Four Of America's Least-Friendly States Have One Very Obvious Thing In Common

If you've ever traveled New York's aptly-nicknamed mean streets, you might not be surprised to hear that the city is considered less friendly to tourists than other cities. After all, New Yorkers have a reputation for being somewhat cold, at least to strangers on the sidewalk. Despite how many travelers it attracts, New York is said to be America's "least-friendly" state, but it's not exactly alone. Per World Population Review's survey of the friendliest U.S. states in 2025, there is a clear trend among the other lowest-ranked states. According to travelers, it turns out the worst-rated states when it comes to friendliness all lie along the East Coast.

Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Jersey received poorer marks than their western neighbors. This centers the rudest residents in the country around the New England area. While New York was ranked as No. 50, Delaware came in at No. 48, Massachusetts at No. 47, and New Jersey as No. 46. Though measures of friendliness are typically not based in science, it's nice to know what the overall vibe of a state is per the perceptions of tourists that visit. For instance, Paris is known for its beauty and romanticism, but it's also the "World's Unfriendliest City."

According to World Population Review, the least friendly states in America are New York, Arkansas, Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, respectively. The most surprising entry on the list of the least friendly states? Arkansas, which does not follow the trend of being an unfriendly East Coast destination. Solidly a Southern state, Arkansas nevertheless has a bad reputation with tourists, who voted the state at No. 49. 

While one of these states is not like the others in an important way, the East Coast states have more in common beyond their perceived lack of friendliness. For example, all these states have higher-than-average population densities, according to a 2023 report by Statista. The least-friendly East Coast states all ranked within the top 10 for population density, with New Jersey having 1,263.37 people per square mile, Massachusetts having 897.5, Delaware with 529.45, and New York with 415.3. For reference, the U.S. average is only 94.83 residents per square mile.

Narrow it down to those states' biggest cities, and it's no wonder that visitors find others to be unfriendly while elbow-to-elbow on Boston's streets or figuring out how to navigate the chaotic NYC subway system. All four of the least-friendly states also have high costs of living, per World Population Review, which would definitely bring down the mood. Of the four states, Massachusetts has the highest cost of living, and the second-highest in the country. New York and New Jersey don't fare much better, while Delaware's cost of living is only slightly above the national average. That said, all four states have plenty to offer in the way of tourist attractions if you don't mind the occasional grumpy resident.