The United States is a great country known for many things, including its democracy, technological advancements, thrilling sports, military power, political acumen, natural sites, and competitive states. Nevertheless, little is known about mannerisms in the states.
While some states are very friendly and fun to live in, others are rude and can be pretty challenging for fearful individuals. Some states have self-declared themselves rude, while others are considered rude because of how their residents behave. Here is a list of the 25 rudest states in the U.S. based on how inhabitants drive and interact with others, particularly customer service representatives.
1. New York
It is no surprise that New York tops the list of the rudest states in the U.S., with a whopping 100.05 rudeness score. About 15% of New Yorkers and 4.5% of their drivers are ill-mannered.
New Yorkers openly curse on the streets and push their way through congested areas without caring. Drivers disregard traffic rules and will honk loudly in traffic jams. The rudest cities in the Empire State are New York City and Buffalo, where most residents are narcissistic and pejorative.
2. Virginia
Virginia has a staggering rudeness point of 77.19 and has the rudest drivers and customers in the country. According to research, Virginia drivers are dishonorable for not stopping at red signs.
Customers are rude to customer service representatives and strangers. Virginians‘ rude behavior could be because of the state’s expensive and stressful nature, forcing residents to vent their annoyance to other people. Virginia Beach and Richmond are the rudest cities in the Mother of States.
3. Washington
Washington is one of the unfriendliest states in the U.S. About 40% of people in Washington and Oregon say making friends is unnecessary. Some believe Washingtonians‘ reclusive behavior is because of increased technologies, while others claim it is because of the state’s constant rainfalls.
People in Washington like staring at others without talking. Small talk is unheard of, and Seattle is the rudest city in the Evergreen State.
4. Iowa
Although Hawkeye residents are not as openly rude as people in New York, Iowans reveal their true colors when interacting with minorities. The state is notorious for having impolite drivers who drive like no other motorists are using the road.
Consumers in Iowa are rude to customer care representatives. A diner was forced to request their customers to be a little nice on Facebook after being unable to bear the influx of rude customers in their establishment.
Iowans are passive-aggressive. They will use indirect signs to let others know they are angry.
5. Alaska
Alaska inhabitants are just as harsh as the weather. The state has a score of 63.49. Moreover, the Frontier state is one of the most dangerous places in the U.S., especially for women.
The state ranks 3rd in the rudest states in the country. Customers are mean and like badmouthing employees. Alaskans are spoiled because they don’t pay state sales and income taxes, making them feel entitled.
6. Utah
Utah is considered one of the rudest states in the U.S. because of its rude drivers. Many drivers in the state are terrible motorists who like tailgating and speeding while on the road.
The drivers are selfish and competitive with little disregard for other people using the road. Their terrible driving sometimes leads to fatal accidents that put other people’s lives and safety at risk. Salt Lake City is the rudest city in Utah.
7. Massachusetts
The Baked Bean State has a bad reputation for having rude people. It has a score of 62.13 on the rudeness meter, and Boston is the rudest city in the state. The residents‘ rude behavior is because of high living costs, harsh weather, and long commutes.
Customers are rude to customer service representatives. They like swearing at employees and threatening to sue them over minor issues. Massachusetts drivers are some of the worst in the nation. They are aggressive and inconsiderate of other people.
8. Rhode Island
The smallest state in the U.S. has a staggering 59.17 rudeness score. The high score is partly attributed to their rude drivers who like honking and using offensive hand gestures.
Their poor driving is due to the state’s small size, which has acclimated the people to quickly getting to their destinations. Rhode Islanders are discourteous customers most of the time. They are rude when interacting with customer service staff.
9. California
Californians appear friendly, most so when you meet them along the sandy beaches on hot afternoons. Nevertheless, the state ranks highly among the rudest states in the U.S., thanks to its rude drivers and somewhat impolite customers.
Even though drivers are rude throughout the state, the behavior is worse in larger cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Riverside are the rudest cities in the Golden State.
10. Idaho
Idaho residents are poor drivers and rude customers. According to research, Gem State is the second-worst in the U.S. for rude drivers. They violate traffic rules and don’t stop at reds signs about 30% more than the whole nation. Driving in areas like Boise is dangerous because everyone is racing, and the roads are messed up.
Residents in Idaho are ill-mannered customers. They are challenging to deal with and often refuse service from specific staff, particularly teenage employees.
11. Wisconsin
Wisconsin rudeness score is 56.82. Residents are impolite when driving and talking to customer service representatives. They don’t stop at red signs about 23% more often than the rest of the country. Wisconsinites like tailgating, violating traffic laws, and accelerating past red signs.
The customers barely say „please“ or „thank you“ when interacting with customer service employees on the phone. Wisconsinites are also rude employees, primarily when they work at service-oriented businesses.
12. Delaware
Delaware’s rude drivers and relatively unkind customers dragged the First State into the list of America’s rudest states. Customers are sometimes unkind to service representatives.
Drivers in Delaware are the worst. They refuse to stop at red lights approximately 60% more often than the rest of the nation. Driving in Delaware is dangerous as many drivers break traffic rules and don’t look out for fellow motorists. Their lousy driving explains why auto insurance rates in the state are very high.
