Turf Wars
According to poll numbers, some states in the US are meaner than others, and many unabashedly embrace their rude reputation. Sure, there are the names you’d expect—hello, New York—while others are more surprising, like the number one spot on the list. Did your home state make the naughty list, or are they nice?
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits at #10 on the list of rudest states, with 23% of residents polled having answered “more rude” when asked “Do you think that people in your state tend to be more rude or more polite than most Americans?” Maybe the rowdy Eagles fans and their pole-climbing antics are ruining Philadelphia’s reputation for being the “City of Brotherly Love”. Or maybe it’s those despicable cretins from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
A 2022 poll found Philly ranked as the rudest city in America. Yikes!
District Of Columbia
DC came in at #9 on the list—but are the people there rude, or just really busy? Some surveys blame the intense political culture and the fast-paced lifestyle. However, considering how small it is, it’s really impressive that it manages to make so many “rudest” lists.
California
In California, 27% of residents polled said that people in their state were more rude than most Americans. Despite the natural beauty of the Golden State, perhaps being perpetually stuck in cars in LA, the narcissism of showbiz, or the cutthroat culture of tech in San Francisco have led people in Cali to feel isolated, leading to antisocial behavior.
Newport Coast Media, Adobe Stock
Florida
How can you be angry in the Sunshine State? Well, for one, the never-ending glut of tourists might get on some residents’ nerves, along with the oppressive cheerfulness of Disney. And that’s to say nothing of the traffic. Oh the traffic. Tourist hotspots like Orlando and Miami really suffer under the weight of it. Wouldn’t you be mad too?
JavierArtPhotography, Adobe Stock
Connecticut
Sure, the average person in Connecticut might not yell at you in the street, but they are infamous for their snobbiness and standoffish nature. It’s a bit more formal than other states, which can lend to an “aloof” vibe that borders on cold. For this reason, it just edged out California and Florida, with 28% of residents saying people are more rude.
Nevada
Is this a case of one city ruining things for the whole state? With over 40 million visitors annually, Las Vegas is ranked as one of the rudest cities in the US, and we can understand how the “What happens in Vegas” attitude would wear on residents, many of whom work in the hospitality industry. After all, if being nice is your job, are you really gonna do it for free when you’re not working?
New York
30% of New York residents said that their state is ruder than others. Most of this boils down to the hustle and bustle, rough and tumble attitude of New Yorkers—as in, the city of New York—but anyone who has ever had the misfortune of passing through the Albany bus terminal might also agree. Some people say that people in New York are actually nice, just too busy to show it, but we’ll let any tourist who’s been yelled at in a crosswalk be the judge.
Ultimately, it’s no surprise that New York made the list—but what is surprising is that three other states outranked it as being ruder.
New Jersey
A whopping 34% of New Jersey residents polled said that people in their state are more rude than people in other states. But is New Jersey actually rude? Or is it just loud, brash, bold, and unapologetic about it? To some, that's a bad attitude. To others, that’s simply just what makes the people of New Jersey unique.
Massachusetts
Well, there’s a reason for the “Masshole” stereotype. A huge jump from NJ, 40% of Massachusetts residents polled said that people in their state are ruder than others. And much like NJ, Bay State residents are definitely a bit louder and bolder than the average American. Add in some trademark sarcasm—and the behavior of the average Bostonian when stuck in traffic—and you’ve got a pretty rude stereotype.
However, according to many both in and out of the state, that rough exterior hides a warm heart. So, if Massachusetts is #2, what state is #1? The answer is surprising…
Rhode Island
Compared to Jersey’s 34% and Massachusetts’s 40%, a whopping 42% of Rhode Island residents polled said that people in their state are more rude compared to most Americans. That’s a lot of rudeness for such a small state. Perhaps it’s just because they’re not afraid of speaking up, and they don’t sugarcoat things. Some negative stereotypes of the state involve bad drivers and government corruption.
All in all, it doesn’t really add up to a picture of being the rudest state. Maybe they just have self-esteem issues! So, if those are the top 10 rudest states—who were the most polite?
The Naughty Vs The Nice
Stereotypically, there are two regions in the US known for being nice. There is, of course, the South—known for that Southern charm. And then there’s the Midwest, known for its down-home friendliness. But while the results of the poll reflect these, some surprising states took the top spots for being most polite.
The Top 10
When 77,000 people were asked, “Do you think that people in your state tend to be more rude or more polite than most Americans?”, some states were notable for having more respondents answer “more polite”. These include Idaho, Alaska, Tennessee, Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota. But the states that ranked the top two were even more of a surprise.
Vermont
Vermont had 51% of respondents answer “more polite” to the poll question. And while other states in New England like Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York, landed in the top five most rude, those poll numbers meant Vermont is the #2 most polite state in the US. Maybe it’s all the maple syrup that makes them so sweet…
Hawaii
“Aloha” isn’t just how you say "hi" in Hawaii. It’s a word that means love, affection, peace, compassion, and mercy—and this is reflected in the Aloha State’s position as the #1 most polite state from a poll of 77,000 people. Compared to Vermont’s 51%, a whopping 60% of Hawaii residents said that their state’s residents are more polite than other Americans.
Rudest Cities
Just to round things out and reflect on the results of the survey, we also checked a survey where Americans were polled and asked to rank the rudest major cities in the US. The results mostly mirror the results of the state poll. Boston came in fifth, Chicago was fourth, Washington DC was third, and Los Angeles landed at second—meaning that New York City was voted the rudest city in the US.
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