And yes, we found the rudest states, too.
If you’ve so much as stepped foot in the United States, it’s almost certain you’ve crafted very nuanced opinions about which region of the country is kindest. Whether you’re visiting your hometown post office or going on a cross-country road trip, it’s hard not to cast big judgments when a stranger gets a little rude. That’s so Midwestern, you might think when a Wisconsinite rolls their eyes at you. But when you share your personal experiences with family and friends, chances are they’re bursting with their own anecdotes about meeting that mythical “nice New Yorker” or that time they fought a not-very-sunny Californian.
Ready to settle the debate? The good folks over at Preply have painstakingly ranked the most polite U.S. states. The tutoring company carefully surveyed Americans by state to figure out who wins the much-coveted title of “most polite.” They asked questions about basic manners — like opening doors for others — and more specific ones, like the respondent’s likelihood to give up a seat on public transit. They also surveyed the frequency with which respondents doled out compliments; similarly, they surveyed how often respondents used terms like “please” and “thank you.”
Aside from the obvious list of who’s got the best (or worst) manners, the survey includes a ranked list of states where residents think they’re most and least polite. In other words, which states overestimate (or underestimate) how kind they seem? Let’s just say that Massachusetts could stand to have a bit more confidence in their social skills.
If your state ranks a little lower than you’d expect, keep in mind that different regions of the U.S. have different cultures. What translates as nice to you might not translate to that befuddled tourist. And isn’t that part of the fun of living in (or visiting) a melting pot of lifestyles? That said, maybe we should all plan an Arkansas vacation so that we can be around some nice people, for a change.
