State favorability poll

Over the course of four months starting last October, we asked American voters nationally what their impressions of each state are.  Hawaii came out on top, by far, with California bringing up the rear.

State	+/-	Margin
Hawaii	54-10	44
Colorado	44-9	35
Tennessee	48-14	34
South Dakota	42-8	34
Virginia	45-13	32
Montana	39-7	32
Alaska	46-17	29
Oregon	43-14	29
North Carolina	40-11	29
Pennsylvania	40-11	29
Washington	43-17	26
Kentucky	42-16	26
Iowa	42-17	25
Oklahoma	40-16	24
Vermont	39-15	24
Wisconsin	40-17	23
Wyoming	34-11	23
Florida	43-21	22
North Dakota	33-11	22
Missouri	32-11	21
New Hampshire	37-18	19
Indiana	31-12	19
Idaho	30-11	19
Nebraska	29-11	18
Arizona	39-22	17
Michigan	38-21	17
Maine	32-15	17
Ohio	34-18	16
Delaware	32-16	16
Maryland	31-15	16
South Carolina	34-19	15
New Mexico	30-15	15
Kansas	28-13	15
New York	40-29	11
Georgia	31-20	11
Minnesota	27-17	10
Rhode Island	26-16	10
Texas	40-31	9
Massachusetts	35-27	8
West Virginia	23-15	8
Arkansas	25-20	5
Connecticut	26-22	4
Nevada	28-26	2
Alabama	27-26	1
Louisiana	24-24	0
Utah	24-27	-3
Mississippi	22-28	-6
New Jersey	25-32	-7
Illinois	19-29	-10
California	27-44	-17

Americans generally have a favorable view of most states.  Only five are in negative territory, led by California (27% favorable and 44% unfavorable), Illinois (19-29), New Jersey (25-32), Mississippi (22-28), and Utah (24-27).  Only seven other states have net-positive ratings in the single digits, and another breaks even (Louisiana).

54% see Hawaii positively and only 10% negatively, followed in the top ten by Colorado (44-9), Tennessee (48-14), South Dakota (42-8), Virginia (45-13), Montana (39-7), Alaska (46-17), Oregon (43-14), and North Carolina and Pennsylvania (each 40-11).  Ten others are in positive territory by at least 21 points.

There are also some differences across demographic lines.  Women have a higher opinion of New York by 27 points more than men, Massachusetts by 22 points, Delaware and California by 16, New Hampshire by 15, Vermont and Illinois by 13, and Connecticut by 11, while men see North Dakota more favorably by 17 points, South Carolina by 15, Wyoming 14, Montana 13, and Iowa and South Dakota 10.

Democrats’ favorite states include Hawaii (62-7), Washington (50-10), Massachusetts (49-9), Oregon (46-6), Vermont (46-9), Colorado (45-8), and New York (51-15), and their least favorites are led by Texas (17-51), Alabama (13-45), and Mississippi (13-41).  Republicans love Alaska (65-3) and Texas (66-9), and absolutely hate California (12-68), followed distantly by Illinois (15-44) and Massachusetts (19-47).  So the greatest partisan gap is for California, which Democrats like 91 points more than Republicans do, followed by Texas, which is favored more by Republicans by 82 points.

Black voters dislike 10 of the 14 Southern states.  The only ones they like are North Carolina (their second favorite overall after Hawaii, at 42-8), Virginia (36-13), Tennessee (36-15), Maryland (32-13), and Florida (34-18).  Their least favorite state overall is Alabama (14-56), then Mississippi (15-51), and Texas (17-44).

Full results here

Comments

[bihrno]

Just thought I'd compare my own opinions to what I've seen here. Most of the states I have mixed feelings or no opinion on. I think MN and CO I have the most favorable views of overall, followed by FL, SC, and AZ. The only states I have an unfavorable view of are MS, AL, WV, OK, and PA.

I'm not sure if this means anything, but I've noticed LA, AR, and TN are the only three states Obama did worse then Kerry in. I wonder if that affected anyone's views of the state one way or another.

[Henry]

What's the reason for the big gulfs between ostensibly similar states? I mean, Hawaii and California are both sunny, coastal Democratic states. Is it the size and density? Is it the fact that CA has more prominent liberal Democrats like Pelosi?

It seems to be that this is mostly a list of states that offend people less (the lowest ranking states tend to be prominently associated with something or someone highly unpopular with the left or right), but there still seem to be fairly random disparities.

[Mauibrad]

Clearly most of these respondents don't know about the ongoing fallout...

[Sam Dodsworth]

I'm surprised to see states like Tennessee and South Dakota so high, and California SO low, for that matter. Thanks for releasing the results, very interesting to read through!!

[Earl Ray Tomblin]

bihrno, West Virginia is not exactly crazy about you, either.

