Two New England States are Among the Friendliest in America

One of the many things I enjoy about living in Massachusetts is the friendly people. I know Massachusetts and New England folks in general sometimes get a reputation for being closed off, grumpy, and even rude, but that hasn't been my experience. I've lived in Berkshire County my entire life, and the Berkshires in particular seem very friendly. People are ready to help each other at a moment's notice. Again, this is my experience; you may argue, which you have the right to do.

One personal experience that involved friendly people from Massachusetts and the Berkshires is when I received a kidney from a childhood friend in 2017. It goes without saying that he was an angel, but the community that surrounded me with best wishes, donations, and support until things got back to normal in my life was quite overwhelming. It just shows how many caring, generous, and friendly people are right here in the Bay State.

Two New England States are Among the Friendliest in America

Speaking of the Bay State and being friendly, a study conducted by SmartAsset, which ranked the friendliness of states based on the average daily minutes residents spend socializing, volunteering, and helping non-household members, revealed that two New England States rank in the top 20 of friendliest states in America. As you probably guessed, Massachusetts is one of the two that rank in the top 20, coming in at #12.

Massachusetts Friendly Stats

Average Minutes Spent Socializing (daily): 35.38
Average Minutes Spent Volunteering (daily): 9.63
Average Minutes Spent Helping Others (daily): 20.91

The second New England state that did six slots better is Rhode Island, which ranked at #6.

Rhode Island Friendly Stats

Average Minutes Spent Socializing (daily): 52.15
Average Minutes Spent Volunteering (daily): 5.33
Average Minutes Spent Helping Others (daily): 17.35

You can view the entire study by going here. Don't forget to smile and say hello to someone today. You may just make their day.

LOOK: Every state's nickname and where it comes from

Spokeo analyzed state government information and other historical sources to compile this list of stories behind every state's nickname.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

Offbeat adventures: Travel to the coolest hidden wonders in every U.S. state

Fuel your offbeat travel dreams. Stacker found the coolest hidden wonders in all 50 U.S. states (plus D.C.) using data from Atlas Obscura.

[WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter private or abandoned property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing.]

Gallery Credit: Sandi Hemmerlein

Source: 2 New England States are Among the Friendliest in America for 2026

Filed Under: Massachusetts, Berkshire County, Rhode Island

Categories: Articles