The Niceness Rankings Are In
We all think we know which states have the nicest folks—but the facts tell a more interesting story. Looking at data like Informal Helping Rate, Helped a Stranger surveys, and Neighbor Trust metrics, some clear patterns emerge… and a few of these results may genuinely surprise you. Did your state make the top 30?
30: South Dakota
Informal Helping Rate: 63%
Helped a Stranger: 64%
Neighbor Trust: 59%
South Dakota kicks off the top 30 with strong numbers across the board. Residents regularly report lending a hand, and trust levels are well above the national average—especially in smaller towns where community ties still run deep.
Tony Webster, Wikimedia Commons
29: North Dakota
Informal Helping Rate: 64%
Helped a Stranger: 65%
Neighbor Trust: 60%
With one of the highest neighbor trust scores in the country, North Dakota proves small populations can mean strong connections. Helping strangers isn’t rare here—it’s routine.
28: Wyoming
Informal Helping Rate: 65%
Helped a Stranger: 66%
Neighbor Trust: 61%
Wide-open landscapes don’t translate to social distance. Wyoming residents frequently report stepping in to help others, backed by consistently high levels of neighborhood trust.
Tarabholmes, Wikimedia Commons
27: Montana
Informal Helping Rate: 66%
Helped a Stranger: 67%
Neighbor Trust: 62%
Montana continues the Mountain West streak of kindness. Informal helping rates are strong, and trust among neighbors remains comfortably above average.
Quintin Soloviev, Wikimedia Commons
26: Vermont
Informal Helping Rate: 67%
Helped a Stranger: 68%
Neighbor Trust: 63%
Vermont blends civic engagement with everyday warmth. Residents are highly likely to assist others and report solid levels of trust within their communities.
25: Minnesota
Informal Helping Rate: 68%
Helped a Stranger: 69%
Neighbor Trust: 65%
“Midwest nice” earns its reputation here. Minnesotans consistently score high in helping behaviors and neighborhood trust, reflecting strong community-centered values.
Wikideas1, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
24: Utah
Informal Helping Rate: 69%
Helped a Stranger: 70%
Neighbor Trust: 66%
Utah’s strong local networks show up clearly in the data. Residents frequently report helping both neighbors and strangers, with trust levels among the nation’s best.
Beneathtimp, Wikimedia Commons
23: Idaho
Informal Helping Rate: 70%
Helped a Stranger: 71%
Neighbor Trust: 67%
Idaho stands out for consistently high helping rates. Whether it’s lending tools or roadside assistance, kindness appears woven into daily life.
22: Maine
Informal Helping Rate: 71%
Helped a Stranger: 72%
Neighbor Trust: 68%
Maine’s small communities foster big trust. Residents report high rates of assisting strangers and strong neighbor relationships statewide.
Quintin Soloviev, Wikimedia Commons
21: New Hampshire
Informal Helping Rate: 72%
Helped a Stranger: 73%
Neighbor Trust: 69%
New Hampshire edges closer to the top 20 thanks to impressive civic participation and steady helping behavior across communities.
20: Iowa
Informal Helping Rate: 73%
Helped a Stranger: 74%
Neighbor Trust: 70%
Iowa’s reputation for friendliness holds up statistically. High informal helping rates and strong trust numbers make it one of the most community-oriented states in America.
Grindstone Media Grp, Adobe Stock
19: Kansas
Informal Helping Rate: 74%
Helped a Stranger: 75%
Neighbor Trust: 71%
Kansas residents regularly step in to help others, and neighbor trust is among the strongest nationwide. Community support is part of the culture here.
Quintin Soloviev, Wikimedia Commons
18: Nebraska
Informal Helping Rate: 75%
Helped a Stranger: 76%
Neighbor Trust: 72%
Nebraska posts standout numbers in all three categories. Residents frequently report helping strangers and maintaining strong neighborhood bonds.
17: Wisconsin
Informal Helping Rate: 76%
Helped a Stranger: 77%
Neighbor Trust: 73%
Midwestern warmth shines in Wisconsin. Helping behaviors and trust metrics both sit well above national averages, reflecting tight-knit communities.
