The Least Friendly States in America, According to Critics

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| LAST UPDATE 08/09/2022

By Lorenzo Savage

Zippia conducted a survey analyzing impolite drivers, tipping averages, how Americans treated service workers, and more. In order from most to least impressive, here's how states throughout the country ranked...

30. Delaware

Up first, we have Delaware - which actually tied with Alabama and Maine, according to Zippia. Yet, there were a few differences between these states. For one, Delaware had double the amount of rude drivers.

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@thebellmoor via Instagram

Yet, it was balanced out because the residents of Delaware were shown to tip more generously than the states they tied with. On average, the service industry workers in this area receive an average 17.5% tip of the bill's total. Now we see why Zippia ranked this region the least rude.

29. Nebraska

Next, we have Nebraska, which was deemed to be one of the kinder states based on the survey conducted by Zippia. This midwestern state was technically the 4th on our list if we looked at which areas have the friendliest people. And based on the scores this region received, we understand why.

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@bobaluski via Instagram

The categories the survey examined determined 'niceness.' One thing that helped boost Nebraska's score was the lack of impolite drivers. Secondly, the citizens of the Tree Planter State apparently aren't cheap when it comes to tipping their waiters and other service workers. They tip roughly 16.5%!

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28. West Virginia

Based on the classifications Zippia examined, West Virginia was placed in the top few places that were filled with kind individuals. Despite being arguably known as a state that is hesitant to change, the residents here are seemingly respectful to others.

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@gcriderz via Instagram

The Moutain-filled state was shown to have a low number of unkind drivers and was found to be unselfish when it came to tipping workers. The categories which caused West Virginia to score lower on our list were the way they acted to service workers and also how other places perceive the state.

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27. New Hampshire

Although based on a different survey Zippia conducted, New Hamshire ranked as the fifth snobbiest state in the United States, their ranking here looked very different. While it is still in the top 5, it's on the opposite end - which means they were found to have some of the friendliest people. 

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@mary_tokarchuk via Instagram

Maybe the state's alluring scenery helps people tame their unpleasantness. John Lynch once said, "Our state's beautiful natural environment is part of why we all love and live in New Hampshire. It is also one of our state's most important economic assets."

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26. Arizona

Despite being one of the states with the highest tipping percentage, that doesn't necessarily mean that the residents in Arizona are outwardly kind to those servicing them. As reported by Zippia's survey results, the citizens of the Grand Canyon state aren't always so nice to others.

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@isadora_oliveira via Instagram

Perhaps all of that dry heat ends up making residents agitated... We can't know for sure. Yet still, Arizona apparently isn't as rude as many other places in the country. Because Zippia placed the region as number 26, we have to assume citizens must be doing something right!

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25. Texas

While "don't mess with Texas" may be a popular phrase used by many residents, it's not exactly true. After all, this American state was placed in the top 5 least rude places, according to Zippia. We're gonna guess one of the reasons was due to the kind drivers - since it is the "Texas way!"

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@bobbyparsa via Instagram

But still, CNBC ranked the region as number 2 of the worst places to live. Although, that survey was based on the area's poor public health facilities, voter rights, and Texas's sense of inclusivity. Nonetheless, it seems many people have got nothing but love for the Lone Star State.

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24. Oklahoma

According to a different Zippia survey, the career experts determined Oklahoma to be the 8th worst place for the male gender to live in. Luckily they received a better score on Zippia's list of unfriendliest states. After all, they were placed in the top 10 nicest places.

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@kerwin_moore via Instagram

For the category of rude drivers, residents had low percentages. So their patience on the road definitely played a part in helping the Sooner State nab a high sweetness score. It seems like people living here try and stay out of trouble. "It's a quiet place. You can work, and nobody disturbs you," explained Nadia Comaneci.

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23. Montana

It may have been reported as the 8th friendliest state in the United States by Zippia, but perhaps Montana's score was thanks to gentrification. According to critics, those native to the Treasure State are not the ones to blame for the unkindness that occurs there.

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@explorewithewen via Instagram

Instead, it seems people who have decided to move to Montana are the ones accountable for the state's unfortunate reputation. Nonetheless, the mineral-rich region hasn't completely ruined its image since it was still placed higher up on our list than other states.

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22. North Dakota

Around half of the residents (around 49%) of North Dakota have said that their native home is the friendliest out of all the others in the United States, based on a YouGov poll. And while they may not have been listed as the first nicest state on Zipppia's poll, they weren't completely wrong.

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@sethebarlow via Instagram

The Peace Garden State was placed on the lower half of the rudest regions, meaning there are many other places perhaps filled with less friendly individuals. This may have to do with the fact that, on average, the residents of the state tip their service workers an average of 16.8%.

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21. New Mexico

Despite being referred to as the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico wasn't seen as having the friendliest citizens. While they didn't have an overwhelming amount of rude drivers, Zippia placed New Mexico as number 21 on our list. And there are many factors to blame here.

