Some States Give A Warmer Welcome Than Others
A smile, a handshake, or even a quick hello can instantly make a place feel more welcoming. But the reverse is true too. Avoiding strangers, skipping small talk, or barely acknowledging people can make a state feel surprisingly cold. These 25 states landed at the less-welcoming end of the ranking, though some came with surprising contradictions.
How The Ranking Was Put Together
Preply surveyed over 1,000 Americans and ranked all 50 states based on how residents said they greet and interact with other people. The study looked at behaviors such as eye contact, physical greetings, and responses to strangers. Because the answers were self-reported, the results reflect broad social tendencies rather than a judgment of every person in each state.
25. Nebraska
Nebraska performed better in a separate survey about politeness, where residents rated their neighbors especially highly. That suggests courtesy may not be the issue. Nebraskans may simply show warmth in quieter ways than the greetings and gestures emphasized in this study.
Little Vignettes Photo, Shutterstock
24. Alabama
Alabama's position is surprising because other surveys paint a friendlier picture. Preply found Alabama among the states making the most small talk and also ranked it highly for politeness. The contrast suggests being courteous and being immediately outgoing toward strangers are not quite the same thing.
23. South Carolina
South Carolina also landed on the less-welcoming side despite the South's reputation for hospitality. Another Preply survey found being talked over was the communication problem South Carolina respondents reported most often. An interaction can feel less friendly when people struggle to get a word in.
22. Arizona
Arizona ranked poorly in another survey examining expressions of gratitude. Preply named it America's least appreciative state based on how often respondents thanked people outside their families for their work. One in 10 said they had gone more than a month without doing so.
21. Iowa
Iowa's lower welcoming finish does not appear to stem from bad manners. Another Preply study found Iowans apologized more frequently than residents of almost any other state. Iowa may simply be less expressive in the specific stranger-to-stranger interactions measured here.
20. California
California's relaxed reputation did not translate into a particularly high welcoming score. Yet Preply later found strong neighbor-to-neighbor conversation in cities such as San Francisco and Sacramento. Californians may become social once contact is established without routinely initiating interactions with strangers.
19. Virginia
Virginia residents ranked relatively low when Preply asked Americans to rate their own communication abilities. Less confidence during conversations can sometimes come across as distance or reserve. That may help explain why Virginia did not perform particularly well for outward welcoming behavior.
18. Oregon
Oregon has produced similar results across several surveys. Preply found it among the states most annoyed by small talk and among the country's less affectionate states. Portland also ranked near the bottom of a later survey measuring how frequently residents chat in public.
17. West Virginia
West Virginia residents appear especially uncomfortable with one kind of positive interaction. Preply placed the state among the worst at receiving compliments, measuring behaviors such as downplaying praise or stumbling over a response. That can make otherwise friendly exchanges feel unexpectedly awkward.
16. Wyoming
Wyoming residents do not necessarily see themselves as unfriendly. YouGov found that 49% believed people in their state were more polite than most Americans. The difference suggests Wyoming's friendliness may be quieter and less dependent on obvious greetings or social gestures.
15. Michigan
Michigan looks considerably friendlier when established relationships enter the picture. Preply ranked it among America's more affectionate states, while residents also rated their communication abilities relatively highly. The weaker welcoming result may therefore have more to do with first encounters than lasting relationships.
14. New Jersey
New Jersey has struggled in several surveys measuring social warmth. Preply separately ranked it near the bottom for politeness, while 34% of New Jersey residents told YouGov their state was ruder than average. Its famously direct communication style may not always land as welcoming.
DW labs Incorporated, Shutterstock
13. Connecticut
Connecticut residents appear to value keeping certain emotions in check. A separate Preply survey found the state among those where people complain the least, while more than half of respondents said they judge excessive complainers. That reserved approach may sometimes be mistaken for coldness.
12. Delaware
Delaware produced one of the study's more memorable findings. Residents commonly acknowledged strangers through eye contact, but respondents also stood out for pretending to take phone calls to avoid people walking past. It is polite avoidance, perhaps, but hardly an invitation to chat.
11. Rhode Island
Rhode Islanders themselves have acknowledged a reputation for bluntness. In a YouGov survey, 42% said people in their state were ruder than most Americans, the highest percentage anywhere in the country. Only 9% thought Rhode Islanders were more polite than average.
10. Wisconsin
Wisconsin showed some of the clearest signs of social reserve. Nearly one in five respondents said they would completely avoid a passing stranger, while another Preply study named Wisconsin the state most annoyed by small talk. Milwaukee later ranked as America's least-chatty major city.
9. Oklahoma
Oklahoma's low welcoming position contrasts sharply with how residents behave around people they know. Another Preply study ranked Oklahoma among America's most affectionate states. The difference suggests unfamiliar faces may receive a cooler reception than established friends and family.
8. North Dakota
North Dakota respondents stood out for a particularly strong avoidance habit. Preply found some would rather change direction than encounter a stranger walking toward them. Yet nearly half of North Dakotans told YouGov their state was more polite than average, suggesting privacy may matter more than hostility.
7. South Dakota
South Dakota showed a similarly reserved attitude toward unfamiliar people. Respondents were particularly inclined to avoid strangers rather than acknowledge them while passing. Curiously, 51% of South Dakotans told YouGov their state's residents were more polite than most Americans.
6. Kansas
Kansas placed near the bottom here despite leading another Preply ranking for affection. That apparent contradiction makes sense when you consider who receives that warmth. Kansans may be highly affectionate with people they know while remaining much more reserved around unfamiliar faces.
mark reinstein, Shutterstock, Modified
5. New York
New York's famously direct communication style appears across several surveys. Preply ranked the state near the bottom for politeness, while 30% of New Yorkers told YouGov their neighbors were ruder than average. New Yorkers may be sociable, but their fast and straightforward manner does not always feel warm.
4. Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania also shows signs of a more reserved social culture. Preply ranked it among the states worst at receiving compliments, while Pittsburgh and Philadelphia both performed poorly in a survey of public chattiness. Interestingly, Pennsylvanians also ranked highly for sincere apologies.
3. Illinois
Illinois lands among the three least welcoming states in the country. A separate Preply study also ranked Illinois last for affection among the states surveyed. Residents additionally reported being talked over as a common communication problem, which can make conversations feel less comfortable.
2. Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a longstanding reputation for bluntness, and survey data supports at least part of it. YouGov found that 40% of Massachusetts residents considered people in their state ruder than average. Preply also placed Massachusetts near the bottom for affection and self-rated communication ability.
1. Missouri
Missouri finished at the bottom of Preply's national welcoming ranking. The researchers described residents as potentially appearing more reserved or cautious, while another survey placed Missouri among the states making the least small talk. The issue may be less about outright rudeness than reluctance to start an interaction.
Reserved Does Not Necessarily Mean Rude
The contradictions across these surveys are part of what makes the ranking interesting. Kansas is highly affectionate, South Dakotans consider themselves polite, and Alabama residents make plenty of small talk, yet all landed on the less-welcoming side. Americans clearly have very different ways of showing friendliness to strangers.
You May Also Like:
Ranking The States That Make People Feel The Most Welcome—According To Other Americans
The Most Disliked American Foods, According To Americans
Things Canadians Notice Immediately When They Visit An American Beach Town
