You've probably felt it the moment a stranger held the door open for you on Broadway. Or when a local gave you restaurant recommendations for 10 minutes even though you only asked one question.
Turns out, that's not just your imagination.
Tennessee has officially ranked as the friendliest state in the entire South, according to a new 2026 study from SmartAsset, as reported by WSMV4.
How Did They Actually Measure “Friendly”?
Great question. Friendliness is one of those things that feels impossible to put a number on. But SmartAsset found a way.
The study looked at all 50 states and measured the average number of minutes residents spend each day on what they called “friendly activities.” That includes time spent socializing, volunteering, and helping others outside the home.
As SmartAsset put it, the results offer “a behavioral snapshot of where residents spend the most time engaging with others in their communities.”
So it's not just vibes. It's actual time.
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Tennessee came in at No. 17 overall in the country — and No. 1 in the South. Here's how the numbers broke down for the state:
- Average minutes spent socializing daily: 33.82
- Average minutes spent volunteering daily: 9.45
- Average minutes spent helping others daily: 19.53
That's more than an hour a day that Tennesseans spend focused on other people. Think about that next time someone at a Nashville coffee shop strikes up a conversation while you're waiting in line.
The Top 10 Friendliest States
Curious where else made the list? The top 10 friendliest states in the country are:
- Montana
- Utah
- Wyoming
- Oregon
- Illinois
- Rhode Island
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Missouri
- Washington
The South didn't make the top 10, but Tennessee landing at No. 17 and leading the entire region is still a big deal.
The Bottom 10 Might Surprise You
On the flip side, the least friendly states — based on time spent on social activities — are:
- No. 50: Idaho
- No. 49: Delaware
- No. 48: Nevada
- No. 47: Georgia
- No. 46: Connecticut
- No. 45: Vermont
- No. 44: Louisiana
- No. 43: Kentucky
- No. 42: Pennsylvania
- No. 41: California
A few of those feel a little surprising. Louisiana at No. 44? We'd argue with that, but the data says what it says.
What This Means for Your Nashville Trip
If you've been on the fence about visiting Nashville, let this be the nudge you needed.
The friendliness you'll experience here isn't a put-on or a tourist-trap act. It's just how people are. Locals genuinely want to help you find the best honky-tonk, point you toward the hot chicken spot they actually eat at, and make sure you leave with a good impression of the city.
That kind of warmth is hard to fake — and apparently, it's measurable.
Source: WSMV4