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@suzuflower via Instagram

Maybe Zippia's poll found that these residents were not so kind to service workers, or maybe the way the other 49 states perceived New Mexico affected their placement. Either way, this area is filled with many monumental historical landmarks, so we hope this list doesn't deter anyone from visiting!

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20. Missouri

Missouri was found to be one of the most unpleasant locations for teachers to reside in from all other states. But luckily, their ranking among the country's rudest regions wasn't so low, considering the Show-Me State had a relatively high tipping average of 16.6%.

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@kklocke1 via Instagram

So while teachers may wanna stay far away from this location, it seems that other people are good to go. Especially citizens who work as customer service agents, because it seems like the tips are worth it! Now let's reveal the rest of the states who missed the top 10 mark...

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19. Hawaii

While this tropical state may be filled with incredible beaches and beautiful views, the citizens of Hawaii aren't always the kindest. Between 2017-2018, an average of 7,000 residents said goodbye to the Aloha State and made their way to the mainland - according to Zippia.

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@lorenajak via Instagram

These departures led to one of the biggest population declines that the nation had ever seen. Was this maybe because of Hawaii's tipping average? According to Zippia, the residents on the island tip roughly 14.8% to their service workers. But given the state's scenic sites (above), it seems the area has many redeemable factors.

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18. Indiana

In 18th place, we have Indiana. Based on Zippia's reports, the state placed roughly in the middle, compared to all the others. So while it may not be the rudest state, it's seemingly not the nicest one. A reason for this may be due to the quality of life that the population of the Hoosier State has to endure.

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@emilia_tejeda via Instagram

The U.S. News and World Report administered a study that determined Indiana to have the third-worst quality of life out of all the other places in the United States. Could this explain why the citizens there aren't always so eager to be friendly? We can't be certain.

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17. Kansas

Being one of the top 10 states with the lowest population densities may play a role in how kind the residents here are. Since Kansas is on that list according to World Atlas, we aren't too surprised to learn that Zippia found the area to have a higher amount of rude drivers.

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@caroline.starry via Instagram

Additionally, other American states reported that they perceive Kansas citizens as being on the more unfriendly side. Is the lack of people in the Sunflower State leading people to forget how to treat others with kindness? We'd love to know why Dorthy was so eager to get back home...

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16. Nevada

Believe it or not, there is more than just the iconic city of Las Vegas in Nevada. The state is filled with various other locations and attractions that are far from the typical nightclub life. Altogether, the population was placed at the midpoint of rudest people, according to Zippia.

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@thefunjess via Instagram

Based on their poll, the residents in the Silver State were deemed to be unkind and unwelcoming to outsiders. But that is not all: the region's tipping average is not exactly on the generous side. It was reported that tips range roughly around the 16.6 percentage mark.

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15. Idaho

First up on the batch of states that Zippia places as a bit ruder, we have Idaho. But while the home of potatoes landed in the middle of our list, this region was also dubbed as one of Zippia's most boring places to live within the United States. Ouch.

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Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images

So while Idaho may not have a stellar reputation when it comes to fun attractions, at least tourists don't have to worry about being unwelcome. But we do have to say that visitors should be careful because Zippia reported there to be a high number of rude drivers here.

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14. Colorado

Zippia found Colorada to be one of the unkinder states based off their reported amount of rude drivers, tipping average, perception of the rest of the nation, and how residents treat service workers. And while they didn't end up too low on our list, this isn't the first time the region was called out.

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Robert Alexander / Contributor via Getty Images

In another study held by Travel and Leisure magazine, Colorado Springs was found to be the ninth rudest city in the whole country. But luckily, it seems like the entire Centennial State itself managed to produce kinder individuals, earning them a decent spot on this list.

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13. Alaska

Maybe Alaskans were perceived as not being so warm to others because the entire state isn't so warm. It has had some of the coldest temperatures in America. So maybe that could explain why Zippia ranked them among the bottom 15 - one of the unfriendlier states on our roundup.

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@beaubrads via Instagram

According to Zippia's survey, the customer service levels were determined to be on the not so generous side of things. Perhaps the citizens of the Last Frontier are too used to staying indoors and away from the cold outside that they forget how to be warm to others.

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12. Tennessee

Two Tennessee cities, Nashville and Memphis, made it on SurveryMonkeys list of 50 rudest states in America. But although these two places were on the less mean side, the entire state itself made its way onto the top half of this list based on reports by Zippia.

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@ameegarz via Instagram

Despite being the Volunteer State, the residents there don't seem to always be so willing to give out a helping hand. Especially when it comes to tipping their service workers since Zippia reported their average tipping percent to be roughly 15.9 of the total bill.

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11. Michigan

Those individuals who were born and raised in Michigan likely are well known for their reputation as being blunt and honest people. Unfortunately, this may have the effect of coming off as quite rude to tourists or people not used to this type of behavior...

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@joannsfudge via Instagram

So it makes sense why Zippia reported that the Great Lake State is ranked more on the bottom of the list of unfriendliness. This may have something to do with the city of Detriot, which Zippia placed amongst America's rudest cities. Despite this, their infamous lakes still attract endless visitors each year.

