Sorry. Not Sorry.
Obviously there are nice people in every state and some mean ones as well. So, we don't want to paint entire states with one nice/mean brush, but... Big 7 Travel asked over 2 million of their social media followers to vote on what states they thought were the friendliest. And this is what they found.
We will start with the nicest states and work our way down to the "meanest". Do you have any guesses?
1: Minnesota
The Fargo wood-chipper aside, it turns out the "Minnesota Nice" stereotype is a very accurate one. Friendly, mild-mannered, courteous, and helpful to both residents and tourists, Minnesota is the nicest state in America!
2: Tennessee
From the Southern charm to the honkey tonk bars—Tennessee isn't just home to great music. It's also home to some genuine and friendly people who want you to enjoy their state as much as they do.
3: South Carolina
More Southern hospitality in South Carolina. Also, in 2023, the average tip in the state was 20.4%, putting them among the 10 best tipping states in the country—making them nice to service staff workers as well as everyone else.
4: Texas
The Lone Star State gets five stars from other Americans when it comes to the friendly factor.
5: Wyoming
Wyoming is the least populous state in the country. But while there might not be a lot of people in the state—those that are there are very friendly. It's even said that you can leave your keys in the ignition and not worry about your car being stolen. How nice is that?
6: Indiana
According to people who have visited the state, "Hoosier Hospitality" is a real thing. Folks in the state are proud of their willingness to help and treat others with respect and generosity.
7: Colorado
All that fresh air and progressive attitude make for one very friendly state. And did you know that the term "cheeseburger" was coined and trademarked in Denver? A good cheeseburger makes people happy also, doesn't it?
MarekPhotoDesign.com, Adobe Stock
8: Kansas
It might be a flyover state, but if you're looking for a state filled with friendly people, you don't want to fly over Kansas. You'll want to land and spend some time in this state.
9: Oklahoma
According to the musical, Oklahoma is "where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain". What Rodgers and Hammerstein didn't mention though, was how nice the Oklahomans are. Did you know that Oklahoma City's nickname is "The Big Friendly"?
10: Hawaii
The "Aloha Spirit" is alive and well in Hawaii. But really, how could people not be friendly, living in such a paradise?
11: Ohio
Those famous Midwestern manners and friendly attitudes are abundant in Ohio. They also tip an average of 20.6%, so that's pretty nice too.
12: Louisiana
Folks in Louisiana are open and friendly—and not just during Mardi Gras either. The niceness of the state is an all year round thing down in the bayou.
13: Nebraska
The Cornhusker State produces more popcorn than any other state in the union and it's also one of the nicest. It's got a strong sense of community and people who are always willing to lend a helping hand—and a waving finger (Nebraskans know what we're talking about).
14: Illinois
A Midwest state with one of the biggest and most tourist-friendly cities—what a great combo. Chicago is a must visit, and the rest of the state will treat you well also. The state has 19 of the safest cities in America.
15: Idaho
What you've heard about Idaho is true—assuming you've heard that the people are friendly, warm, and hospitable. Because that's what the survey showed.
16: Georgia
Southern charm and peaches. Georgia folks are generally friendly and open to tourists—even in Atlanta, where the big city vibe could be intimidating to some out-of-towners.
17: New Mexico
If your nickname is "The Land of Enchantment", then you better be nice and friendly. Well, New Mexico and its people apparently do live up to said nickname—as survey takers were enchanted by the openness and diversity of the state and its people.
18: Pennsylvania
Some folks might remember the "You’ve Got a Friend in Pennsylvania" slogan the state used years ago. Although one might not assume that bigger cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh were that friendly—the survey responses put the state in the top half of the list. They also ranked the state high when it came to helping strangers.
19: Kentucky
Known for their bourbon and their horse racing, we can now add kindness to the list of things we will always associate with the state of Kentucky. It's a real friendly attitude that the locals exude—whether you're from there, or just passing through.
20: South Dakota
South Carolina landed higher on the list than North Carolina and now South Dakota has been deemed friendlier than its northern counterpart as well. If you looked up "Midwest Nice" in the dictionary, we wouldn't be surprised if there was a picture of South Dakota there.
21: Alabama
According to other Americans, folks in Alabama will be very friendly to you—if you are friendly to them. That appears to be the golden rule in this Southern state.
22: Missouri
Folks in Missouri tip over 20% and are likely to tell you all about themselves, just because. People also say that Missourians are the kind of folks who are actually interested in what others have to say as well.
23: Mississippi
The state might be the birthplace of blues music, but you'll feel anything but blue when you visit Mississippi. Friendly people greet locals and strangers with a warm Southern smile (just don't try to convince them that things are better up north).
24: Oregon
In Eugene, Oregon, you'll find a neighborhood called Friendly. However, according to tourists and folks who answered the survey, that adjective could be used to describe most of the people in the entire state.
