Midwesterners are known for three things: saying “pop” instead of “soda,” thinking anything above 45 degrees is shorts weather, and being unusually polite. But just how polite are they? And of the Midwest cities, which take the stereotype to the extreme, and which...fall a little short?
We wanted to know how the Midwest states ranked in terms of politeness. We conducted a study of 2,000 Midwesterners to find out. It was easy to find our participants; they were all waiting in line at Culver’s.
Key Takeaways
- Indiana is home to two of the rudest cities in the region: Evansville and Fort Wayne, with rudeness scores of 5.82 and 5.71 out of 10, respectively.
- Minnesotans are the truest to the stereotype, with two cities—St. Paul and Minneapolis—ranking among the top five most polite in the region.
- Politeness varies by context, like in Kansas City, MO, where people are more likely than any other area to be rude to strangers.
The Rudest in the Region: Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana, takes the cake when it comes to rudeness, scoring a 5.82 out of 10 (higher is worse) on our rudeness scale. That’s 1.32 points higher than the Midwest median.
The most notably rude thing Evansville residents do? Fail to hold doors for strangers. Only about 30% of Evansville residents say they see people taking part in this simple act of kindness frequently. They’re also a bit on the selfish side when it comes to gatherings with friends and family. Only 26% of residents say it’s common to bring food or a drink to share with others. That’s the least likely in the region.
Indiana must be predisposed to rudeness because it is also home to the second-rudest city in the region, Fort Wayne, with a score of 5.71. Only five other cities score above a five:
- Rockford, IL: 5.7
- Columbus, OH: 5.64
- Detroit, MI: 5.59
- Joliet, IL: 5.55
- Kansas City, MO: 5.15
The Friendliest of the Midwest States: Minnesota
On the other end of the spectrum, Minnesotans are the friendliest people in the Midwest overall. The state is home not only to the most polite Midwest city—St. Paul—but also has another city—Minneapolis—in fourth place for most congenial.
In direct contrast to Evansville residents, people in St. Paul are some of the most likely in the region to hold doors for strangers, with 80% of our respondents saying they frequently or always see this happening.
Drivers in St. Paul are also unusually congenial. The state scores second in terms of how frequently people yield to others, with 50% of our respondents saying they see this all the time. About the same percentage of people also typically adhere to speed limits and other traffic laws.
Minneapolis residents have big hearts, too. Most—63%—are likely to hold a door for a stranger, 83% are likely to bring food or a drink to share at a gathering, and 77% smile at or even greet strangers in public settings.
And if someone from Minneapolis bumps into a stranger in public, will they apologize? You betcha! If you don’t hear an “ope, let me squeeze right past ya” before the bump, you’ll almost certainly hear a “sorry” afterward. How nice.
What Makes Midwesterners So Polite?
So, what makes Midwesterners so polite? It’s the little things that you might never see in a city like Manhattan: interacting pleasantly with strangers, driving with others in mind, and polite engagement with friends, family, and neighbors.
Conversations with Strangers
On average, over half—55%—of Midwesterners frequently hold the door for strangers. The most likely place to see this act of kindness is in Des Moines, IA, where it happens around 90% of the time. The least likely city is Fort Wayne, IN, where you’ll see it just 10% of the time. Rude.
More than 75% of people from the Midwest will at least smile at or greet strangers in public. Cleveland, OH, is the place to go for interactions with strangers, as 96% will smile or say hello. Head to Rockford, IL, if you’d prefer to keep to yourself, as just 40% engage with strangers.
Accidentally bumping into a stranger in public should be met with an apology or at least acknowledgment, right? In Aurora, Des Moines, Naperville, Omaha, Sioux Falls, and St. Paul, you’ll get at least that. Nearly a third of people in Kansas City on the Missouri side will just ignore it and move on.
Lastly, if you get lost, try to get lost in Toledo, OH, the Midwest city where strangers get accurate help and directions most often, about 92% of the time. If you’re driving through St. Paul, MN, their overall politeness won’t extend to you. Get your GPS out because you’ll only get help about 61% of the time.
Driving
Being polite in person is one thing, but being polite when you’re driving is another. It’s easier to cut someone off than to engage in polite conversation at 65 mph.
When it comes to yielding, drivers in Aurora, IL, are the most polite, with 80% usually being willing to yield to others. In Columbus, OH, you’ll be left to create your own opportunity to yield 82% of the time.
Aurora, IL, is also the Midwest city for you if you follow the rules of the road and want to see other people doing the same. An impressive 80% abide by speed limits and other traffic rules. Drivers in Rockford, IL, are the worst offenders here, with only 20% routinely complying with traffic laws.
Engagement with Friends/Family/Neighbors
What’s more polite than being willing to help a neighbor out with chores, like shoveling the 4 feet of snow that dumped on their property overnight? Only 45% of Midwesterners are willing to help a neighbor in need. Omaha, NE, is evidently a city of neighborly love, as just about 80% of people are willing to step up for a neighbor. Fort Wayne, IN, has the lowest score here, with just 10% of residents qualifying as friendly neighbors.
And if you’re headed to a gathering with family and friends, the polite thing to do is bring something that everyone can enjoy, right? Residents of Peoria, IL, think so—88% say people from the area do this all the time. Going to a party in Evansville, IN? Bring your own snacks because just 26% would consider bringing something to share.
Midwest Stereotypes: Some Are Undoubtedly True
Stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, eh? It turns out that Midwesterners DO actually tend to be pretty polite. The midpoint score in our politeness ratings is a 5 out of 10, and the average for Midwestern states is 0.5 under that, suggesting that people in the region really are more polite.
Methodology
We conducted a survey in May 2024 of 2,000 people from Midwestern states to ask about how polite they perceived people in their cities to be. The participants had a median age of 38; 59% were female, 38% were male, and 3% identified as non-binary.
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