It may surprise you to hear this, but last year alone over 25.6 million Americans moved states due to lower living costs or work arrangements. This got us thinking about which US states are the most boring to move to, so we decided to carry out some in-depth research.
We began by comparing all 50 states using nine relative indicators, including population density, entertainment score, the number of casinos, and happiness levels. This allowed us to rank all 50 states in order of how boring (or not so boring) they are, which may help you to choose a destination if you’re considering moving to another state.
The most boring states in America
Let’s begin by taking a look at which US states rank as the most boring.
#10: Tennessee
With a population density of 175 people per square mile, Tennessee isn’t short of people to socialize with. However, various other factors such as a community and environment score of 42 and, perhaps most importantly, zero casinos result in it having a total score of 6.91 out of 9. This places Tennessee as the tenth most boring state in the USA.
#9: Kansas
Coming in at number 9, which just happens to be the number of casinos it contains, Kansas actually has the exact same total score as Tennessee, making the two states equally as boring. Some of the factors that give the state this score are a population density of just 36 people per square mile and a Nightlife Score of 35.
#8: New Mexico
Despite being the setting for the thrill-a-minute TV series Breaking Bad, New Mexico is still considered quite dull. The state actually has 26 casinos, but other factors such as a population density of just 17 people per square mile and a work environment score of 47 give it a total score of 6.92 out of 9 (only a fraction above Kansas and Tennessee). This is quite surprising when you take into account that this state has 26 casinos.
#7: Maine
Maine be known for its incredible fresh seafood (not to mention two casinos), but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an exciting state to live in. A nightlife score of 47 and an entertainment and recreation score of 39 contribute to an overall score of 7.04 out of 9.
#6: Vermont
From deep lakes to high mountains, Vermont sure does have more than its fair share of natural beauty. However, there are no national parks in the state, nor are there any casinos. These factors and a few others give it a total score of 7.41 out of 9.
#5: Kentucky
You wouldn’t think that a state famous for its horse racing, bourbon and fried chicken would rank so highly on a list of boring states. Despite this and its two casinos, Kentucky is seen as a pretty boring state with a total score of 7.68 out of 9, which is partly due to its emotional and physical wellbeing score of 49.
#4: Alabama
Even a state that’s home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and four casinos can still be considered pretty boring. Alabama has a community and environment score of 46 and no national parks, which when weighed up give it a total score of 7.79 out of 9.
#3: West Virginia
The topic of the beloved John Denver song, West Virginia is the third-most boring state in the USA, with a total score of 8.07 out of 9. It does have five casinos though, so there is a silver lining.
#2: Arkansas
There may be a lot of lakes, rivers and hot springs in Arkansas (plus two casinos), but the state has been ranked as the second-most boring in the USA. A population density of 59 people per square mile makes the state pretty quiet, giving it a total score of 8.14 out of 9.
#1: Mississippi
To give credit where it’s due, Mississippi has 31 casinos. Nevertheless, a lack of national parks is one of the factors that gives it a total score of 8.15 out of 9, making it the most boring state in America.
The least boring states in the US
It wouldn’t be right to list the USA’s most boring states without also mentioning the states that are considered the most interesting and exciting. So, here we go…
#5: New Jersey
New Jersey comes in at 46 out of 50, which is good news when you’re ranking states from most to least boring. Its many beaches, historical sites, 10 casinos and a population density of 1,267 people per square mile combine to give it a score of 4.74 out of 9.
#4: Washington
Next up is Washington, with a total score of 4.59 out of 9. Washington has three national parks, 57 casinos and a strong work environment score of 5, so there’s no wonder it ranks well.
#3: Minnesota
With 24 casinos, a good entertainment and recreation score of 10 and a nightlife score of 5, Minnesota receives a total score of 4.40 out of 9. This makes it the third-least boring state in the USA.
#2: Nevada
With 345 casinos lining the Las Vegas Strip and dotted around the rest of the state, as well as a fantastic nightlife score of 1, you’d think that Nevada would be the least boring state in America. Not quite though, as its total score of 3.47 out of 9 brings it in as the second-least boring.
#1: California
Let’s face it, with everything from Hollywood and Silicon Valley to Disneyland and an incredible dining scene, California has earned the right to be named the least boring state in the USA. Add to this, 97 casinos and a best-as-you-can-get entertainment and recreation score of 1, and California receives a total score of just 3.15 out of 9 in terms of boringness.
The best states for casinos
Before we finish, let’s take a quick look at the top three states for casinos.
#3: Louisiana
With 136 casinos and a casino revenue of $2.69B in 2023, Louisiana has made the top three best states for casinos.
#2: Montana
Though its casino revenue in 2023 was relatively low at $8.45M, Montana has 171 casinos, putting it firmly in place at number two.
#1: Nevada
We’re sure it won’t come as a surprise that Nevada is the number one best state in the USA for casino lovers. With 345 casinos and a staggeringly high casino revenue of $15.52B, it remains the ultimate destination for people who love to try their luck at slots, poker and roulette.
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Methodology
The data ranks 50 US states based on how boring or fun they are based on 9 factors. Once the data was collected, the factors were the normalized, to provide each factor with a score of between 0 and 1. If data was not available, a score of 0 was given. The normalised values were then added together, to give each location a total score. The locations were then ranked from high to low, based on their total score.
- Entertainment and Recreation Score – score taking into account the number of attractions as well as restaurants, amusement parks, golf courses, fitness centers, state fairs and events per capita in each state as reported by worldpopulationreview.com. A low score gets a high value.
- Nightlife Score – score taking into account movie costs, music festivals per capita, theaters per capita, and casinos per capita in each state as reported by worldpopulationreview.com. A low score gets a high value.
- Number of National Parks – number of national parks in each state as reported by worldpopulationreview.com. A high score gets a high value.
- Emotional and Physical Wellbeing Score – score taking into account career and social wellbeing, sport participation rate, life expectancy, and suicide rates in each state as reported by worldpopulationreview.com. A low score gets a high value.
- Community and Environment Score – score taking into account volunteer rate, ideal weather, safety, average leisure time and divorce rates in each state as reported by worldpopulationreview.com. A low score gets a high value.
- Work Environment Score – score taking into account unemployment rate, number of work hours, job security, and income growth rate in each state as reported by worldpopulationreview.com. A low score gets a high value.
- Number of Casinos – number of casinos in each state as reported by worldpopulationreview.com. A high score gets a high value.
- Gaming Revenue of Casinos – gaming revenue of casinos in 2023 in millions according to statista.com. A high score gets a high value.
- Population density – the number of people per square mile, including areas of water or glaciers. A high score gets a high value.
Sources
- World Population Review – https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/most-boring-states
- World Population Review – https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/happiest-states
- Word Population Review – https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/casinos-by-state
- Statista – https://www.statista.com/statistics/187926/gross-gaming-revenue-by-state-us/