American consumers, already stretched by the last few years of inflation and high cost of living, are innovating new ways to find and purchase the goods that they need in their daily lives. As Trump's tariffs drive the cost of anything from produce to products up, they're making different choices or reducing spending. One way they're changing how they shop is embracing more locally produced items.
As a used equipment auction site, our main clientele are those small businesses: from people moving from home kitchens to something more industrial to those looking to upgrade the efficiency of what they have, we love to see cottage industries– small-scale, hyperlocal goods– thrive. By analyzing Google search trends and surveying consumers, here's our picture of the 2025 hyperlocal economy.
Over 1 in 5 Consumers Report Shopping Local "All the Time"
Tariffs are causing more Americans to shop local as prices of foreign and imported goods increase; 82% of consumers surveyed nationwide reported that they're planning on shopping more locally this year due to tariffs.
One such place to shop is the farmer's market, which 85% report frequenting, and they're not just buying veggies: while 28% report only purchasing produce at farmer's markets, nearly 3 in 5 (57%) say they buy both produce and handmade goods. Locally made food has a certain flavor, and 91% prefer the taste of locally made food over industrially produced foods; part of it is the shorter supply chain can typically mean fresher food with fewer preservatives.
The overwhelming majority of consumers already are purchasing local and handmade goods, and a sizeable chunk do so frequently, with 21% report shopping for local goods "all the time." To this end, Americans are spending an average of $224 monthly on locally made or handmade goods.
Top reasons Americans shop local:
- Supports local business
- Higher quality than commercially produced goods
- Superior flavor / quality
Where are consumers purchasing their locally made goods? Farmer's markets, street fairs, and festivals are the most popular places to pick up something artisanal or handmade.
Most popular artisan goods:
- Baked goods/pastries
- Candy/chocolate
- Bread
- Preserves/jams/jellies
- Clothing/knitwear
What's the Most Popular Handmade Product in Every State?
Locally made goods can mean anything from fresh-made croissants at a local mom and pop bakery to a beautiful sweater knit by hand with local wool. We were curious to see what the most popular cottage industry– or locally made, small batch goods- was in every state, so we analyzed search trends involving popular products, including both "how to make" and "local" keywords to ensure that we were targeting items produced locally.
Overall, Americans love local-made jewelry the most, with 8 states sporting the most interest in it, as well as the country overall. These jewel-minded states include Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia.
After that, baked goods like pastries, cookies, etc come in second, with 7 states like Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Oregon, and Washington. Rounding out the top three categories include artisanal skincare and cosmetic products like lotions or makeup, with 5 states (Kansas, Minnesota, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wyoming) most interested in those niche products. Other popular categories include pottery and rugs that are either hand-woven or punch needle.
57% of Makers Report Higher Sales in 2025
Despite an overall lukewarm economy, it's a great time to be a small business making goods: of the Americans we surveyed, 12% reported being a small business owner making artisanal food or goods. While 68% are concerned about the effect tariffs will have on their business, 57% also report better sales this year than last, and 19% started their business this year!
The most popular products these makers produce are:
- Bread
- Clothing/knitwear
- Soaps
While the main driver for selling these goods is to make a little extra cash (totally understandable in this economy!), more communally minded drivers like skill sharing and enjoying the maker community round out the top three.
Whether you just enjoy a handmade candle or soap or are making your own and hoping to scale, economic uncertainty is giving us an opportunity to make all of our supply chains more local and more resilient with many small businesses producing safer, higher quality goods that also feed directly into our communities.
Methodology & Fair Use
In May 2025, we surveyed 1,006 Americans nationwide on their preferences and habits around shopping local and purchasing handmade goods. 50% were men, 50% women, and ages ranged from 18-75 with an average age of 41.
To analyze Google search trends, we analyzed 2,462 terms associated with cottage industries like "where to buy local bread" or "how to find local honey" or "how to start knitting business" over the period of April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025 to determine the most popular cottage industry or handmade good by state.