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10. Iowa

Iowa may be seen as one of the best places to raise a family in the United States thanks to its lower than average crime rates, amazing educational systems, and satisfactory employment rates. But still, this fact doesn't mean that the population is friendly.

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@abandoned_stories_of_the_past via Instagram

Zippia reported that the Hawkeyes State is filled with very inpatient drivers out on the road. Apparently, around a high 4% of people there are rude when behind the wheel. So, is it worth dealing with ill-mannered people in exchange for all the other positive things the state has to offer?

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9. Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia, was reported to be on the higher end of the list of rudest cities in America, based on a poll by SurveyMonkey. But as that may be, that doesn't mean that the entire state of Georgie itself is completely impolite. They managed to not make it to the top 5 of our list.

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@michelle_bue_ via Instagram

Zippia's poll found that the Peach State has many ill-mannered individuals. But more so when they are in their car. Apparently, roughly 4% of people were described as unkind drivers. This makes sense considering how much of the state is filled with crowded metropolitan areas.

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8. Florida

Florida isn't just home to many fabulous beach spots, it's also filled with many people who may be unfriendly to others. But it's not outsiders they treat with disrespect. Based on Zippia's poll, the service industry workers in the Sunshine State are mistreated by customers.

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@cavalierladies via Instagram

But even though the survey results led to this state being on the ruder part of our list, there may be other residents in Florida who are friendly. Ariana Grande, who grew up in Boca Roton, said her childhood home was haunted. "He's a nice ghost, though," she joked.

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7. Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were both reported to be some of the rudest cities in America. So it makes sense that Zippia's survey found Pennsylvania to be amongst some of the states that have an unfriendly community. Even though the Keystone State is home to one of the sweetest treats, Hershey, it doesn't mean the people are sweet.

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@visitbethlehem via Instagram

It seems the area isn't so generous with its tips. The residents in Pennsylvania give their servers an estimated average of 16.7% tip at the end of their meal - based on Zippia's poll. Maybe citizens should reconsider this, considering the state already has two cities in the hall of shame.

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6. Wisconsin

A Milwaukee burglar once set time aside to remove his shoes before robbing an electronics store. But while residents here may consist of polite criminals, that doesn't always extend to its lawful residents. Look no further than Zippia's poll results.

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@chisox74 via Instagram

The community of the Badger State was found to be impolite from Zippia's reports. The home of the cheese had high rates of rude drivers and low percentages of the tipping average. Singer Dar Williams explained, "If you're looking for can-do, earthy-crunchy attitude, then you've got to go to Wisconsin."

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5. South Dakota

Overall, South Dakota isn't filled with too many appealing attractions. Arguably the states' most impressive cities are Pierre, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls. But other than checking out the iconic Mount Rushmore, the things to do around here are perhaps pretty minimal.

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@paigenicccole via Instagram

This, seemingly, leads to boredom, which perhaps causes people to be unkind to others? According to Zippia's records, the Roughrider State scored very high on the list of most ill-mannered American states. Meaning they placed as the 5th rudest region on our list.

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4. Oregon

Although Zippia's survey focuses on how the community treated their service workers, it seems like in Oregan, it's not the customers who are the rude ones. The editor of Portland Mercury newspaper, Robert Ham, once confessed in an op-ed that tea baristas in Portland, Oregon, were impolite.

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@shaunanikles via Instagram

So, are we gonna go ahead and assume that in the Beaver State, the customer isn't always right? Not to mention, Oregon was also listed as one of the ruder American states by Zippia's calculations. Maybe those visiting should consider making their own coffees and teas.

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3. Wyoming

While one may assume that Wyoming's scenic views and dreamy pastures exude a sense of serenity, it seems that Zippia's survey proved otherwise. The region is the 3rd rudest state on our list, and we're gonna go ahead and assume it has something to do with their driving habits...

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@evge.nysk via Instagram

Maybe the small population has something to do with their placement on the list. Or maybe the boredom has caused people to become unfriendly? RuPaul once confessed, "Wyoming - God bless you in Wyoming - it's very boring, and it's the most isolated place on Earth."

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2. Maryland

One of the top 10 rudest cities in the nation is located inside the state of Maryland, according to SurveyMonkey reports. They warned people from visiting Baltimore unless they were ready to be met with unfriendly people. And it seems like the state isn't too different...

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@amanda.tomasello via Instagram

Zippia's poll placed Maryland as one of the more impolite locations in America. The low tipping average may have something to do with their placement. Apparently, customers in this area are giving their industry services an average of 15.9% tip. But there's still one more state that ranks below them...

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1. Connecticut

This isn't the first Zippia poll that Connecticut ranked pretty low on. In the past, the state was found to be in 7th place on the list of grossest places in the United States... yikes. But not as rough as their spot on Zippia's list of snobbiest, which they scored 3rd place!

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@theconnecticutlife via Instagram

But perhaps worst of them all is Connecticut's spot on this list. It was found to be the #1 rudest state. According to Zippia, they have a low tipping average, many ill-mannered drivers, and the customers don't treat their servers too nice. Maybe it's time Connecticut reevaluated some things…

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