what state produces the most pumpkins?

The state that produces the most pumpkins in the United States is Illinois. Illinois leads by a wide margin, producing over 485 million pounds of pumpkins in 2024, far surpassing other states like Indiana, Pennsylvania, California, and Michigan. Illinois is known for growing nearly 40 percent of all pumpkins in the U.S., with much of its production going towards processing pumpkins for canned pumpkin products such as pies. The state's climate, soil, and location in the so-called "orange belt" make it ideal for pumpkin cultivation, and it is home to major processing plants like the Nestlé Libby plant in Morton, Illinois, which supplies the majority of canned pumpkin in the country.