NJ Ranked One of the Rudest States in America. Why Don’t You Go F*ck Yourself

New Jersey ranking near the bottom on ANOTHER ranking.

NJ Ranked One of the Rudest States in America. Do We Deserve It?

Another day, another study reminding us that the rest of the country thinks we're insufferable. Shocking, we know.

World Population Review currently lists New Jersey as the second most hated state in the country, citing a perception that residents tend to be loud, outspoken, and brash, with high prices on just about everything and loads of traffic. A North Jersey Media Group piece from April 2026 picked up the story and asked the obvious question: do we actually deserve it?

Depends on who you ask.

The Case Against Us

The rankings aren't exactly new. A Clever Real Estate survey of 1,000 adult Americans found New Jersey among the top 10 states with the rudest residents, and also ranked it the 8th least desirable state to live in. The study found that 50% of Americans consider rude residents to be a dealbreaker when evaluating a place to live.

A separate survey by language instruction platform Preply ranked New Jersey the second least polite state in the country, noting that only 53% of residents regularly say "please" and "thank you," only 24% compliment others at least once a week, and 33% report using offensive language on a regular basis.

That last one is low, frankly. Anyone who's driven the Routes 4 and 17 interchange.

One analysis described New Jersey as the "Big Apple's little brother" with an attitude to match, ranking it the 5th rudest state in America. We've been called worse.

The Defense

Here's where it gets interesting. Not every study agrees.

One ranking placed New Jersey as only the 14th rudest state, and the 5th unfriendliest, with just 3.6% of drivers classified as rude. The counterargument: maybe the researchers never drove in bumper to bumper traffic on the Garden State Parkway during the summer on a Friday afternoon.

Another study placed New Jersey 7th on the rudeness scale, with Rhode Island actually taking the top spot. The least rude state? Mississippi, where the average tip is 17% and only 1% of drivers are considered rude. Mississippi. Let that sink in.

So What's Actually Going On?

Here's the honest take: New Jersey isn't rude. It's efficient. There's a difference.

We don't do small talk with strangers in line. at Shop Rite We don't wave at people we don't know. When someone smiles at us while walking down the street, we think, what’s this douche bag smirking at? We don't pretend traffic isn't a problem or that the taxes aren't absurd. We say what we mean and we move on. To someone from a slower-paced state, that registers as rude. To us, it's just Tuesday.

The real problem is that New Jersey has an image problem it can't shake, and a cost-of-living problem it absolutely deserves. Only 28% of New Jersey residents say their state is one of the best places to live, which contributed to its ranking as the most hated state in one major analysis. Neighboring states including New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut ranked among those with the harshest feelings toward New Jersey.

Our own neighbors hate us. Our own residents aren't thrilled. And yet most of us stay, paying ever increasing property taxes, paying skyrocketing tolls on the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike, and complaining about it loudly.

Maybe that's the most New Jersey thing of all.

If you've hit your limit and you're ready to have this conversation seriously, that's what this site is for. There's no shame in looking at the exit. Plenty of people already have.