This Is the Most Hated State in America

BOTH RESIDENTS AND RIVALS AGREE, THIS IS THE MOST HATED STATE IN THE U.S.

Hate is a harsh word, especially in today's divisive times. However, when it comes to regional rivalries, there tends to be no love lost. For instance, if you ask a New Yorker what they think about Boston, Massachusetts—particularly if they're a baseball fan—you'll likely be given a look of disgust. On the other hand, it can also be easy to hate on the place where you live as well. To figure out which state is the most disliked by both residents and rivals, we've done some digging and crunched the numbers–and you may be surprised by the answer.

We started off by calculating the percentage of the population that has recently moved out of each state. While locals don't give reviews of their hometowns like they would a restaurant on Yelp, they do tend to vote with their feet, so we compared the population increase or decrease in each state to the national average of 0.6 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Next, we analyzed a Gallup poll of which citizens felt the most pride in their home states—defined as the percentage of people who agreed with the statement that their state is "the best or one of the best possible states to live." The states with the least pride ranked higher in our Hatred Index. Finally, we looked at the findings of illustrator and amateur researcher Matt Shirley, who polled his 320,000 Instagram followers from across the country in 2020 to discover which state they hate the most. We then factored in the population of the states that hated on each state to measure the volume of hostility hurled in every state's direction. (Some states, Shirley found, had no states that hate them.) These results were compiled into an algorithm that produced the final score of our Hatred Index, wherein the higher the number, the more hated that state is.

In the end, the top 10 most hated states spanned every region, from the East Coast to the South. (Yes, even the Midwest isn't as nice as you thought.) But one state drew the most vitriol of them all. Read on to see if your home state is loathed or loved as we rank every state, from least hated to most hated. And for more places where locals aren't the most welcoming, This Is the Unfriendliest State in the U.S.

50
Idaho
Josh Garver / Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 3.5 percent

State pride: 54 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -304

And to find out which state could be cleaner, This Is the Dirtiest State in the U.S.

49
Utah
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 3.2 percent

State pride: 70 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -290

48
Washington
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 2.8 percent

State pride: 58 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -238

And for the state that'll make you snooze, This Is the Most Boring State in the U.S.

47
Nevada
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 2.8 percent

State pride: 28 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -208

46
Arizona
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 2.28 percent

State pride: 41 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -169

45
Colorado
Cavan Images / Alamy

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 2 percent

State pride: 65 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -165

And if you want more state guides to read, sign up for our daily newsletter.

