PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Have you heard the joke about the plain pizza? No? Well, it’s really cheesy…
If that joke didn’t turn you away, you may be surprised to know that Oregon has the highest average price for a large cheese pizza in the United States, according to MarketWatch.
The new study from Slice, a pizza delivery app and technology platform, took the average prices of pizzas across all 50 states and found that Oregon’s average price of a plain cheese pizza was $26.94 — over $3 more than the second most expensive slice.
According to Slice’s founder Ilir Sela, there is a reason why Portland pies are so expensive.
Sela said that the type of pizza being served played a key role in the rankings, and Oregon heavily emphasizes “artisanal pizza.” That means pizzas with higher-end ingredients or pizzas made to a higher standard.
Another factor in pizza price was the number of pizza shops per capita, according to Sela areas with fewer shops tended to have higher prices.
While Oregon was known for its expensive pies, Oklahoma took home the honor of the cheapest pies, costing an average of $12.72 plain cheese.
Other findings from Slice’s study showed that ranch dressing appeared to be rising in popularity with a 9.7% increase in orders, and that pickles are predicted to be a popular new pizza topping.