Beware of the 12 Unfriendliest States
Do you live in one of the unfriendliest states? World Population Review conducted a study to determine the friendliest states in the U.S. by ranking each territory's spirit and willingness to welcome others into their spaces. The review based its findings on millions of social media followers' personal experiences with each state. Minnesota, Tennessee, and South Carolina came out as the friendliest states. On the opposite side, we have 12 of the unfriendliest, with New York taking the cake.*
This study does not base its findings on scientific accuracy and most likely lends to stereotypical assumptions and beliefs of certain areas. Read at your own risk.
1. New York
In a city packed with people, you're going to run into rude, selfish, and nefarious individuals. On the other hand, though, you'll also encounter gregarious, giving, sweet souls coexisting in the pessimism. New York maintains a reputation for rude people based on the cold-shoulder locals give to tourists and the attitude “issues” those tourists perceive during visits to the northern state.
2. Arkansas
Numerous citizens and tourists on internet threads believe Arkansas residents reserve their friendliness for those who've lived in Arkansas their entire lives, and cracking into a friend group is nearly impossible. Other complaints suggest Arkansas rivals a totalitarian state, what with confederate flags waving in every window and differing political opinions reserved for the uppitiest of snowflakes.
3. Delaware
The smallest state in the U.S. also has some of the unfriendliest creatures, according to World Population Review. A desperate former Delaware resident clung to Reddit explanations, attempting to understand why their former home had attracted such nasty people. The top commenter clocked high rent, low range of activities, boredom, and lack of people as the top components fueling Delaware residents' contempt.
4. Massachusetts
I've never had a positive experience in Massachusetts. In Boston alone, my friend missed her flight after a TSA agent caved into the city's reputation as the most racist in America, questioning if my friend took a boat from Venezuela to the U.S. the previous week and fabricated her I.D. Let's not even begin to dissect the congested traffic conditions plaguing the streets. And I live in Florida, but I believe Boston has the worst drivers in the world.
5. New Jersey
Shreds of the Big Apple State bleed into New Jersey's citizens, given the two states share a shoulder. Stereotypical New Jersey residents scream, talk, look down on others, and walk around as if the world should fold to their every wish. One article entitled “10 New Jersey Stereotypes That Are Completely Accurate” blames the stereotype on New Jersey being the “best state in the union.”
6. Washington
Rainy days beget gloomy faces, sour attitudes, and bouts of seasonal depression. Although Seattle isn't the rainiest city in the U.S., witnessing 40 inches of precipitation hitting your city each year depresses anyone. With constant rainfall, the ease of partaking in outdoor activities or traveling from point A to point B in Washington diminishes.
7. New Hampshire
New Hampshire license plates read “Live Free or Die,” beckoning locals to chase their free will, or, well, die. So, with a statewide excuse to act out and treat anyone as you please ( or die), the repercussions here are slim. My best friend used to live in New Hampshire, and she pleaded with her parents to let her go to an out-of-state school to escape the cold, frugal, “free” state.
8. Nevada
Las Vegas, Las Vegas. Las Vegas is a minuscule strip slammed in the middle of a desert. Besides Vegas, Nevada offers little to citizens or visitors, which distresses locals. Furthermore, a city founded on addiction and vices doesn't do much for the psyche.
9. Florida
Who can blame us for our collective grumpiness when a different Florida Man makes headlines for a witless crime every hour? Or when our drivers can't fathom the meaning—or use—of a turning signal? Pompous Floridians adore retiring in beachside mansions and refusing to donate to charities cleaning their waterways.
10. Rhode Island
North Easterners may think their Olympic ability to stick to their own business and ignore anyone who crosses their path emulates a top-tier citizen. Still, outsiders view this behavior as unwelcoming and rude. Visitors remark their experiences in Connecticut replicated their existences as ostracized middle schoolers struggling to find a lunch table to join.
11. California
Movie stars mingle on busy streets, doting millions while the unhoused citizens populate the other side of the street, spotlighting the immense economic disparity prevalent in the western state. The wealth gap and millions chasing unfulfilled dreams weigh down soaring spirits and friendly faces.
12. Arizona
Arizona gets hot. Unbearable; can't find a stable body temperature without dipping into an ice bath. Some people allege the heat takes a toll on the residents' minds and bodies, causing them to air heightened aggravation than those who live in cooler states. Plus, Arizona is dry. Dry heat drives anyone to ignore their neighbors and remain in their apartments, unwilling ever to step outside.
About Gabrielle Reeder
Gabrielle Reeder is a travel enthusiast from St. Petersburg Florida. She boarded her first plane at six months old and blames her love for jet-setting on her mom’s background as a travel agent. She’s been to 41 states and six countries, hoping to up that number to 50 states and 10 countries by her 26th birthday. During her trips, she loves to find the best vegetarian food, desserts, and music venues.