[Shawn]

Hi, California here... if you guys don't like us, then we'll just go ahead and take back some of the things we've given you. We'll start with Google, Facebook, Ebay, Paypal, Apple, Yelp, Foursquare, Twitter, Gap, Levi's Williams Sonoma, Pixar, most of your favorite movies and TV shows, the American wine industry. Let's start with that.

[Californian]

If this is the case then why there are so many people in California?

[Another Californian]

In addition to what Shawn mentions, we'll also keep Yosemite, the Golden Gate, our universities (public and private), the Gold Rush, diversity and personal freedoms not found anywhere else on the planet, AND all the beaches, deserts, forests, valleys, and ski resorts...oh, and Disneyland.

Maybe we should also keep all the food we produce; starvation probably makes people more appreciative.

[Another Californian]

I neglected to mention our ports. Yeah, we'll keep those, too.

[DaveyDSFo]

Most people in the United States have not traveled far, and many still believe the World was created 6,000 years ago like the Bible says. Thus, it does not surprise me that the results are wacky -- as a proud American it's a sad truth that many of my fellow countryman are just plan ignorant and fat. Hawaii ranks in first because it's a far off vacation fantasyland with no significant politics. With that in mind, the results are going to be a result of the ignorant attitudes and biases of the survey respondents.

[Chris]

Another Californian here... What's funny about this is that after all the transplants from NY, Boston, and the fly-over states move here, all they talk about is how we have shitty pizza and how "great" things were back home. If things were so great, stay in Boston or NJ or wherever you came from. We'll be fine without you. We should probably just ditch the US and become our own country anyways.

[Ricky]

States I like: New Jersey, New York, Florida, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Colorado

States that I don't particularly care about: North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee (except for Dollywood), Alabama, Ohio, Indiana, Arkansas, Texas, Montana(?), Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Mexico

States that have parts that are all right: Nevada, Montana (?), Maine, Illinois, Georgia, the Gatlinburg part of Tennessee, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona

[Dominick]

1. Seems like Californians don't take well to being dissed. Can't blame you guys.
2. Why the Utah-hate? Do people really dislike Mormons that much?
3. Seems like TX is the Republican version of CA - large, full of transplants from other states (like my family, for instance), and loved or hated based on which political party you prefer.

[bihrno]

Earl Ray Tomblin,

maybe it's a little mean to view whole states in an unfavorable light, in retrospect. I'm sure there's good respectable people who live in WV and the other states I mentioned. Maybe I've mixed up "least favorite" with "bad".

Really, the only state I can view somewhat negatively is MS, and I'm sure there's good respectable people who live there. It's just that they seem "behind the times". I think I heard MS didn't have an integrated prom until 2008.

[bihrno]

Actually, it was only one school in MS, not the whole state. Sorry about that.

[A Facebook User CraigJCasey]

California is the perfect storm of big government. Overspending on education, overspending on unaccountable unions, overspending on pensions and gov employee pay. All with pathetic results. Whenever you throw money at a problem, it never goes away, only gets worse. And that's how you get $ billions in the hole.

[the dude]

This poll exemplifies a subtle reason why most Americans are so boorish, destructive and ignorant, to use a few of many available neg. adjectives. Citizens from every corner of this great nation FLOCK to California, to take advantage of our economy, our resources, enjoy our weather and outdoor activities, to fight for some sliver of that made up California dream. Americans pave, deforest, erode, urbanize, clog and generally usurp my homeland, and at the end of the day, what, you guys can't stand California? Well, I don't much care for Americans, so why don't we secede and close off our borders from the Americans? We have all the resources we need. America is what's wrong with California.

[Aryadne]

In response to Shawn and Another Californian, check out this post I wrote: http://restoringtruthiness.org/12704/california-to-nation-im-leaving-you-for-another-country

I used some of your suggestions and added just a few more to complete the list of what California is taking with her when she leaves the country!

[Ruby]

Since California is the most populous state, I don't think they asked anyone who lives here.

[Dustin Ingalls]

Ruby, we asked these questions of voters across the country, so CA was well-represented. If we had excluded CA, the numbers would be worse.

[Kimberley J. Peterson]

I was going to chime in on this poll too and say Hawaii as well as my favorite state. Good times there. I wouldn't pick Cali. as my least favorite state because of my political affiliation. That's rediculous. It's my least favorite state because every visit I've had there has some component of people arguing or the ground shaking. Cali. is bad juju.

[Kevin]

My friend want me to make a Tee shirt for his home state of Miane.
"Maine. Less people to hate."

[bobski]

Shawn - please feel free to take away all that you listed but for Williams Sonoma. The rest is utter garbage, particularly your entertainment industry and Facebook.

