The Rudest City In The US Is A Popular Florida Location Most People Know By Name

When you think of places in the U.S. known for their rudeness, the northeast usually springs to mind. New Yorkers are famous for their impatience and hurried directness that can at times cross the line into impoliteness. Residents of Boston are noted for their aggressive and inconsiderate driving that has earned them the unflattering moniker "M*ssholes," while Philadelphia sports fans can be so obnoxious and boorish that their football stadium once had its own courtroom and jail.

Given this regional reputation for crude behavior, it may surprise some to learn that, according to a 2024 study by language tutoring app Preply, the rudest spot in the U.S. isn't in the north at all, but rather sits in the sun-drenched environs of southern Florida: the city of Miami to be precise.

This surprising ranking flies in the face of commonly held beliefs about who wears the crown for being selfish, brash, and nasty in the U.S.A., but the folks at Preply stick by their findings. And while one of the usual suspects (Philadelphia) did come in at second, Miami indeed topped the list. But how did it get there?

Rudeness, according to Preply, is exemplified by things such as "lack of care for others, being loud in shared spaces, and lack of self-awareness." Other behaviors were factored into its study as well, including ignoring strangers, closed-off body language, inconsiderate driving, and treating service staff poorly. Miami scored high in many of these, earning it the non-coveted No. 1 spot.

To arrive at its findings, Preply surveyed over 1,500 of residents in major metropolitan areas across the U.S. The questions addressed the levels of rudeness in the cities the respondents called home, which meant they had to rate their own town. Each city was scored on a scale from one to 10, and Miami came in with a whopping 9.88, easily beating out the competition.

While it's probably wise to take these findings with a grain of salt, Miamians themselves seem to eagerly embrace their reputation for rudeness. An article in the Miami New Times quotes scores of locals reinforcing the claims of the Preply study. "Holding a door open for someone only for them to pass by and not acknowledge, standing right in front of the elevator at the lobby and walking in before the load inside walks out, and the reckless and dangerous driving are warm reminders that I'm home," said one honest local, while another claimed that good-looking people could expect better treatment. "That only happens when you're ugly. In Miami, if you're fairly good-looking, ppl will at least say hello back and crack a smile," they wrote. "In NYC, they aren't as discriminatory. Ugly ppl get love, too."

Whether Miami is inhabited by the rudest people in the U.S. remains up for debate; what is not contested is that the city attracts some of the highest number of visitors in the country, and for good reason. Tourists flock to the city to enjoy the very unique charms that it has on offer — including the hottest Miami tourist attractions — and to also use it as a launchpad for diving into southern Florida's myriad outdoor destinations.

While you're in Miami, make sure to check the bustling neighborhood of Little Havana, which is best explored via a food tour that will have your taste buds popping as you sample the best of the local Cuban cuisine. Soak up the Art Deco splendor of South Beach, where you can also stay in this luxurious hotel that teleports you to a Spanish village, and when it comes time to relax on the sand, head straight for this scenic beach situated in a gorgeous coastal park.

For outdoor excursions in the area, look no further than the 1.5-million-acre Everglades National Park, where you can spot gators and other wildlife via this backroads route or from the back of an airboat. The enchanting islands that make up the Florida Keys are just a straight shot down Highway 1, while the remote and utterly unique Dry Tortugas National Park offers splendid opportunities for snorkeling and diving.