SALT LAKE CITY — Utah, our reputation precedes us. We're actually as nice as people around the country say we are!
In a new SmartAsset study released Tuesday, Utah was ranked the second friendliest state in the U.S., sitting only behind the folks up in Montana. Meanwhile, our neighbors to the north in Idaho have some work to do, as they ranked dead last.
The study used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and calculated the average daily minutes residents spent socializing, volunteering, and helping people outside the household.
In those categories, Utah spent 38.2 minutes a day socializing, placing 13th overall nationwide, but did amazingly well in volunteering, ranking third at 32.5 minutes a day. When it came to helping others, Utah also starred. finishing 6th overall at 21 minutes a day.
Overall, the West ruled the rankings, with the top four friendliest states being found in the neighborhood of Utah.
TOP 10 FRIENDLIEST STATES:
1. Montana
2. UTAH
3. Wyoming
4. Oregon
5. Illinois
6. Rhode Island
7. Nebraska
8. North Dakota
9 Missouri
10. Washington.
