples take on home improvement projects over two weekends.

Joybird used Google Trends to determine the most popular home improvement shows in the U.S. by examining state-to-state search data for the last 12 months.

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