25: North Dakota
North Dakota is one of the least visited states in The Union. But, at least according to the people who responded to this survey, that has nothing to do with how friendly the people are in the state. North Dakota scored high on the community vibe ranking.
26: Wisconsin
The city of Green Bay is one of the happiest places in the country—so, maybe it is that joy that permeates the rest of the state as well.
27: Maryland
One of the most densely-populated states, Maryland is still able to maintain its sense of openness and kindness to strangers—even in its biggest cities, like Baltimore.
28: Michigan
While people found Detroit and Ann Arbor a little less inviting, the rest of the state still got pretty high friendly marks from visitors. Midwest politeness appears to still be alive in Michigan.
29: Iowa
Iowa finds itself in the middle of the pack as far as its size and population—and its friendliness rating as well. Tourists had generally good things to say about the state, though—from smiling cashiers to folks waving hello to total strangers.
30: West Virginia
John Denver sang about the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River, but turns out he could've had a verse about the friendly people who reside in West Virginia as well. Visitors found West Virginians generally relaxed and laid back with a strong sense of community.
31: Maine
There's a notion that people in New England are more reserved than elsewhere in the country. But one shouldn't equate reserved with mean—at least not when it comes to the good folks in Maine.
32: Utah
According to those who responded to the survey—Utahns are a kind, friendly, and generous people, always willing to lend a helping hand without judgment. Salt Lake City is also one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly major cities in the country.
33: North Carolina
Life moves a little bit slower in North Carolina—and that laidback pace seems to lend itself to a kindness that visitors can feel. From a "hi" on the street to a helping hand at the grocery store, North Carolina will make you feel welcome.
34: Vermont
Known for their strong sense of community, Vermonters are friendly and helpful. Some feel that they take a while to warm up to outsiders—but once comfortable, out comes the friendliness (and it's also the home of Ben & Jerry's—and what's more friendly than ice cream?).
35: Virginia
As the diversity in the state has grown, so too has the perceived friendliness to fellow Americans and outsiders by the folks in Virginia.
36: Montana
While you probably won't be stopped on the street and invited over to a stranger's house for coffee—folks in Montana are always willing to lend a helping hand and do so with a smile.
37: Alaska
According to folks who responded to the survey, people in Alaska are generally friendly. Now, they also might just ignore you—but they aren't rude.
38: Connecticut
According to other Americans, people in Connecticut aren't going to go out of their way to be friendly for no reason—but they are generally pleasant and kind (if also slightly reserved).
39: Arizona
While it is in the Southwestern part of the country, Arizona is generally thought of as a Southern state. And that is also true of its "friendliness". Arizona doesn't have that Southern charm and kindness, but visitors didn't call it outright rude either. More of a pleasant indifference.
40: California
California likes to brag that it's a state where you can go skiing in the morning and tanning on the beach in the afternoon. And just like its varied landscapes, so too are the people's attitudes. While the smaller towns got good reports from visitors, the same can't be said for the bigger cities like Los Angeles, where words like "aloof" and "rude" were used.
41: Rhode Island
While locals might consider their state friendly, the same cannot be said for tourists—who found a colder welcome than in many other states.
42: Florida
It might be home to the "friendliest place on Earth" but outside of Walt Disney World, the state of Florida doesn't have a very friendly reputation. Especially Miami—which is often voted among the least friendly cities in the country.
43: Nevada
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas—including the less-than-friendly folks. Out in the smaller cities and towns, the state scored higher on the kindness scale.
44: New Hampshire
Folks in New Hampshire are uber-proud of their state and where they're from. A pride that can often be seen by outsiders as a stubborn and arrogant attitude towards anyone not from there.
45: Washington
"Polite but unfriendly" is how many describe Washington state. Then there's the famous "Seattle Freeze" which gets its name from the difficulty newcomers to the city have making connections with locals.
46: New Jersey
Rude and in-your-face are some of the perceptions outsiders have after spending time in New Jersey. But the home of Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi can't be all bad.
47: Massachusetts
While the survey didn't go so far as to call Massachusetts rude to outsiders, it did suggest an ignoring attitude that makes it harder for those not from the state.
48: Delaware
While small towns are often friendly, the same doesn't appear to be true for states—with both Rhode Island and Delaware ranking low on the friendly-scale according to the respondents of this survey.
49: Arkansas
How one feels about Arkansas' friendliness seems to depend on where you're from. If you're from Arkansas, then it gets high marks—whereas non-locals don't quite feel the same friendly vibes from the folks in the state.
Christopher Boswell, Adobe Stock
50: New York
New York's place on the list is probably part reality and part perception. Sure, New Yorkers can be rough and direct, but the diversity of people and cultures means you can be ignored and yelled at by strangers one day, and smiled at and helped across the street the next. But with that being said, New York did rank as the least friendly state in the country in this survey.
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