From the biggest cosmopolitan hubs to smaller ones dominated by locals, every city has its own characteristics. The citizens in all these cities are bound to the stress of a fast-paced life along with local quirks and traditions. It leads to a change in the way they interact with others, especially strangers. When outsiders travel to a particular city, they may not always be received or entertained in the best of ways.
We have researched online forums and a Preply survey to create a list of the rudest American cities.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nicknamed ‘The City of Brotherly Love’, Philadelphia does not stay true to its name, when it comes to politeness. Termed the rudest city in America, the locals of Philadelphia are considered unfriendly by tourists visiting the city. Philadelphians are often brutally honest and many find them to be ignorant about towns and cultures other than their own.
Average Rudeness Score: 6.43
Memphis, Tennessee
While the Southern states in America are known for their hospitality, termed ‘Southern Hospitality’, Memphis is an exception. The locals in Memphis are not only rude, but they are also extremely noisy and rarely respect personal space. They are also rude to any staff at hotels or other public places. One of the worst qualities of Memphis citizens is their reluctance to let people merge in heavy traffic situations.
Average Rudeness Score: 6.05
New York City, New York
Infamous for being rude, New York City (NYC) is known to be impatient with tourists who can not match up to the city’s pace. The residents are almost always absorbed by their phones in public. The NYC accent is considered aggressive by many, and often adds to the perception of rudeness. In fact, the city’s impersonal culture had gone viral when a mother sent another mother a playdate bill of $36.
Average Rudeness Score: 6.00
Las Vegas, Nevada
While the ‘Sin City’ is known for its homelessness problem, it does not lag in the rudeness problem, either. The residents of the city known for its resorts and casinos are notorious for not acknowledging strangers. Due to it being a fast-paced, cutthroat city, the people who move there are usually ruder than the locals. A lack of personal hygiene and a lack of respect for personal space also contributes to Vegas faring badly in the survey.
Average Rudeness Score: 5.98
Boston, Massachusetts
Home to the acclaimed Boston University, Boston is the capital city of Massachusetts. It has gained notoriety for its people being cold to strangers. People are usually impolite, and display aggressive behavior when they drive. Additionally, the locals are ruder than tourists who come to visit the city.
Average Rudeness Score: 5.90
Detroit, Michigan
Some of the rudest locals in the USA live in Detroit. While the state of Michigan is known for its politeness, Detroit is somewhat of an outlier. Not only does the city feature improper driving skills and not giving way to pedestrians, but also lags in niceties. Most locals do not always apologize after committing an error.
Average Rudeness Score: 5.70
San Francisco, California
Famous for its landmarks like Golden Gate Bridge and the Alcatraz, San Francisco is a tremendously materialistic city. Their primary concern is often getting ahead in life and heightening one’s status, even if it comes at the cost of putting others down. Most of the people in the city also lack the courtesy to apologize when they look at their phones while walking and bump into someone.
Average Rudeness Score: 5.69
Washington, D.C.
As citizens of the capital city of the US, people in Washington, D.C. are usually busy and more focused on themselves than others. The non-locals are ruder in Washington than the locals. The city is also very formal in its social gatherings, and its fast-paced nature makes it intolerant towards people who like taking things slow.
Average Rudeness Score: 5.56
Los Angeles, California
Another Californian city on the list, Los Angeles is considered rude by people around America, albeit not as much as San Francisco. The citizens often forget to apologize after doing something wrong. This includes checking phones in public and bumping into others as a consequence. Instead, they blame the other person for not being cautious. They also cut in front of others even in heavy traffic.
Average Rudeness Score: 5.35
Houston, Texas
The famed ‘Space City’ is not one of America’s friendliest cities, either. The locals have grown up amid a certain culture, and they find it difficult to adapt to outsiders living in Houston. They do not acknowledge strangers and have largely problematic driving skills. They do not let others merge in traffic and almost never slow down for pedestrians, either.
Average Rudeness Score: 5.33
Phoenix, Arizona
A lot of the bad rep that Phoenix gets, boils down to its rude non-locals who make a living in the city. They are considered noisier than the ones who have grown in Phoenix. A large majority of the residents are almost always glued to their phone screens. When it comes to driving in heavy traffic, they rarely let others in front or merge with others in the traffic.
Average Rudeness Score: 5.22
Jacksonville, Florida
Be it the humidity and the heat, or the large amount of mosquitoes present in the city, Jacksonville is considered to be one of the rudest cities in all of America. Being safer than only 1% of American cities does not help Jacksonville’s cause, either. Rude locals and unpleasant driving skills make it difficult for others to feel at ease in the city.