Snobbery, often a hushed topic in social circles, carries significant cultural weight. But can an entire state be labeled as “snobby?” According to a study by Zippia, the answer is yes.
This study measured four factors to determine the snobbiness of each state: percentage of bachelor’s degree holders, percentage of degrees in arts and humanities, number of Ivy League colleges, and gallons of annual wine consumption.
Before diving in, it’s important to note a disclaimer: possessing a degree or enjoying a glass of wine doesn’t automatically qualify someone as a snob. This data should be viewed with a grain of salt.
1. Massachusetts
Massachusetts is the snobbiest state in America. A significant 42% of adults in Massachusetts hold a bachelor’s degree. The Bay State is home to Harvard University, an eye-roll-worthy claim when alumni boast about where they studied.
2. Vermont
Twenty-nine percent of Vermonters hold a college degree. The snobby Green Mountain State is home to the third-biggest wine drinkers in the US, with residents drinking an average of 26 bottles per year.
3. Connecticut
Thirty-eight percent of Connecticuters have a bachelor’s degree. Connecticut may be proud to claim Yale University as theirs, but it’s not a good look for the Nutmeg State on the snobby front.
4. New York
The Empire State wreaks snobbiness, for it’s the only state in the US home to two Ivy League schools: Cornell University and Columbia University. The state “only” has a wine-drinking rate of 16 bottles per adult per year.
5. New Hampshire
New Hampshire has a 36% bachelor’s degree diploma rate. Some of those students graduated from Ivy League Dartmouth College.
The Granite State has the greatest percentage of wine drinkers so far on this list, at a rate of 28 wine bottles every year.
6. Rhode Island
Rhode Island ties with New Hampshire for the 5th and 6th snobbiest states in the US. The Ocean State is home to Ivy League Brown University, and 33% of its residents are bachelor’s degree holders.
7. California
Californians love their arts and humanities, with 26% of college graduates holding an arts or humanities degree. While the Golden State, home to Napa Valley, surprisingly doesn’t have the most wine drinkers in the nation, a wine bottle consumption of 19 per person per year is still producing its fair share of snobs, according to Zippia.
8. Oregon
Oregon’s snobbiness numbers rank just below California’s. Residents in The Beaver State have the same 26% of arts and humanities graduates, and they have just one percent fewer bachelor’s degree holders.
9. Maine
Despite Maine not having an Ivy League school, it ranks above average in a bad way for the number of bachelor’s degrees and arts or humanities degrees its residents have. Luckily for Bay Staters wanting to keep a better reputation, adults only consume an average of 14 wine bottles per year, preventing Maine from snagging a snob spot higher on this list.
10. Virginia
Virginia makes the top ten list of snobbiest states in America. The Old Dominion ties with Connecticut for having the second-most bachelor’s degree holders in the country, at 38%.
11. Washington
It turns out the Evergreen State has its fair share of snobs living between its wilderness areas. Washington has a high rate of bachelor’s degree graduates, 24% of which studied arts or humanities.
12. New Jersey
Even though New Jersey is home to Ivy League Princeton University, it has the lowest percentage of arts or humanities degree holders, at 21%. That’s not so snobby, New Jersey, but it’s still not great.
13. Maryland
It’s official: Maryland has the most bachelor’s degree holders in America. When ranking it for snobby residents, that statistic doesn’t bode well. So, what saves the Free State from being higher on this list? Marylanders “only” consume 12 bottles of wine per year.
14. Illinois
Illinoisans are quite the snobs, according to Zippia’s findings. Thirty-four percent of residents in the Prairie State have a bachelor’s degree, 23% of which are in arts or humanities.
15. Hawaii
Tourists may not see Hawaii as a snobby state. But with an adult wine consumption of 18 bottles per year and 32% of its residents holding a bachelor’s degree, the data indicates that Hawaii is snobbier than many expect.
16. Minnesota
Minnesota ties with Hawaii in being an above-average snobby state. While Minnesotan adults drink four fewer wine bottles per year than Hawaiians, the North Star State has higher college education numbers, making these states rank neck-in-neck for snobbiness.
17. Alaska
With a state boasting so much natural beauty, some may argue that Alaskans are predisposed to be snobby. Twenty-nine percent of The Last Frontier’s residents hold a bachelor’s degree, and adults drink an average of 16 bottles of wine per year.
18. North Carolina
Thirty percent of North Carolinians are proud bachelor’s degree owners, and 23% of them have a degree in arts or humanities. That’s rather snobby if you ask Zippia.
19. Idaho
The data Zippia found on Idaho is troubling, but not so much because of how snobby it is; the Gem State’s adults consume an average of 37 bottles of wine per person per year.
20. Utah
Utah varies drastically in the wine department, perhaps because the Mormon religion bans alcohol consumption. Adults only consume an average of six wine bottles per year. However, Utah’s 33% rate of bachelor’s degree holders makes it quite the snob.
21. Colorado
Coloradans can breathe a sigh of relief for staying out of the top 20 snobbiest states in the US. But they’re still a snobby bunch, with 25% of residents in the Centennial State holding bachelor’s degrees.
22. Delaware
Delaware’s 20% of college degrees being in arts and humanities is a relatively less snobby look up to this point. But the First State has a whopping 31% of residents who hold bachelor’s degrees.