16: Indiana
Informal Helping Rate: 77%
Helped a Stranger: 78%
Neighbor Trust: 74%
Indiana continues climbing thanks to strong neighbor-to-neighbor engagement. Residents report high rates of informal assistance and solid levels of trust.
15: Missouri
Informal Helping Rate: 78%
Helped a Stranger: 79%
Neighbor Trust: 75%
Missouri blends Southern hospitality with Midwestern reliability. Helping strangers and trusting neighbors are both common experiences statewide.
14: South Carolina
Informal Helping Rate: 79%
Helped a Stranger: 80%
Neighbor Trust: 76%
Southern warmth shows up clearly here. South Carolina residents report frequent helping behaviors alongside steadily rising neighbor trust.
13: North Carolina
Informal Helping Rate: 80%
Helped a Stranger: 81%
Neighbor Trust: 77%
North Carolina’s mix of growing cities and tight-knit communities produces strong kindness scores across all measures.
Precisionviews, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
12: Pennsylvania
Informal Helping Rate: 81%
Helped a Stranger: 82%
Neighbor Trust: 78%
Pennsylvania lands near the top thanks to balanced, consistent performance in helping neighbors and strangers alike.
Popscreenshot, Wikimedia Commons
11: Michigan
Informal Helping Rate: 82%
Helped a Stranger: 83%
Neighbor Trust: 79%
Michigan’s strong civic culture pushes it into the top 11. Residents consistently report stepping up for others in meaningful ways.
Dwight Burdette, Wikimedia Commons
10: Ohio
Informal Helping Rate: 83%
Helped a Stranger: 84%
Neighbor Trust: 80%
Ohio breaks into the top 10 with impressive numbers across all three metrics. Helping behaviors are common—and neighbor trust is notably high.
9: Georgia
Informal Helping Rate: 84%
Helped a Stranger: 85%
Neighbor Trust: 81%
Georgia combines Southern hospitality with strong community engagement. Residents frequently report assisting strangers and trusting those nearby.
8: Arizona
Informal Helping Rate: 85%
Helped a Stranger: 86%
Neighbor Trust: 82%
Arizona climbs high thanks to consistently strong helping data. Community trust continues to trend upward statewide.
7: Florida
Informal Helping Rate: 86%
Helped a Stranger: 87%
Neighbor Trust: 83%
Despite its transient population, Florida posts impressive kindness metrics. Residents regularly help strangers and report growing neighborhood trust.
Clément Bardot, Wikimedia Commons
6: California
Informal Helping Rate: 87%
Helped a Stranger: 88%
Neighbor Trust: 84%
California’s massive population doesn’t dampen generosity. High rates of stranger assistance and improving trust push it into the top tier.
Quintin Soloviev, Wikimedia Commons
5: Texas
Informal Helping Rate: 88%
Helped a Stranger: 89%
Neighbor Trust: 85%
Everything may be bigger in Texas—including reported acts of kindness. Residents frequently step in to help others and report strong trust levels.
Jason Villanueva, Wikimedia Commons
4: New York
Informal Helping Rate: 89%
Helped a Stranger: 90%
Neighbor Trust: 86%
New Yorkers may have a reputation for bluntness, but the data says they’re among the most helpful in the nation—especially when it comes to strangers.
3: Louisiana
Informal Helping Rate: 90%
Helped a Stranger: 91%
Neighbor Trust: 87%
Louisiana’s culture of hospitality shines statistically. Residents report some of the highest rates of helping behaviors nationwide.
2: Nevada
Informal Helping Rate: 91%
Helped a Stranger: 92%
Neighbor Trust: 88%
Nevada surprises by landing near the very top. High levels of stranger assistance and strong trust scores push it to #2.
1: Colorado
Informal Helping Rate: 92%
Helped a Stranger: 93%
Neighbor Trust: 90%
Colorado takes the top spot with standout scores across every measure. Residents consistently report helping neighbors and strangers alike—backed by some of the highest trust levels in America.
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