What states have friendliest people?

While subjective, studies and traveler polls frequently name Minnesota, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming as having some of the friendliest people, often citing "Minnesota Nice," Southern hospitality, and general helpfulness, with other contenders including Hawaii, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, and Oklahoma, though lists vary.

Which US state has the friendliest people?

There's no single "nicest" state, as it's subjective, but studies and surveys often rank Minnesota, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, Wyoming, Hawaii, and Iowa highly for friendliness, with Southern states and Midwestern areas often noted for politeness and welcoming cultures, though some surveys point to the Northeast (Vermont, Maine) as most welcoming.
 

Where are the kindest people in the USA?

While "nicest" is subjective, studies and surveys often point to Minnesota, known for "Minnesota Nice," along with Southern states like Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia, and Midwestern states like Iowa, as having very friendly and polite people, often characterized by strong community spirit and helpfulness. Other frequently mentioned spots include Hawaii, Colorado, and Wisconsin, known for relaxed attitudes or deep-rooted hospitality. 

What is the least friendliest state?

The most welcoming states are Vermont, Maine, and Hawaii. The least welcoming states are Missouri, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Most Americans greet strangers with a handshake (60%), smile (47%), or by making eye contact (25%). Over 1 in 5 Americans say they aren't comfortable with physical contact when greeting.

What is the freest state in the USA?

For the 24th time, New Hampshire is the freest state among all U.S. states, having scored 8.34 out of 10 in this year's report, which measures government spending, taxation, regulations and labor market restrictions using data from 2023, the most recent year of available comparable data.

Top 10 US States with the Friendliest People

What is the most peaceful state in the USA?

Maine consistently ranks as the most peaceful U.S. state due to low violent crime rates, low incarceration, and high personal safety, often followed by New Hampshire and Vermont, while the Northeast generally leads in peacefulness over the South, according to indices like the US Peace Index.
 

What state is #1 in quality of life?

There isn't one single answer, as different reports rank states differently, but Vermont is frequently cited as #1 for Quality of Life (CNBC), while Massachusetts often leads overall livability/best state rankings (WalletHub), and Utah ranks high overall for Best States (U.S. News). These rankings vary by the specific metrics used, such as health, safety, environment, education, or economic opportunity. 

What is America's unhappiest state?

Based on recent studies, particularly WalletHub's 2025 analysis, Louisiana and West Virginia consistently rank as the unhappiest states, often swapping the bottom spots, with Louisiana frequently cited as the absolute least happy due to factors like high depression rates, long work hours, low sleep quality, and high divorce rates, while West Virginia struggles with high adult depression and poor sleep. Other states often in the bottom ranks include Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

What is the most loved state in America?

While "most loved" is subjective, polls consistently show Hawaii as a top contender for favorability, often leading in overall positive views, net favorability, and as a favorite destination, alongside strong showings from Colorado, Alaska, and North Carolina. Americans also frequently name states like Florida, California, New York, and Texas as favorites in head-to-head polls, but Hawaii consistently ranks highest for broad appeal and positive perception.
 

What state has the most respectful people?

The most polite Americans live in Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama. The least polite Americans live in Nevada, New Jersey, and New York. Residents in Minnesota, Arkansas, and Nebraska think they are the most polite. When it comes to complimenting others, 34% of Americans do it at least once a day.

Which ethnicity is the friendliest?

The World's Friendliest Nations, According To Scientific Study

• South Africa tops our list of the friendliest nations, scoring an impressive 34.63 out of 40 on the 'agreeableness' trait of the Big 5 Personality Test.
• Greeks were found to be the second-friendliest people in the world, scoring 33.71 on the test.

What state are people happiest after moving to?

Hawaii is the happiest state in America for the second year in a row. Hawaii landed the top spot on WalletHub's list with an overall score of 65.50. It ranked third for emotional and physical well-being, 16th for work environment and 13th for community and environment.

What is America's most welcoming city?

While "most welcoming" varies, recent studies often name St. Augustine, Florida, as the top U.S. city for hospitality, praised for its historic charm and friendly locals, with other high-ranking spots including Cape May, NJ, Newport, RI, and Joshua Tree, CA, based on traveler reviews and community integration efforts for newcomers. 

What is the #1 happiest state in the US?

Hawaii consistently ranks as the happiest and least stressed state in the United States, characterized by high levels of emotional and physical well-being among its residents.

Where do the kindest people in America live?

While "nicest" is subjective, studies and surveys often point to Minnesota, known for "Minnesota Nice," along with Southern states like Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia, and Midwestern states like Iowa, as having very friendly and polite people, often characterized by strong community spirit and helpfulness. Other frequently mentioned spots include Hawaii, Colorado, and Wisconsin, known for relaxed attitudes or deep-rooted hospitality. 

What is the nicest state to live in?

• Utah. #1 in Best States Overall. ...
• New Hampshire. #2 in Best States Overall. ...
• Idaho. #3 in Best States Overall. ...
• Minnesota. #4 in Best States Overall. ...
• Nebraska. #5 in Best States Overall. ...
• Florida. #6 in Best States Overall. ...
• Vermont. #7 in Best States Overall. ...
• South Dakota. #8 in Best States Overall.

What is the least popular US state?

The least popular U.S. state depends on the metric, but Wyoming is consistently the least populated and least densely populated state, while Alaska is often the least visited for tourism, and surveys suggest states like Alabama, Mississippi, and New Jersey are often ranked low in overall desirability or as least popular to move to. 

What is America's prettiest state?

There's no single "most beautiful" state, as it's subjective, but California, Alaska, Hawaii, Utah, and Washington consistently rank high for diverse, breathtaking scenery, offering everything from epic coastlines and massive mountains to lush rainforests and unique desert landscapes, with California often cited for its unparalleled variety. 

What is the least visited state in the US?

Alaska is consistently ranked as the least-visited U.S. state, primarily due to its remote location, vast size, and perception as being too cold or difficult to access, despite offering unique wilderness experiences like glaciers, abundant wildlife, and the Northern Lights. Other contenders for least-visited, especially in the contiguous U.S., often include North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Nebraska, often seen as "flyover states". 

What is the hardest U.S. state to live in?

These states are America's worst for quality of life in 2025:

• Arkansas.
• Alabama.
• Georgia.
• Louisiana.
• Utah.
• Indiana.
• Texas.
• Tennessee.

What is the unhealthiest state to live in?

While rankings vary slightly by study, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Kentucky consistently appear as the most unhealthy U.S. states, often due to high rates of obesity, smoking, chronic disease, substance abuse, poor nutrition, mental distress, and lower life expectancies, with many of these top contenders located in the South.
 

What is the least desirable state to live in?

U.S. & World News ranks Louisiana the worst state in the nation, as it has rather consistently since 2017. Low performance across all metrics, especially crime and education concerns.

What is the best state to start a new life?

The best state to start over depends on your priorities (jobs, affordability, lifestyle), but top contenders often include Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee for balance of growth and cost, while New Hampshire, Utah, and Virginia offer strong economies and opportunities, and Vermont or Wyoming suit those seeking slower, smaller-town living. Consider job markets (like tech in Utah/VA, diverse in TX/FL), cost of living (low in OK/TN), and lifestyle (outdoors in NC/UT/VT) when choosing. 

Which state is the cheapest to live in?

Mississippi is consistently ranked as the cheapest state to live in the U.S., primarily due to the nation's lowest housing costs, plus low property taxes and inexpensive groceries, though other contenders like West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama also offer very low overall costs, with strong affordability in housing, utilities, and transportation.