Most Hated States in the US 2025

Most Hated Rank

10th

20th

30th

40th

50th

State	Most Hated Rank↑	Additional Hated States Details
Illinois	1st	Illinois is one of the fastest shrinking states in the US in terms of population, and has experienced a 0.54% (more than half a percent) decrease in population in recent years. Although only one other state hates Illinois the most, 25% of Illinoisans say their state is the worst in the nation. This negativity could be partially attributed to animosity between politically liberal Chicago and the heavily conservative rural portions that make up the rest of the state.
New Jersey	2nd	Five other states report hating New Jersey the most. 10% of its residents call it the worst state, and its population recently experienced a 0.3% decline.
New York	3rd	12% of New Yorkers say it’s the worst state to live, and 0.45% have moved out of state in recent years. Massachusetts hates New York more than any other state.
West Virginia	4th	West Virginia has lost 0.76% of its residents in recent years, with many moving to Ohio or Virginia. 6% of its remaining residents say it is the worst state.
California	5th	Nine other states hate California, and 6% of Californians feel they live in the worst state. California has experienced population decline of 0.11% in recent years.
Massachusetts	6th	6% of residents of Massachusetts, which recently experienced 0.14% population decline and is hated by 4 other states, believe it is the worst state.
Michigan	7th	9% of Michiganders say it is the worst state in which to live. Michigan is hated by one other state and has experienced population decline of 0.09% in recent years.
Mississippi	8th
Connecticut	9th	No states hate Connecticut the most, but 17% of the state's own residents consider it the worst state in which to live. The state's population has declined by 0.21% in recent years.
Kentucky	9th	6% of people in Kentucky, which is hated by Tennessee and Indiana, feel it is the worst state.
Louisiana	11th
Ohio	12th
Alabama	13th
Alaska	14th
Maryland	15th
Rhode Island	16th
Hawaii	17th
Kansas	18th
New Mexico	18th
Oklahoma	20th
Vermont	20th
Virginia	22nd
Missouri	23rd
Nebraska	24th
Pennsylvania	24th
South Dakota	26th
Florida	27th
South Carolina	27th
Arkansas	29th
Iowa	30th
Indiana	31st
Wisconsin	31st
Tennessee	33rd
North Dakota	34th
North Carolina	35th
Nevada	36th
Texas	37th
Oregon	38th
Delaware	39th
Georgia	40th
Arizona	41st
Wyoming	41st
Washington	43rd
Maine	44th
New Hampshire	44th
Minnesota	46th
Idaho	47th
Montana	48th
Utah	49th
Colorado	50th	Colorado was not hated by any other state.

“Most Hated” rankings were determined in 2022 by compiling three indicators:
- 1. The percentage of each state’s own residents who believe their state is the worst.
- 1. The number of other states that hate each state the most.
- 1. Each state’s population decline, the logic being that population decline reflects the flow of residents moving to another state.
Population decline for each state was calculated by comparing the two most recent years for which population data was available.
Connecticut and Kentucky tied for 9th-most-hated. To accommodate the tie, no state was awarded 10th place.

State Highlights

Texas

When it comes to the most hated states, Texas is well at the top of the list. Unfortunately, this state has a bit of a reputation for being rebellious, bold, and loud, which many people find offensive. Couple this with the larger-than-life mentality, less than stellar politicians, and scorching weather, and you have a very easy-to-hate state.

California

While there is plenty to love about California, there is also plenty to hate. This state flaunts its wealth at every opportunity and is home to Hollywood, fast fashion, the rich, and the famous. Between the frantic speeds of the Bay Area with sky-high real estate prices, and the facade of Los Angeles life, many people hate the state of California.

New Jersey

It turns out that people that live in New Jersey hate this state just as much as outsiders. The perception is that people from New Jersey tend to be loud, outspoken, and brash. In addition, New Jersey has high prices on just about everything and loads of traffic. This state has a higher amount of pollution, and the weather is never very appealing.

Florida

Florida is a beautiful state, with many of the main cities along the coast. Although this state may seem idealistic, it turns out Florida is one of the most hated states in the country. Florida is easily hated with corrupt politics and little to do outside of going to the beach or Walt Disney World. Plus, the weather is hot, muggy, and humid and is prone to intense hurricanes and tropical storms.

Alabama

While it may seem that Alabama is rather harmless, much of the hatred toward this state is because of their college football teams. People from Alabama are devoted to their sports, and it can be a bit much for some. The Crimson Tide pride is plastered everywhere you look, and for those not native to Alabama, this can be overwhelming. Plus, Alabama is a state entrenched in tradition, with not all practices being the best.

Kentucky

Kentucky has one of the highest costs of living in the country and is often compared to California. People report that residents in Kentucky are pretentious and challenging to work with. Plus, medical resources and healthcare options are not the best in Kentucky.

Michigan

Much of the hatred toward Michigan is actually geared toward Detroit. This major city does not receive popular ratings and has a high crime rate in parts of the city. Unfortunately, much of the hatred toward this one city spills over to the entire state. It also doesn’t help that people who attend college in Michigan tend to be life-long die-hard college football fans which can be overwhelming.