Ranking the States

[ender]

Is there any ranking where most of the southern states aren't at the bottom?

Southern hospitality.

It is a thing. I never realized it until I traveled to other parts of the country. Most of the people in the south are nice and courteous to strangers until given a reason not to be. Anywhere else I've traveled people treat strangers like they aren't even there, or treat them with disdain.

When it comes to restaurant wait staff this is even more obvious.

Obviously you've never been to flyover country....;-)

[Warlord1986]

Dudes, the South is awesome. Low cost of living, lots of parks and greenspace, dozens of cute cities, tasty food, awesome literary tradition, great beaches. I dislocated my shoulder patting myself on the back for moving here.

[Trifle]

Is there any ranking where most of the southern states aren't at the bottom?

Southern hospitality.

It is a thing. I never realized it until I traveled to other parts of the country. Most of the people in the south are nice and courteous to strangers until given a reason not to be. Anywhere else I've traveled people treat strangers like they aren't even there, or treat them with disdain.

When it comes to restaurant wait staff this is even more obvious.

Obviously you've never been to flyover country....;-)

Agree.  I moved south two years ago from the midwest, and I travel back and forth a lot.  In my experience midwesterners are are just as friendly as southerners if not friendlier.  I think friendliness to strangers is more a factor of rural vs. urban living than of region.  Except for the northeast.  Even rural folks in the NE are a bit on the icy side.  (I lived there for many years)

[dogboyslim]

Dudes, the South is awesome. Low cost of living, lots of parks and greenspace, dozens of cute cities, tasty food, awesome literary tradition, great beaches. I dislocated my shoulder patting myself on the back for moving here.

And fire ants!  "Dad, what's that big pile of sand, can I play in it.  NOOOOOO!!!!"  <Child sticks hand into fire-ant hill> <Internal dialogue: Crap, too late> "OOOWWWWW!!!..  DAAAAD!!!! OOOWW OWWW!!!!!!"

No thanks.  Been there, done that.  At least my kid will never again question what a fire ant hill looks like again.

[Pigeon]

Is there any ranking where most of the southern states aren't at the bottom?

Southern hospitality.

It is a thing. I never realized it until I traveled to other parts of the country. Most of the people in the south are nice and courteous to strangers until given a reason not to be. Anywhere else I've traveled people treat strangers like they aren't even there, or treat them with disdain.

When it comes to restaurant wait staff this is even more obvious.

The "nice and courteous to strangers" thing in the south creeps me right out.  As a northerner, if someone asks me for directions, I'll smile and do my best to help  them, but I don't need to discuss the weather, ask after their family and invite them to church before I tell them to take a left at the next traffic light.

[dougules]

Is there any ranking where most of the southern states aren't at the bottom?

Southern hospitality.

It is a thing. I never realized it until I traveled to other parts of the country. Most of the people in the south are nice and courteous to strangers until given a reason not to be. Anywhere else I've traveled people treat strangers like they aren't even there, or treat them with disdain.

When it comes to restaurant wait staff this is even more obvious.

The "nice and courteous to strangers" thing in the south creeps me right out.  As a northerner, if someone asks me for directions, I'll smile and do my best to help  them, but I don't need to discuss the weather, ask after their family and invite them to church before I tell them to take a left at the next traffic light.

Maybe you should be creeped out a little.  Southerners are not very direct.  We tend to value not rocking the boat over being completely honest.  Non-southerners should be aware that just because somebody is friendly and outgoing doesn't mean they necessarily like you.  It's just basic courtesy.  You have to read the situation and not take things at face value here. 

[I'm a red panda]

Is there any ranking where most of the southern states aren't at the bottom?

Southern hospitality.

It is a thing. I never realized it until I traveled to other parts of the country. Most of the people in the south are nice and courteous to strangers until given a reason not to be. Anywhere else I've traveled people treat strangers like they aren't even there, or treat them with disdain.

When it comes to restaurant wait staff this is even more obvious.

Obviously you've never been to flyover country....;-)

Midwesterners do hospitality just as well as Southerners, in my experience. They are also just as good at the passive aggressive thing.

Maybe not quite as good at random conversation (as opposed to help, like say directions) with strangers.


I've also never been told I was going to Hell for being Catholic in the Midwest. I got that regularly in Texas.

[NoraLenderbee]

Is there any ranking where most of the southern states aren't at the bottom?

Murder rates.

[Bateaux]

I've lived in Louisiana for the past 15 years and love it. Sure, it's hot and humid (like living in an armpit) for 4 months out of the year, but the other 8 months are perfect. Much better weather than when I lived in Florida. The cost of living is low and it has a culture all it's own. Louisiana has a laid-back way of life that I haven't found in any other state so if you don't like being bothered with lots of government interference in your life or day-to-day competition, it's great. As many others said, it's very subjective.

Mandeville is the little bright light in a dismal swamp.  Madisonville is where I'd always dreamed of living in my early years.  I love New Orleans but the unrestrained crime braks my heart.  We live in Ascension near Port Vincent and unhinged growth with zero infrastructure has crippled the parish.  The massive floodmof 2016 was the last straw.  I plan to head for the West coast of Florida post FIRE.  The area I'm looking east of Crystal River is over 100 feet in elevation and no flooding.  I cant wait.

[TempusFugit]

As others have said, this is so variable based on specific location and personal circumstances.  I live in the south and I like it here.  Sure, it gets hot in the summer, but I'll take that over cold any day of the week.  Would I prefer San Diego weather year round?  Absolutely.  I am not willing to trade my cost of living for SoCal costs, though.  Or the SoCal traffic. 

Here in the south, I've lived in rural areas (on a farm), in moderate sized towns<oxfordComma>,</oxfordComma> and in suburbs of major cities.  All have their trade-offs. 

I do think that we should all appreciate just how great it is to live in a country like ours where there is something for everyone.  We should all get out and see more of our own country and then we will begin to appreciate not only our own states and towns but also the other ones. 

[MMMarbleheader]

I always laugh when I see New Hampshire high on these lists. Take out the two
Counties that border Massachusetts and it's a pretty average state.