Alabama
Alabama has the dubious honour of being Americans’ least favorite state. Why? Well, it could have something to do with the high concentration of unpleasant animals and pests, since giant cockroaches, spiders, snakes and scorpions are all a common household occurrence. Not only that, but the state’s religious makeup means most stores are fully closed on Sunday, and some counties are completely alcohol-free.
Mississippi
Mississippi is known as the Hospitality State, so it should be a popular place to visit and live. However, it’s rated second lowest of all the states by Americans, mostly because of the extreme heat and humidity, the inescapability of mosquitos, and the constant risk of hurricanes. On the plus side, the fried seafood food is excellent!
New Jersey
It’s not just New Yorkers that have it out for New Jersey, as a poll of Americans from across the states concluded that New Jersey was their fourth least-favorite place. Common complaints include the traffic, which is labyrinthian and infuriating, the low-quality signature foods, and the incredibly high property taxes. Yikes!
Arkansas
Arkansas is another state that has caught a lot of heat from the rest of America, and there are a few reasons why. Not only does the state have a higher-than-average violent crime rate, but its educational outcomes are worse, and there are lots of truly bizarre laws on the books. Did you know that in Arkansas it’s illegal to kill any living creature, including flies?
Iowa
If Iowa is known for anything, it’s corn. With that said, its proliferation of the abundant golden crop isn’t the only reason it’s wound up so low on the states’ ranking. It also boasts numerous kinds of extreme weather, high-income tax, a lack of arts and culture offerings and low minimum wage. Iowa does at least have a low crime rate though!
Indiana
Indiana has a lot to be proud of. Not only does it host the Indy 500, but it has a great art museum and a lot of natural beauty. However, it also consistently scores low in individual well-being and happiness, while scoring high in state-wide levels of substance abuse, toxic water and obesity. Plus, it’s home to a former murder capital of the world!
South Dakota
South Dakota has a lot of things to love; low crime rates, beautiful lakes and oodles of hiking opportunities, just to name a few. Unfortunately, it also has brutal winters that feel unending, a rural, small-town atmosphere that can feel both stifling and isolating, and stagnating wages and salaries. There are also limited options for shopping and eating.
Missouri
Missouri is often touted as a best-of-both-worlds kind of state. Meaning it has plenty of museums, theaters and music venues to enjoy, while also having a lower cost of living than most metropolitan areas. However, it also has high rates of crime and gang violence and consistently scores low in surveys measuring equality and inclusiveness. Ouch.
Kentucky
Kentucky has a lot of fans and for good reason. Not only are houses affordable, but some of the best food and alcohol in the entire United States of America is on offer there. Plus, there are five seasons if you include Derby season. With that said, Kentucky also has high levels of air pollution and some of the highest rates of animal-related traffic accidents out there.
Kansas
There’s a reason why “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore” has become a synonym for going somewhere new and exciting. Kansas, despite its amazing barbeque, low house prices and strong job market, is also just a little bit boring. Most arts and culture offerings are over an hour’s drive away, and transport links are atrocious, making it feel isolated and cut off from society.