With states arguing more than ever these days, we decided it was time to challenge some of the stereotypes we've all heard about Southern hospitality, the friendliness of the Midwest, and the attitude in the Northeast. We set out to find an answer once and for all about how each states' residents stack up in terms of attitude. By crunching the numbers, we discovered which states have the nicest residents, and which are, well, just plain rude.
To figure out which state was the rudest, we looked at a few key indicators. First, we reviewed a Business Insider survey to confirm the rudest cities in the U.S. After weighing the urban areas based on how rude they were ranked, we compared their populations to the total state population to calculate the percentage of the state that’s rude. Next, we pulled data from Insurify to get the percentage of rude drivers in each state (because road rage isn’t a good look on anyone). We then factored in how unfriendly each state is based on a Big 7 Travel survey that polled 2.5 million social media followers.
Lastly, we thought about bad behavior, whether that’s through impolite words or actions. LivePerson, a company that offers live chat services, analyzed conversations with customer service agents across 500 brands to see which residents cursed the most. All of these metrics were run through our custom algorithm to determine each state's Rudeness Score.
The top 10 rudest states spanned every corner of the country, from the West Coast to the East Coast and everywhere in between. While some are probably as rude as you expected, other states' rankings will leave you shocked. Read on to find out which state took home the dubious honor of being the rudest of all and to see how your state fared in our ranking. And for more regions that don't have great reputations, check out This Is the Most Hated State in America.
Read the original article on Best Life.
50 | Minnesota
ShutterstockRudest cities: Minneapolis-St. Paul
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.21
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 50
Rude customer rank: 48
Rudeness Score: 0
49 | South Carolina
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 48
Rude customer rank: 47
Rudeness Score: 2.31
48 | Louisiana
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockRudest cities: New Orleans
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.21
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 39
Rude customer rank: 49
Rudeness Score: 7.02
47 | Mississippi
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 1.3
Unfriendly rank: 28
Rude customer rank: 47
Rudeness Score: 10.04
And for more areas that cause concern for other reasons, This Is the Deadliest State in America.
46 | Tennessee
ShutterstockRudest cities: Nashville, Memphis
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.5
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 49
Rude customer rank: 30
Rudeness Score: 14.04
45 | Hawaii
iStockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.9
Unfriendly rank: 41
Rude customer rank: 50
Rudeness Score: 17.07
44 | Colorado
ShutterstockRudest cities: Denver
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.22
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.6
Unfriendly rank: 44
Rude customer rank: 42
Rudeness Score: 19
43 | Vermont
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 1.5
Unfriendly rank: 17
Rude customer rank: 45
Rudeness Score: 20.59
42 | Texas
ShutterstockRudest cities: Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 1.1
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 47
Rude customer rank: 24
Rudeness Score: 21.1
41 | Kentucky
ShutterstockRudest cities: Louisville
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.32
Percentage of rude drivers: 1
Unfriendly rank: 32
Rude customer rank: 25
Rudeness Score: 21.35
40 | Alabama
ShutterstockRudest cities: Birmingham
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.4
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 30
Rude customer rank: 36
Rudeness Score: 22.96
39 | North Carolina
ShutterstockRudest cities: Charlotte, Raleigh
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.35
Percentage of rude drivers: 1.6
Unfriendly rank: 18
Rude customer rank: 40
Rudeness Score: 24.93
38 | Oklahoma
ShutterstockRudest cities: Oklahoma City
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.38
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.6
Unfriendly rank: 42
Rude customer rank: 26
Rudeness Score: 25.02
And for more on the states that aren’t the kindest, read up on The Unfriendliest State in the U.S.
37 | Missouri
ShutterstockRudest cities: St. Louis, Kansas City
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.35
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.6
Unfriendly rank: 29
Rude customer rank: 37
Rudeness Score: 26.35
36 | Maine
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 1.6
Unfriendly rank: 20
Rude customer rank: 33
Rudeness Score: 27.62
35 | Nebraska
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.6
Unfriendly rank: 38
Rude customer rank: 34
Rudeness Score: 28.33
34 | Kansas
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.6
Unfriendly rank: 43
Rude customer rank: 27
Rudeness Score: 29.73
33 | Indiana
ShutterstockRudest cities: Indianapolis
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.41
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 45
Rude customer rank: 11
Rudeness Score: 29.99
32 | Oregon
ShutterstockRudest cities: Portland
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.41
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.6
Unfriendly rank: 27
Rude customer rank: 38
Rudeness Score: 34.22
31 | New Hampshire
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.6
Unfriendly rank: 7
Rude customer rank: 44
Rudeness Score: 36.06
30 | Pennsylvania
ShutterstockRudest cities: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 1.31
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.6
Unfriendly rank: 33
Rude customer rank: 22
Rudeness Score: 36.36
And for more areas that are having a tough time, This Is the Most Miserable State in the U.S.
