Some cities will charm you the moment you step off the plane. Others? You’ll be honked at before you’ve even found your luggage. America is a huge, wonderfully messy, culturally rich country – and how people treat each other varies wildly depending on where you happen to land. Honestly, some of these rankings will surprise you. Others will confirm every suspicion you ever had.
In July 2024, a total of 2,533 survey participants across 46 of America’s largest cities were asked to recall how often they had experienced fellow residents demonstrating behaviors such as listening to music in shared spaces, ignoring strangers, being disrespectful of personal space, and careless driving. The study, conducted by language learning platform Preply, produced a rudeness score on a scale from zero to ten. The results were, let’s just say, illuminating. So let’s dive in.
1. Miami, Florida – The Rudest City in America
If rudeness had a trophy, Miami would need a bigger shelf. Miami ranks as the most inconsiderate city in 2024, with a rudeness score of 9.88 out of 10. That’s not just a high number – that’s almost a perfect score on a scale measuring bad public behavior, and it places Miami in a category entirely its own among American cities.
A recent survey from Preply.com revealed Miami, Florida, to be the “rudest” city in the U.S. based on responses from participants in 46 of America’s largest cities. Lack of awareness in public, loudness in shared places, and rudeness to service staff members are just some of the behaviors that branded Miami as having the rudest residents. Think of it like this: if American cities were dinner parties, Miami would be the guest who shows up late, talks over everyone, and leaves without saying goodbye.
2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The City of Brotherly… What Exactly?
Philadelphia calls itself the “City of Brotherly Love,” which, given the data, might be the most ironic city nickname in the country. Philadelphia, deemed in the 2022 survey to be the rudest city, earned a score of 9.12 in 2024, putting it in second place. So technically, Philly has improved. That’s the good news…