What did Houston-area residents search for online in 2022?

HOUSTON – The Houston area’s local libraries received a lot of love this year. In 2022, the Houston area searched “public library near me” more than anywhere else in the country, according to the Google Trends Local Year in Search roundup.

Released Wednesday, Google’s annual Year In Search roundup reflects the year’s trending topics, meaning the search terms that received highest spike in traffic over the given year compared with 2021. Scroll below for highlights from the roundup.

Here are a few more Houston-area trends:

• The Houston area searched for rap more than any other music genre.
• Grinder sandwich was the Houston area’s top trending recipe.
• The Houston area was one of only three places with “car detailing” as a top trending “near me” search, along with Austin, Texas and Parkersburg, West Virginia.
• The top trending animal search in the Houston area: The Pallas’s cat.
• The Houston area searched for “public library near me” more than anywhere else in the country.

In the Houston area, 2022′s top trending “near me” Google searches were:

1. Gas prices near me
2. Cheapest gas near me
3. Pilates near me
4. AA meeting near me
5. Estate sales near me
6. Plasma center near me
7. Public library near me
8. Passport photos near me
9. Library near me
10. Car detailing near me

In the U.S., 2022′s top trending Google searches were:

1. Wordle
2. Election results
3. Betty White
4. Queen Elizabeth
5. Bob Saget
6. Ukraine
7. Mega Millions
8. Powerball numbers
9. Anne Heche
10. Jeffrey Dahmer

Globally, the top 10 Google Searches were:

1. Wordle
2. India vs England
3. Ukraine
4. Queen Elizabeth
5. Ind vs SA (a cricket match between India and South Africa)
6. World Cup
7. India vs West Indies
8. iPhone 14
9. Jeffrey Dahmer
10. Indian Premier League

View the Google Trends Year in Search roundup here.

2022 in local news:

• The weirdest headlines from the Houston area in 2022
• These stories offer a glimpse into trauma, loss experienced in Houston area in 2022
• Welcome to KPRC 2: These are anchors, reporters who joined Houston’s home for news in 2022
• These are the Texas stories that captivated the world in 2022
• 9 defining moments in Houston sports in 2022 we won’t ever forget