29 | Arkansas
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 2
Rude customer rank: 43
Rudeness Score: 36.77
28 | Georgia
Shutterstock/Sean PavoneRudest cities: Atlanta
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.44
Percentage of rude drivers: 4.4
Unfriendly rank: 35
Rude customer rank: 32
Rudeness Score: 38.51
27 | Florida
Noah Densmore / ShutterstockRudest cities: Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.52
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.6
Unfriendly rank: 9
Rude customer rank: 39
Rudeness Score: 39.41
26 | New Mexico
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 1.6
Unfriendly rank: 34
Rude customer rank: 2
Rudeness Score: 39.58
25 | Nevada
ShutterstockRudest cities: Las Vegas
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 1.68
Percentage of rude drivers: 1.6
Unfriendly rank: 8
Rude customer rank: 31
Rudeness Score: 41.46
24 | West Virginia
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 1.6
Unfriendly rank: 21
Rude customer rank: 12
Rudeness Score: 41.69
23 | Maryland
ShutterstockRudest cities: Baltimore
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 1.1
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 24
Rude customer rank: 16
Rudeness Score: 42.9
22 | Connecticut
Jon Bilous / ShutterstockRudest cities: Hartford
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.11
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.1
Unfriendly rank: 13
Rude customer rank: 23
Rudeness Score: 43.35
21 | Arizona
ShutterstockRudest cities: Phoenix
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.42
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.6
Unfriendly rank: 12
Rude customer rank: 29
Rudeness Score: 44.1
20 | South Dakota
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.1
Unfriendly rank: 31
Rude customer rank: 13
Rudeness Score: 44.5
19 | Ohio
ShutterstockRudest cities: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.46
Percentage of rude drivers: 4.3
Unfriendly rank: 40
Rude customer rank: 17
Rudeness Score: 44.9
18 | Illinois
ShutterstockRudest cities: Chicago
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 3.94
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.1
Unfriendly rank: 37
Rude customer rank: 18
Rudeness Score: 46.13
17 | Michigan
ShutterstockRudest cities: Detroit
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.78
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.6
Unfriendly rank: 23
Rude customer rank: 15
Rudeness Score: 47.05
16 | Wyoming
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 4.8
Unfriendly rank: 46
Rude customer rank: 10
Rudeness Score: 48.02
And for more on the places that like to party, This Is the Drunkest State in America.
15 | Montana
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 2.6
Unfriendly rank: 15
Rude customer rank: 19
Rudeness Score: 48.02
14 | New Jersey
iStockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.6
Unfriendly rank: 5
Rude customer rank: 35
Rudeness Score: 50.83
13 | North Dakota
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.1
Unfriendly rank: 26
Rude customer rank: 7
Rudeness Score: 52.24
12 | Delaware
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 4.2
Unfriendly rank: 3
Rude customer rank: 41
Rudeness Score: 52.24
11 | Wisconsin
ShutterstockRudest cities: Milwaukee
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.15
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.8
Unfriendly rank: 25
Rude customer rank: 9
Rudeness Score: 56.82
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10 | Idaho
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 4.9
Unfriendly rank: 36
Rude customer rank: 8
Rudeness Score: 57.16
9 | California
ShutterstockRudest cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, Riverside
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 2.47
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.1
Unfriendly rank: 11
Rude customer rank: 21
Rudeness Score: 58.82
8 | Rhode Island
ShutterstockRudest cities: Providence
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.26
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.1
Unfriendly rank: 10
Rude customer rank: 14
Rudeness Score: 59.17
7 | Massachusetts
ShutterstockRudest cities: Boston
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 1.5
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.1
Unfriendly rank: 4
Rude customer rank: 20
Rudeness Score: 62.13
6 | Utah
ShutterstockRudest cities: Salt Lake City
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.1
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.6
Unfriendly rank: 19
Rude customer rank: 5
Rudeness Score: 62.32
5 | Alaska
iStockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.1
Unfriendly rank: 14
Rude customer rank: 3
Rudeness Score: 63.49
4 | Iowa
ShutterstockRudest cities: N/A
Percentage of the state that’s rude: N/A
Percentage of rude drivers: 4.1
Unfriendly rank: 22
Rude customer rank: 4
Rudeness Score: 64.19
3 | Washington
ShutterstockRudest cities: Seattle
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.31
Percentage of rude drivers: 3.1
Unfriendly rank: 6
Rude customer rank: 6
Rudeness Score: 67.74
And for states that turn people away for other reasons, find out which is The Dirtiest State in the U.S.
2 | Virginia
ShutterstockRudest cities: Virginia Beach, Richmond
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 0.14
Percentage of rude drivers: 5
Unfriendly rank: 16
Rude customer rank: 1
Rudeness Score: 77.19
1 | New York
ShutterstockRudest cities: New York City, Buffalo
Percentage of the state that’s rude: 14.79
Percentage of rude drivers: 4.5
Unfriendly rank: 1
Rude customer rank: 28
Rudeness Score: 100.05
And for states that aren't just ugly on the inside, read up on The Ugliest State in the U.S.