Friendly places.
My address has the distinction of being located in Camden, Ohio. But I don’t actually live in the little town. As such, I can’t say for sure if the village of Camden is friendly or not. It seems pretty good to me.
But here is the thing. Some cities are known to have the best manners. At least, that’s what a recent survey said. The research was done by a group called Preply.
They went digging and found which U.S. cities are the rudest. They also found out which ones are the most polite. And let’s just say, Florida was in there for sure.
According to the study, Miami ranks as the rudest city in America for 2024, scoring a whopping 9.88 out of 10 on the “impolite” scale.
Philadelphia, which held the crown back in 2022, comes in second with 9.12, and Tampa slides into third with 8.88. That’s right. Two Florida cities cracked the top three. I wonder why.
So. What exactly makes a city “rude,” you may be wondering?
Survey participants reported behaviors like being loud in public, ignoring basic driving rules, and showing a lack of self-awareness. Even something like “closed-off body language” was considered unfriendly.
Here’s the full list of the 10 rudest U.S. cities for 2024:
Miami, Florida – 9.88
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 9.12
Tampa, Florida – 8.88
Louisville, Kentucky – 8.72
Oakland, California – 8.67
Boston, Massachusetts – 8.35
Memphis, Tennessee – 8.28
Las Vegas, Nevada – 8.21
Long Beach, California – 8.18
Charlotte, North Carolina – 8.11
I would have thought New York City would have been in that top ten. Because people always say that New Yorkers are rude. I suppose this is just not the case.
Anyway. On the flip side of this, there are the good eggs. So don’t lose hope. Preply also ranked the most polite cities in America.
Here’s a look at the 10 friendliest spots:
Omaha, Nebraska – 6.24
Minneapolis, Minnesota – 6.35
San Diego, California – 6.68
Columbus, Ohio – 6.70
Kansas City, Missouri – 6.78
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – 6.89
Indianapolis, Indiana – 6.93
San Jose, California – 6.96
Raleigh, North Carolina – 6.98
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – 7.11
I’ve never been to Omaha. It must be a kind, kind place. Maybe that’s why the Mutual of Omaha landed there.
Of course, “rudeness” is subjective. The eye of the beholder and all of that. What one person sees as disrespectful, another might just see as reserved or hurried.
Still, these rankings give us an interesting look at how Americans feel about their fellow city dwellers.
More than anything, maybe we could all use a little reminder to be kind.
You know? A smile or a thank-you doesn’t cost a thing. A little act of goodness can make a big difference. It adds to the goodness.
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“Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.” — Eric Hoffer
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“What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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“Civility costs nothing, and buys everything.” — Mary Wortley Montagu
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“Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners.” — Emily Post
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“Don’t be rude. Be remarkable.” — Seth Godin
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