23. Florida
Florida ties with the next two states as the middle of the road for snobby Americans. Of the three tied states, Floridians are most snobby in their wine consumption, with each adult drinking an average of 17 wine bottles per year.
24. Montana
Montana scores one wine bottle less snobby than Florida and one percent snobbier in arts or humanities degree holders.
25. Pennsylvania
Despite Pennsylvania being home to the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania, it enjoys a mid-range spot in the US’ snobbiest rankings.
The Keystone State has similar education numbers as Florida and Montana, but Pennsylvanians drink a relatively low ten bottles of wine per year.
26. Nevada
Nevadans have a lot to celebrate on the snobbiness front, for they round the corner as being the top 25 least snobby states in the US.
The Silver State only has 24% of its population with bachelor’s degrees, though their 19 annual wine bottle drinking is on the high side compared to the next state.
27. Wisconsin
The average Wisconsinite adult only drinks 12 bottles of wine per year. On top of that, just 21% of Badger State residents have a degree in arts or humanities. Not so snobby, Wisconsin.
28. Missouri
Missouri and Wisconsin are neck-and-neck with their snobbiness rates. Adults in both states consume the same number of wine bottles on average, and the percentage of arts or humanities degree holders is in the low 20s.
29. New Mexico
New Mexico is a relatively low-snob state. That said, 27% of its students graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
30. Arizona
Arizona’s 21% rate of graduates in arts or humanities saves it from ranking above New Mexico. The Grand Canyon State ranks slightly higher in the percentage of bachelor’s degree holders and wine bottle consumption.
31. Michigan
Michiganians and Arizonans are nearly identical snobs. Or shall we say, lacking snobby qualities? There’s just one wine bottle consumption difference between the two.
32. Kansas
Kansans are the second-least biggest wine drinkers in the US, with a yearly wine-drinking rate of four wine bottles per adult. Despite that, Kansans are high snobs in the education department, with 32% of residents holding bachelor’s degrees.
33. Louisiana
Louisiana ties with Kansas for 32nd and 33rd place, though its residents consume an average of six more wine bottles per year. The Pelican State’s saving grace with not being too snobby is that it scores a relatively low (23%) in both education categories.
34. Tennessee
Tennesseans aren’t very snobby, according to Zippia’s findings. Adults only consume ten bottles of wine per year, and they have a relatively low 23% rate of college graduates holding arts or humanities degrees.
35. Georgia
At first glance, Georgia’s 30% of residents with bachelor’s degrees seem snobby. But the Peach State has a low wine consumption, of only seven bottles per adult each year.
36. Texas
Texas marks the top 15 least snobby states in the US. The Lone Star State has the second-lowest percentage of residents with arts or humanities degrees in the nation (20%).
37. Nebraska
Nebraska has a notably high 31% of residents with bachelor’s degrees for being so far down this list.
But given that only 20% of college students graduate in arts or humanities and adults consume an average of six wine bottles per year, the Cornhusker State isn’t very snobby overall.
38. North Dakota
North Dakota ties with Nebraska in its snobbiest ranking. Although it’s less snobby in the education categories, adults in the Flickertail State consume four more bottles of wine per year.
39. Kentucky
Kentucky’s numbers look pretty snob-free across the board, ranking in the low 20s for education and single digits for wine bottle consumption. Nevertheless, it fell short of making it into the top ten least snobby states.
40. Ohio
Ohio ties with Kentucky for snobbiness. The Buckeye State has snobbier numbers in the total number of residents with bachelor’s degrees and wine bottles consumed. However, it’s less snobby on the arts and humanities front.
41. Indiana
Indiana, coupled with South Carolina, is the first state to make the top ten least snobby states in America. The Hoosier State ranked well across all three of Zippia’s snobbiness factors.
42. South Carolina
South Carolina ties with Indiana in being one of the least snobby states in the US. Only 21% of its college graduates have a degree in arts or humanities, and South Carolinians drink a low eight bottles of wine per year.
43. Iowa
Iowa ranks worse than South Carolina in the percentage of its bachelor’s degree-holding residents but better in less wine consumption, making it overall less snobby.
44. Wyoming
Only 20% of Wyomingites have a degree in arts or humanities. The Equality State also stays out of the snobbiness limelight in Zippia’s other categories.
45. South Dakota
South Dakotan adults are among the least wine-consuming fanatics in the US, and they join a few other states in ranking as having the lowest percentage of college graduates with degrees in arts or humanities. The result? You likely won’t encounter many snobs in Mount Rushmore State.
46. Alabama
Alabama is the fifth least snobby state in the US. It ranks low across the board for Zippia’s categories, helping the Cotton State maintain its Southern hospitality reputation.
47. Arkansas
With only 22% of Arkansans holding bachelor’s degrees, it’s unlikely you’ll run into many snobs there. Only 20% of college graduates walk away with a degree in arts or humanities.
48. Oklahoma
Oklahomans aren’t a fan of wine, which helps their state avoid being one of the snobbiest in America. Only one-quarter of residents in the Sooner State graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
49. Mississippi
Mississippians are the second-lowest consumers of wine in the US, with the average adult drinking five bottles per year. Although Mississippi’s education numbers look less snobby than most other states, it fails to come close to the least snobby state.
50. West Virginia
West Virginia is unequivocally the least snobby state in America based on Zippia’s data. It ranks the lowest in all three categories, with its wine consumption rate of only three bottles per adult each year being exceptionally noteworthy.
Alicia Richards