Hate is a pretty strong word. So are “detest,” “abhor,” and “loathe.” But sometimes, it feels like people have a personal vendetta against the state they live in. Whether it’s the job market, the cost of living, or just plain boredom, certain states don’t make the cut for everyone.

And if you think the hate stops with the residents, think again! Some states are notorious for being crummy neighbors, boasting annoying sports teams, or unleashing bad drivers onto the roads of America. (We’re looking at you, California.)

But how do we know which states are truly the most disliked? Thanks to the folks at Zippia, we’ve got some answers. They dug into the data to see which states are the most unlikable across three big categories: the percent of residents who think their state is the “worst possible place to live,” population trends, and the states that other states love to hate.

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Here’s how it went down:

Metric #1: "This place is the worst!"
In a bold move, Gallup asked people to rate their own state. The percentage of residents who called their state the “worst possible place to live” gave us a pretty clear indication of local discontent. If you’re surrounded by people who seem to hate everything about where they live, you might want to consider moving yourself!

Metric #2: The “foot” votes
Is the population growing or shrinking? When people aren’t thrilled with where they live, they pack up and head for greener pastures. Zippia looked at population trends using U.S. Census data to figure out which states were losing the most residents. The bigger the drop, the less love a state was getting.

Metric #3: What the rest of the country thinks
It’s one thing to dislike where you live, but it’s another thing to be the state everyone else loves to hate. Based on an Instagram poll, Zippia discovered which states are the least popular among their neighbors. California? You’re on blast here, with 9 other states pointing fingers.

2024 Most Hated States
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2024 Most Hated States

So, who came out on top (or bottom, depending on how you look at it)? Illinois took the crown for the most hated state, with 25% of its residents calling it the worst. Ouch. Meanwhile, Alaska had the most state pride, with 77% of Alaskans standing by their beautiful wilderness.

But don’t worry, North Dakota—we ranked a respectable 34th! We’re clearly not the worst, but maybe we need to send a few more fruit baskets to our neighbors to boost that ranking.

Looking at you, Montana, you’re doing just fine at 48th! Keep up the good work!

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Gallery Credit: Stacker

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It's time to hit the road—Stacker compiled a list of the best scenic drives in North Dakota using data from Tripadvisor as of March 2024.

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