13. North Dakota
Although North Dakotans appear hospitable and friendly, they are rude people, evidenced by their rudeness score of 52.24. Residents are rude through social media posts, emails, and phone calls.
Their customers are also rude based on how they treat customer service employees. They rudely interact with retailers at stores and gas stations.
14. New Jersey
New Jersey has a rudeness score of 50.83 and is in the top 15 rudest cities in the U.S. primarily because of its drivers‘ defiance and aggressive behavior when driving. They like over speeding and breaking traffic laws.
Consumers in New Jersey are also not very charming. The state’s inhabitants like going straight to the point, and small talk can appear impolite or disturbing and is often unwanted.
15. Montana
Montana is known for its flourishing agriculture, mining companies, vast national park and thriving wildlife. But did you also know that Montana inhabitants are rude? The Treasure State has a rudeness score of 48.02, and tourists partly influence the mannerism in the area.
Montanans are insolent customers. The drivers are not good either. They don’t follow traffic rules and like driving at very high speed. A Montana driver will do everything to get in front of other motorists on the road.
16. Wyoming
Wyoming has the least number of people in the U.S. However, one would be appalled by how 580,000 people cannot practice good mannerisms. Their ill behavior is because of its small population, isolation and unfavorable weather conditions.
Customers in the state rank the 10th rudest in the country. A good percentage of drivers in Wyoming are rude and don’t respect road signs. Customers are also rude to customer care staff and use curse words when interacting with representatives.
17. Michigan
Although Michigan borders Canada, which is often praised for being friendly, the state is unfriendly and rude. The Great Lake States has a score of 47.05, and its rudest city is Detroit, which is also infamous for criminal undertakings.
Michiganders are naturally rude. They are considered straight shooters because they don’t sugarcoat things. Roads in the state are not for the faint-hearted. Drivers in Michigan say that things move fast, so drivers should keep up or get left behind.
18. Illinois
According to Best Life, about 4% of residents in Illinois are rude. In particular, the bad behavior is led by people in Chicago, which is the rudest city in the state. Chicago drivers are some of the worst motorists in the country. They neither follow traffic rules nor consider other motorists when driving.
The rudeness is too extreme that some diners, like Ed Debevic’s, pay their employees to be rude to customers. Funnily enough, guests still go to these eateries.
19. Ohio
Ohio’s colossal number of rude drivers and customers makes the Buckeye State a vulgar place. Drivers in Ohio break road rules 32% more than drivers in other states. Ohioans like using curse words when talking to customer service representatives.
Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati are the rudest cities in the Buckeye State, which has a rudeness score of 44.9. People in these three cities are openly rude and have backward social norms.
20. South Dakota
Ranked the 20th rudest state in the U.S. is South Dakota. It has a score of 44.5, and its rudeness is primarily credited to residents‘ bad behavior on roads and marketplaces.
Mount Rushmore State has numerous rude drivers who have less regard for traffic signs. Also, the state has mean customers and ranks 13th among states with poor customer rankings. Sioux Falls is one of the rudest cities in South Dakota.
21. Arizona
Arizona is an unfriendly state with a score of 44.1. Inhabitants like keeping to themselves, and it is tough to start conversations with strangers. Phoenix is considered the rudest city in Arizona. Residents in other cities like Scottsdale and Tempe also have a good share of unfriendly and rude mannerisms in the state.
While Arizona experiences relatively low traffic jams, drivers are inexperienced and very uncivilized on the road. Some drive recklessly, putting the safety of other motorists and pedestrians in danger.
22. Connecticut
Connecticut residents are pretentious and unapproachable. They appear withdrawn, making it difficult to interact and socialize with them. While many inhabitants associated their behavior with staying modest and wanting space, the mannerism is attributed to the high cost of living in the state.
According to a recent survey, Hartford, which is the rudest city in Connecticut, was rated number 16 in the list of 50 rudest cities in the country. Residents in the city are superficial, selfish and others are racist.
23. Maryland
Maryland has rude residents, with people in Baltimore City leading the way. Most people in the state are discourteous and intolerant customers who give retailers and other salespeople a hard time.
Drivers in Maryland aren’t respectful either and rank the tenth rudest drivers by states in the U.S. They are uncouth and aggressive and would never leave space for other motorists. The drivers are also very irresponsible while driving. No wonder the state has a rudeness level of 42.9.
24. West Virginia
While West Virginia may seem polite with friendly people, it is actually a rude state with a 41.69 score. West Virginia also has a bad reputation in economy, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. However, none of West Virginia’s cities is considered ruder.
West Virginians are notorious for being impolite when talking to customer service representatives. They also tend to show bias and prejudice to other people, specifically individuals not native to the state. The bias and prejudice behaviors are so rampant that they are often practiced in workplaces and other public areas.
25. Nevada
Closing the list of the 25 rudest states is Nevada. While the state’s rude behavior is not that extreme, it is one of the unfriendliest states in the nation. People in Nevada can be rude and mean to others for no apparent reason. Nevadans are also not easily impressed, making it very difficult to please.
Nevada has a rudeness score of 41.46, and the rudest city in the Silver State is Las Vegas. Las Vegas‘ high rudeness score is attributed to its large number of tourists and fewer local people.