[Alice Johnson]

Well, the dude, Chris, and Another Californian, you can go whenever you are ready. I'm certain Mexico would love to have all the things you have listed. And if you are lucky, the Mexican Drug Cartels will let you live long enough to enjoy those things. And the dude, if Americans are so "borish, destructive and ignorant" why do you stay anyway. Plus I would like to point out many of those items would be worthless without people to purchase, visit, use, etc...
Craig Casey your comments are right on the money. It's a shame Obama is determined to make the same mistakes.
So California, maybe you were last on the list because of your egotistical attitudes and inability to admit when you are wrong!

[The Funniest Pictures Blog]

Having read this I believed it was rather informative. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this short article together. I once again find myself spending a lot of time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!

[wozzieb]

As a second generation Californian and multi-generational American, I concur with the current ranking. California HAD it all. 6th largest economy *in the world*, beautiful and diverse natural landscapes and resources, the richest agricultural environment in the country--and among so in the world. It had a wild west free thought mentality that was willing to try anything once and let the rest of the world learn from its findings. It was bold, young, strong, and beautiful. Everyone loved her and wanted to be with her. Now, like Whitney, she's in a BAD relationship and is plummeting in a death spin. Binding union legislation and punishing tax legislation are chasing out businesses--including 'green' corporations-- and the residents who would work for them and live and pay taxes.
People once flocked. They are now driven out because of broken legislation, union protectionism, environmental policies which punish the economy for negligible benefit if not outright harm to the natural resources they seek to 'protect', and the holier than thou sheeple who have long since rejected the notion that there is any other consideration to issues than their own opinion.
It's alright, Pelosians. Keep your proud stance and drive the state into the ground and flee with all the other rats when the state looks like Detroit on the west coast. When that time comes, those of us who *LOVE* the land and its potential with every fiber of our being will be there to clean up your mess and rebuild it to its brilliant potential. Yosemite will outlive you all.

[Linda]

I live between Montana and South Dakota, and Montana is by far a more favorable place for me to live. I think home is where your heart is, so if you love where you are, good for you.
I do travel frequently, and although I enjoy my stays in foreign lands and through out the USA, I am much happier to be home(in Montana).
Interesting poll.

[Rob]

I'm born and raised in South Dakota. And I think the fact that I'm surprised it's that high says it all...is it because of Mount Rushmore?

[Kate]

Californians - if you wonder why people dislike you, look at your responses. You dismiss the middle of the country as "flyover states". Much of the products you consume is made from things grown/made in these states. There are beautiful sights and wonderful people in these states. I'm from a large Midwestern city, that's pretty diverse, and when I visited California this winter I was made to feel like I wasn't worthy to be there by a handful of people from your so-called "homeland". I realize this may have been an unfair experience of what California might be, but you all are only reinforcing this attitude. My dislike for California has nothing to do with politics. My city is quite liberal and very gay-friendly. I don't care for the holier-than-thou attitude. But what do I know, my city only has about 1.5 million people in it.

[Jake Hall]

Jake from TN here. I just wanted to say I thought we were a little high on the list. Do I like TN as a top 3 favorable state...oh yeah (biased as could be). Anyway, I like California and have visited many times. I'm really surprised about that particular result most of all. Most people I know like California...there has to be an unknown factor that is skewing the results. Sorry California. Dearly, TN.

[C.R.]

I am from AZ and I love California. If the housing were cheaper I would move there in a heartbeat. Arizona has turned into a racist, bigoted state and if you're a liberal and living here you are treated like a socialist, communist, extremist, idiot. California has everything that I think is perfect - beaches galore, mountains, sequoias, redwoods, deserts, wine country... just everything. We go to San Diego every year for vacation to get out of the oppressive July heat and humidity and that week is so rejuvenating to me and my soul. Lastly, I want to say I was born in Florida, have lived in NC, and Indiana and wound up in AZ and have been here for over 30 years. Without a doubt, I much prefer the west now to the east and when I go back east to visit friends a family after about a few days I am so ready to get back home to the wide open spaces and beautiful mountains I have embraced now as home.

[Ryan]

Hi, Ryan from Virginia here. Just thought I'd add my input. Favorite state: VA. Least favorite: CA. Nuff said 'bout that. Now to the comments. As always, I see Californians complaining and thinking of themselves as "oh so important" News flash California: Your argument is invalid. Only the liberals oyu love so much move to California, as well as Mexicans, which are also liberal. And, PLEASE, make your own country. We'll be much happier here. As a state that was added around 1850, you don't have the right to complain against us original states. And as for secession: I believe us Southern States tried to secede once, because WE were the ones fighting the wars. War of 1812: Soldiers were mainly Virginian, with some Marylander, and other Southerners. The North refused to join. We then proceeded to fight the war against Mexico, all alone. Then, we decide to seperate from the states that refuse to fight for America, and suddenly, the North can't lose their precious cotten states. So THAT'S when you liberals go to war. So, in conclusion, Southerners are the real Americans and states like Virginia, one of the original 13, have more right to complain. PS: California, you volunteered to join America. Deal with it.