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Topics: Illinois, New York, California
William Morgan
Data analysis has revealed which states are the least liked by Americans, with their citizens fleeing in larger numbers than anywhere else and their neighbors all but ready to wall them off from the rest of the union.
By breaking down the data on which states have seen the greatest number of their citizens heading elsewhere and comparing the numbers with public opinion surveys, World Population Review has effectively ranked which states were the most disliked.
This analysis, which combined how each state's citizens viewed themselves with how other states viewed them, produced some surprising results, with a large number of territories on the East Coast making it into the top 10.
In some cases, what drove some states to rank among the most disliked were concerns from their own residents about cost of living pressures, or a lack of life prospects, while others were brought down by intense inter-state rivalries over sports teams and old grudges.
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The most disliked state in all of America, according to World Population Review's tabulation, is actually Illinois.
With a population that is steadily shrinking, falling by 0.54 percent per year, and one in four of its own residents saying it is the worst place in the whole of America, the Prairie State easily topped the list.
While only one nearby state said it was its least favorite neighbor, much of the self-hatred in Illinois came from the eternal divide between liberal-leaning Michigan and the more conservative rural parts of the state.
The Garden State has received a lot of hate over the years, from inside and out, but the home of Bon Jovi, boardwalks, and The Sopranos, is only the second most disliked place in the whole country.
Part of the reason for it ranking so highly is actually that five of the states surrounding New Jersey rank it as the worst state, with roughly one in 10 residents also saying they think it sucks.
This may explain why the state has seen a 0.3 percent population decline in recent years, with New Jerseyites leaving for somewhere with fewer angry drivers and confusing Italian slang words.
Despite containing a city that is often ranked as one of the great cities of the world, on par with places like Paris and London, with its own thriving art scene and powerful economy, New York came in third on the list.
12 percent of New Yorkers said in the survey that it was the worst place to live in America, in spite of its global reputation and cultural dominance. This could be why, according to population data, 0.45 percent of residents have left recently.
It also drew a great deal of hate from some of its neighbors, with Massachusetts' citizens saying it was their least favorite part of the country.
West Virginians have been leaving their state in great numbers, with the data showing a 0.76 percent fall in its population, with nearby Ohio and Virginia being popular destinations for people fleeing the Mountain State.
Of those who remain, six percent believe their state is the worst in the country, which is probably unsurprising with West Virginia facing serious economic issues and high levels of unemployment.
Coming in at fifth on the list is the largest and wealthiest state in America, proving that it is not just money that makes a state well-liked and happy.
However, success breeds contempt. Nine other states ranked liberal California as their most disliked state, with it often experiencing the wrath of conservative media for its supposed left-leaning policies.
Six percent of Californians hate their state the most, despite its temperate climate, famous beaches, and of course, world-dominating cultural impact on the big screen. It has seen a 0.11 percent drop in it population recently.
You can find the other states that made it into the ten most hated below.