44
Oregon
Nagel Photography / Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 2 percent

State pride: 61 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -161

43
South Dakota
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 1.7 percent

State pride: 57 percent

States that hate it: North Dakota

Population of states that hate it: 762,062

Hatred Index: -112

42
Montana
Shutterstock/Danita Delmont

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 1.7 percent

State pride: 29 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -99

41
Wyoming
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 1.2 percent

State pride: 69 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -89

40
North Carolina
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 1.5 percent

State pride: 34 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -84

39
Georgia
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 1.4 percent

State pride: 41 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -81

38
Minnesota
Joe Mamer Photography / Alamy

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.9 percent

State pride: 61 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -51

37
Delaware
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 1 percent

State pride: 39 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -39

36
New Hampshire
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.4 percent

State pride: 67 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: -7

35
Tennessee
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 1.2 percent

State pride: 47 percent

States that hate it: Kentucky

Population of states that hate it: 4,467,673

Hatred Index: 22

34
Virginia
Clupton / Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.6 percent

State pride: 47 percent

States that hate it: West Virginia

Population of states that hate it: 1,792,147

Hatred Index: 29

33
Alaska
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.14 percent

State pride: 77 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 37

32
Arkansas
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.23 percent

State pride: 37 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 40

31
Hawaii
iStock/jimkruger

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.1 percent

State pride: 68 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 42

30
Nebraska
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.6 percent

State pride: 52 percent

States that hate it: Iowa

Population of states that hate it: 3,155,070

Hatred Index: 51

29
Maine
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.1 percent

State pride: 57 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 53

28
Maryland
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0 percent

State pride: 29 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 71

27
Iowa
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.1 percent

State pride: 56 percent

States that hate it: Nebraska

Population of states that hate it: 1,934,408

Hatred Index: 73

26
Vermont
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.4 percent

State pride: 61 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 79

25
Massachusetts
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.4 percent

State pride: 46 percent

States that hate it: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont

Population of states that hate it: 3,327,912

Hatred Index: 81

24
South Carolina
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 1.8 percent

State pride: 39 percent

States that hate it: North Carolina

Population of states that hate it: 10,488,084

Hatred Index: 91

23
North Dakota
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.4 percent

State pride: 66 percent

States that hate it: South Dakota

Population of states that hate it: 884,659

Hatred Index: 92

22
Connecticut
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.34 percent

State pride: 31 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 103

21
Louisiana
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.3 percent

State pride: 27 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 103

20
Pennsylvania
George Oze / Alamy

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.5 percent

State pride: 34 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 116

19
Mississippi
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.51 percent

State pride: 26 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 125

18
New Mexico
Gimas / Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.55 percent

State pride: 28 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 127

17
Missouri
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0 percent

State pride: 29 percent

States that hate it: Kansas

Population of states that hate it: 2,913,314

Hatred Index: 129

16
Rhode Island
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.5 percent

State pride: 18 percent

States that hate it: None

Population of states that hate it: N/A

Hatred Index: 132

15
West Virginia
iStock/zrfphoto

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.9 percent

State pride: 36 percent

States that hate it: Virginia

Population of states that hate it: 8,535,519

Hatred Index: 145

14
Wisconsin
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0 percent

State pride: 49 percent

States that hate it: Minnesota

Population of states that hate it: 5,639,632

Hatred Index: 164

13
Ohio
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.2 percent

State pride: 32 percent

States that hate it: South Carolina

Population of states that hate it: 5,148,714

Hatred Index: 191

12
Illinois
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0 percent

State pride: 19 percent

States that hate it: Wisconsin

Population of states that hate it: 5,822,434

Hatred Index: 197

11
New York
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.1 percent

State pride: 41 percent

States that hate it: Massachusetts

Population of states that hate it: 6,892,503

Hatred Index: 207

10
Kansas
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.57 percent

State pride: 34 percent

States that hate it: Missouri

Population of states that hate it: 6,137,428

Hatred Index: 246

9
Alabama
Jon Lovette / Alamy

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.18 percent

State pride: 39 percent

States that hate it: Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi

Population of states that hate it: 10,642,747

Hatred Index: 292

8
Indiana
iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.1 percent

State pride: 34 percent

States that hate it: Illinois

Population of states that hate it: 12,671,821

Hatred Index: 309

7
Kentucky
aheflin / iStock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.1 percent

State pride: 38 percent

States that hate it: Indiana, Tennessee

Population of states that hate it: 13,561,393

Hatred Index: 323

6
Michigan
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.2 percent

State pride: 28 percent

States that hate it: Ohio

Population of states that hate it: 11,689,100

Hatred Index: 326

5
Florida
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.28 percent

State pride: 46 percent

States that hate it: Georgia, Alabama

Population of states that hate it: 15,520,608

Hatred Index: 392

4
Oklahoma
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.4 percent

State pride: 39 percent

States that hate it: Texas

Population of states that hate it: 28,995,881

Hatred Index: 681

3
California
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 0.36 percent

State pride: 51 percent

States that hate it: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado

Population of states that hate it: 34,590,799

Hatred Index: 705

2
Texas
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: 2 percent

State pride: 68 percent

States that hate it: Alaska, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma

Population of states that hate it: 46,297,568

Hatred Index: 758

1
New Jersey
Shutterstock

Population change compared to the U.S. average: -0.3 percent

State pride: 28 percent

States that hate it: New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut

Population of states that hate it: 35,820,837

Hatred Index: 818

Can't get enough state guides? Check out This State Has the Rudest Drivers in the U.S.