Stephanie Tanner’s iconic “How rude!” line from the 1987 sitcom Full House is a phrase Americans may use more than originally thought. Zippia crunched the numbers, discovering that some states ooze sweetness while others could use a lesson in turning lemons into lemonade.
Determining Rudeness
Zippia analyzed data from the following four categories to determine the rudest states in America:
- Rude drivers
- Average tipping amount
- Perception of rudeness among residents from other states
- Amount of cursing when speaking with customer service agents
#1: Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be beloved for its seaside towns, but visitors don’t seem to feel the same about its residents. A massive 42% of people reported that they perceive Rhode Islanders to be ruder than other Americans, landing it as the rudest state in the US.
#2: Massachusetts
Massachusetts shares Rhode Island’s statistic of 3.1% of its population having rude drivers. The Bay State isn’t an ideal place to be a service worker, for tipping is at a mediocre 15%.
#3: Virginia
Visitors to Virginia would be wise to steer clear of driving. A whopping 5% of drivers exhibit rude behaviors, including illegal passing and tailgating. That’s the worst driving statistic of all 50 states, landing it as the third rudest state in America.
#4: New York
Many people may have expected New York to take the number one spot on this list, especially with 30% of Americans perceiving New Yorkers as ruder than those in other states. Nevertheless, New York’s 15.6% average tipping rate helps to offset this.
#5: California
California marks the first rudest state that doesn’t call the northeast home. The Golden State ranks moderately to poorly in rudeness perception, average tip, and percentage of rude drivers.
#6: Washington
A large 3.1% of rude drivers contribute to the Evergreen State’s ranking as one of the rudest states in the US. Luckily for service workers, its residents are relatively more generous with their wallets, tipping an average of 16.3%.
#7: New Jersey
Thirty-four percent of Americans view New Jerseyans as rude. It doesn’t help that 3.6% of New Jersey’s residents have rude driving behaviors.
#8: Utah
Although Utahns are often pleasant on the surface, customer service employees report seeing a different side when the going gets tough. They rank as the fifth-worst state for swearing at customer service representatives.
#9: Illinois
Illinois mostly follows the crowd of the top ten rudest states in the US. They have a higher-than-average rate of people perceiving them as rude and a rude driver rate of 3.1%.
#10: Ohio
Ohio is an unpleasant place to drive, according to data that shows 4.3% of Ohio residents practice rude driving behaviors. Even its higher 16.7% tip rate, the highest up to this point, didn’t help it get out of the unwanted top ten.
#11: Connecticut
The Nutmeg State has much to boast about in the driving department, for only about 2% of its drivers are considered rude. Nevertheless, it falls below the national average for other rudeness factors.
#12: Maryland
Maryland is tied with Connecticut for its percentage of rude drivers and a 15.9% average tipping rate. Tourists hoping to try the Free State’s blue crab might be better off eating it elsewhere.
#13: Wyoming
Wyoming is a mixed bag. Its 16.8% tipping average is one of the highest in the US. However, horn honking and other rude behaviors on its roads are common; a massive 4% of its residents have rude driving habits.
#14: Oregon
A relatively lower percentage of rude drivers keeps Oregon in 14th place, given that Oregonians are worse tippers than Wyomingites by 0.4%.
#15: South Dakota
Approximately 3% of South Dakotans have rude driving habits. Luckily for The Mount Rushmore State, the rest of the US doesn’t see South Dakotans as a super rude bunch.
#16: Wisconsin
Wisconsin is tied with South Dakota in its rudeness ranking. It has the same percentage of rude drivers, though it deviates positively from South Dakota in being slightly better at tipping. Nevertheless, many Americans view Wisconsinites as rude.
#17: Pennsylvania
Residents from the Keystone State tip their waiters and waitresses a respectable 16.7%. Pennsylvania’s roads are also more pleasant for driving, given that only about 2% of its population are rude drivers. That said, Pennsylvanians swear at customer service a decent amount and need to improve their overall rudeness perception.
#18: Florida
Florida is the first of three states tied for 18th to 20th place. Of the three states, it has the lowest percentage of rude drivers, at around only 2%.
#19: Georgia
Georgia shares Florida’s 16.4% tipping average. However, it has about double the number of rude drivers on the road. Based on how many New England states rank high in rudeness, it’s unlikely snowbirds contribute to Florida’s lower driving rudeness.
#20: Iowa
Iowa is the third state to tie with Florida and Georgia. It shares Georgia’s poor 4% ranking for rude drivers. However, it’s the first state on this list to reach a generous 17% tipping average for service workers.
#21: Michigan
Michigan has a 16.8% tipping average, and only about 2% of its population are rude drivers. Unfortunately for the Wolverine State, it didn’t secure a spot lower in this ranking due to relatively poor numbers for the amount of cursing at customer service agents and perceived rudeness.
#22: Tennessee
Tennessee’s tipping average of 15.9% is significantly lower than the states surrounding it in the rankings. But given that only about 2% of its residents display rude driving behaviors, and it ranks well for Zippia’s other metrics, it didn’t get placed higher on this list.
#23: Alaska
Alaska is a great place to work in customer service, given its 17.1% average tipping rate. That said, 3% of its population are rude drivers, and enough Americans view Alaskans as rude to keep them towards the middle of this list.
#24: Colorado
Colorado’s 16.6% tipping rate sounds relatively low at this point. However, approximately 3% of their drivers are rude. That said, Coloradans don’t have the worst potty mouths relative to residents in many other states.
#25: Idaho
Idaho has the highest tipping average in the entire US, at a rate of 17.4%. So, why did Zippia rank it in the middle? It turns out Idahoans aren’t pleasant drivers to be around, with a rate of 4% rude drivers.
#26: Nevada
Nevada is another state that takes a first on this list; it’s the first state with only 1% of its residents being classified as rude drivers. Its tipping rate is also a respectable 16.6%. Unfortunately, Nevadans are perceived as rude enough and swear frequently enough to customer service agents that they didn’t earn a lower spot in this ranking.
#27: Kansas
Kansas is a solid middle-of-the-road US state for rudeness. It has a higher-than-average rude driver rate of 3%, but it ranks decently in the other rudeness categories.
#28: Indiana
Indiana is slightly above average for the national rate of state rudeness. It has respectable numbers in both the percentages of rude drivers and average tipping rates (2% and 17.1%, respectively).
#29: Hawaii
The Aloha State’s low perceived rudeness and lack of swearing when speaking with customer service agents help it rank relatively favorably. However, it has a cringe-worthy average tipping amount of 14.8%. Interestingly, 60% of Hawaiians believe their state is more polite than other states in the US.
#30: Missouri
Missouri is the first of three states to tie in places 30th to 32nd. Of the three states, it has the lowest average tipping percentage and a moderate 2% of rude drivers.
#31: New Mexico
Only 1% of New Mexico residents are considered rude drivers, and it has an above-average tipping rate of 16.9%. Unfortunately, New Mexico doesn’t rank as well for perceived rudeness and customer service communication.
#32: North Dakota
North Dakota’s 3% of rude drivers isn’t a pretty look. But with a 16.8% average tipping rate and decent numbers in the perceived rudeness and not swearing at customer service categories, it enjoys an above-average ranking for not being among the rudest states in the US.
#33: Montana
Americans view residents of Montana to be less rude than in many other states. Only about 2% of residents in the Treasure State lay on their horns, cut people off, and display other rude driving behaviors.
#34: Oklahoma
Oklahomans are generous with their tipping, giving servers an average tip of 16.8%. They also fall in the median for the number of rude drivers on the road.
#35: Texas
Zippia’s rudeness data supports the phrase, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” assuming friendly people are the “bigness” one refers to. Texas residents tip a decent 16.6%, and they score decently in Zippia’s other rudeness categories.
#36: Arizona
Arizonans are the second-highest tippers in the US, with an average tip rate of 17.3%. Furthermore, only about 2% of their residents are rude drivers.
#37: New Hampshire
New Hampshire stands out on this list for having little rudeness compared to many states near it. With only moderate driving rudeness, the Granite State may be a good choice for your next road trip.
#38: West Virginia
West Virginia ties with Arizona for its residents tipping a generous average 17.3% amount. The Mountain State is also one of only three states so far to have a low 1% of rude drivers.
#39: Nebraska
Nebraska’s 3% of rude drivers doesn’t bode well for the state. But given that it doesn’t have a ton of residents who swear at customer service agents and a low perceived rudeness, the Cornhusker State ranks decently.
#40: Alabama
Alabama is one of three states to tie in 40th to 42nd place. The Cotton State has a decent tipping rate of 16.6% and low perceived rudeness.
#41: Delaware
Delaware has larger swings than Alabama despite these states’ similar rankings. It has a massive 4% driving rudeness rate, similar to several northern states. That said, its residents tip servers an average of 17.2%.
#42: Maine
Maine puts Delaware to shame, with only 1% of its population being rude drivers. It tips an average of 1.2% less than Delaware, although its perceived rudeness and relatively few swear words spoken to customer service agents help it steer clear as among the rudest states in the US.
#43: Louisiana
Louisiana is the 8th least rude state in the US. It ranks above average in all rudeness categories, offering tourists on the fence a reason to visit the Pelican State.
#44: Minnesota
Minnesota’s 16% tipping average is relatively poor for its respectable spot on this list. But it ranks well in all other rudeness categories.
#45: South Carolina
The perception of southern charm bodes well for South Carolina, for it ranks low for other Americans perceiving South Carolinians as rude. Its residents also tip a generous average of 16.7%.
#46: Kentucky
Kentucky shares the same rate of rude drivers and tipping average as the number one least rude state on this list. So, why does it rank in 46th place instead of 50th place? It turns out Kentuckians can sometimes have a potty mouth with customer service agents, and other Americans don’t always view them as the least rude in the nation.
#47: Vermont
A heartwarming 1% of drivers in Vermont are rude, according to Zippia’s findings. Despite having a relatively low tipping rate of 16%, residents in the Green Mountain State ranked well in the other rudeness categories.
#48: North Carolina
North Carolinians don’t display a lot of rude behaviors, according to Americans. The state also has some of the fewest rude drivers and the highest tipping averages in the nation.
#49: Arkansas
Arkansans are the second-least rude residents in the US. While Arkansas has a moderate 2% rate of rude drivers, it ranks high in all other categories.
#50: Mississippi
The nickname “Magnolia State” may be enough to elicit the perception of non-rudeness among out-of-staters. Mississippi residents excel in the categories Zippia analyzed, making it the best state in the US for travelers wanting to avoid rudeness.
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