Python is huge in Idaho, and Michigan loves PHP.
That's the upshot of a map of the most-tweeted programming languages across the 50 states as measured by Experts Exchange, a network for tech professionals. Although tweeting isn't necessarily the best indicator of popularity, the map, based on activity in October 2014, does reveal a surprising geographic variation in coding languages.
[seealso slug="learn-programming-languages"]
Most notably, Java has a stronghold in New York and New Jersey, but also New Mexico and Minnesota. C# is big down south, while California and Texas love them some JavaScript.
The data may be an inexact measurement, but in some states the top programming language did have a pronounced lead over others, while in other states the differences were negligible.
The various states' affinity for specific programming languages doesn't necessarily match up with job openings. According to this map, Idahoans might want to check out California and New York, where their Python skills would be in great demand:
Although California leads the U.S. in terms of programming-job openings (more than 42,000, according to job-hunt site Indeed), Virginia has the largest per capita number of openings for programmers of any state. What's more, the job outlook looks good for the whole Mid-Atlantic region.
Finally, here's proof that when it comes to web browsers, red states dig IE, while Chrome is popular in blue states:
