Contents
Methodology
Our first goal was to determine the most popular unique roofing style in each state. To do this, we examined data from Google Trends from October of 2020 through October of 2021 to find out which roof styles — out of more than 30 predetermined by our research team — are searched for most often in each state. Searches completed with keywords for the styles indicate the general popularity and interest in each given roof type.
Gable roofs are, by far, the most popular throughout the country, so we eliminated that from the search engine data. This allowed us to discover what unique roof style is most favored by location.
Our second goal was to determine what unique roofing material was most popular in the United States. We pulled Google Trends data for this as well to find out how often residents of each state search for information on alternative roofing materials. We eliminated asphalt shingles from the list, as these types of roofs are most prevalent in all states.
The Most Popular Unique Roof Style in Every State
Our first set of data uncovered which unique roof styles are most popular across the country. Interestingly, while gabled roofing is most popular in every state, the next popular style varies widely.
The most popular alternative roof style is a dormer roof, which turned out to be most popular in eleven states, including Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Second to dormer roofs were both mansard roofs and shed roofs, each of which was most popular in four states. Mansard roofs took the lead in Florida, Indiana, Kansas, and Michigan, while shed roofs were most popular in Alaska, Arkansas, Minnesota, and South Carolina.
Eleven states in total had entirely unique roof styles as the most popular, proving that the country as a whole has a very eclectic taste when it comes to roof design. We’ll include a brief list of these one-off states and preferred designs below:
- Alabama – A-frame Roof
- Colorado – Barrel Vaulted Roof
- South Dakota – Butterfly Roof
- Wisconsin – Curved Roof
- Maine – Gambrel Roof
- Illinois – Hexagonal Roof
- California – M-Shaped Roof
- Hawaii – Monitor Roof
- New Hampshire – Saltbox Roof
- Connecticut – Sawtooth Roof
The Most Popular Unique Roofing Material in Every State
Next, we looked at Google Trends data in each state for roofing searches that included a roofing material in the key phrase. We removed all instances of asphalt to zero in on the more unique roofing materials.
The most popular unique roofing material throughout the country was metal, which was most popular in an impressive sixteen different states:
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- West Virginia
The following most popular roofing material across the country was membrane roofing. Membrane roofing is a thermoplastic material that gets installed most often on flat roofs. It is highly reflective, making it extremely energy-efficient, and it offers excellent protection from water as well.
This type of roofing showed up most often in search results in seven different states. These included the District of Columbia, Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
Close behind metal roofing was wood shingles, which were most popular in six different states, and green roofs and rolled roofs, each most popular in five different states. For those who are unsure, green roofs, also called planted roofs, are roof options that encourage plant growth in a medium placed on top of a building. Green roofs are only viable on flat surfaces, but they provide incredible energy efficiency and contribute to stormwater management.
There was only one wholly unique state in this category, which was Virginia. Virginians are most interested in slate roofing if asphalt material is removed from the search data.
Most Functional Roof Style for Gutters
As part of Regional Gutter Repair, our research team also focused our efforts on determining which roofing styles and materials are best for the proper functionality of gutter systems.
Unsurprisingly, gable roofs, which are the most prevalent throughout the country, are also the best for gutter functionality. They have two sloped sides that meet at a single peak, so water and snowmelt can easily trickle down toward the gutters. Rainwater is in contact with the roof for a minimal amount of time, preventing leaking and promoting longevity.
Other roof styles that allow water to move quickly toward the gutters include shed roofs, barrel-vaulted roofs, clerestory roofs, curved roofs, gambrel roofs, hip and valley roofs, saltbox roofs, and skillion roofs.
Bell roofs and dome roofs are challenging and extremely expensive to install gutters on, given their round shape. Hexagonal roofs are also challenging to fit with gutters, given all of the angles involved.
Butterfly roofs route all water falling on the home to one area for disposal, which can easily cause gutters to overflow or become clogged. M-shaped roofs and sawtooth roofs present similar challenges.
Flat roofs don’t route water toward gutters at all, and mansard roofs usually don’t move it quickly, so they won’t work as well with gutter systems.
Most Functional Roof Material for Gutters
When it comes to roofing material, most options will work just fine with gutters, provided the roof style is a good match for a gutter system. Green roofs are really the only material that won’t work at all with a gutter system because they are designed to collect water rather than reroute it off of the home.
Although asphalt is the most widely used roofing material in the country, it’s actually not the best for gutter functionality. The bits of asphalt on the roof shingles can easily come off over time and with regular exposure to runoff. These can collect in your gutters and downspouts, eventually causing clogs or weighing them down to the point where they pull away from the house.
Some of the best roofing materials for gutter functionality include slate shingles, wood shingles, and clay.
Wrapping Up: Major Insights
Most states had differing interests in roof types and materials, but there are some interesting trends we discovered.
For example, flat roofs, which are the most prone to leaking, are most popular in the southwest, where drought is common, rainfall is minimal, and the overall risk of water intrusion is very low.
Mansard roofs, which were designed to make the most use of attic space, are more popular in cold climates than they are in areas with high temperatures. This is an excellent example of how form follows function, even as far as resident preference goes.
Although there are some outliers, metal roofing is more popular in northern states than in southern states. This is likely due to the ability of metal roofing to allow snow to slide off easily, limiting the risk of collapse if too much snow accumulates. This is another example of how the needs of an area have dictated what the popular style is.
Whether you have a standard gable roof with asphalt roofing shingles, or you have a unique bell roof, our gutter experts at Regional Gutter Repair can help you install gutters or repair your existing gutter system. We believe the style of your roof shouldn’t dictate whether or not you can protect your foundation and home from water damage, so contact us for the best gutter service money can buy no matter what type of roof you have.
