This Is the Most Popular Cheese in America, Data Says

Whether you're stocking up your family fridge or trying to put together a charcuterie board that all your guests are going to like, you may want to know which cheese is your safest bet. The good news is that there's data you can fall back on when picking a universally liked cheese option. According to a recent survey of almost 9,000 adults, America likes to keep it simple: The #1 most popular cheese in the country is cheddar.

The survey, conducted by polling firm YouGov, asked participants to vote for their favorite cheese from a list of 16 most common types of cheese you'll find at the grocery store. Participants could also declare that their top pick wasn't on the list, that they weren't sure, or that they didn't like cheese at all. Results showed that cheddar was by far the favorite, racking up 19% of the vote, compared to silver medalist American cheese which clocked in at 13%. Also in the top five were mozzarella, Swiss, and pepper jack respectively.

Meanwhile, ricotta was the least popular pick, with just 1% of the vote, while feta, goat cheese, gruyère, and muenster didn't fare much better, each getting only 2%. What's more, 4% of Americans don't even like cheese, and the same amount can't make up their mind.

Interestingly, women were twice as likely as men to pick brie cheese as their favorite, and men were twice as likely as women to pick blue cheese. Baby Boomers were more than five times more likely than Gen Z-ers to say their favorite cheese was Swiss. On the other hand, Gen Z-ers were twice as likely as Boomers to say that they loved American cheese.

For the most part, though, the data suggest you can't go wrong with cheddar, no matter the age or gender of the cheese-eater. Not sure which cheddar to go with? Check out these expert-recommended 8 Best Cheddar Cheeses at the Supermarket, and 2 You Should Avoid. And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest restaurant news delivered straight to your inbox.