How kind is America? Find out how your state faired

Kentucky tops list of kindest states, as new research reveals the state of kindness in the United States.

[June 24, 2021: Verizon Communications]

How kind is America? What are the kindest acts you can do for others?

Verizon Wireless worked with Kindness.org, a non-profit whose mission is to educate and inspire people to choose kindness, to commission a first-of-its-kind academic research study to find out the state of kindness in America. The results? All 50 states have a surprisingly high capacity to be kind - but only one state could be crowned the kindest.

The top 10 kindest states are:

  • Kentucky

  • New Mexico

  • Oklahoma

  • Georgia

  • North Dakota

  • Alaska

  • New Hampshire

  • Missouri

  • West Virginia

  • Wyoming

“We surveyed thousands of people from all 50 states and from all walks of life on what kind acts they would do,” said Dr. Oliver Scott Curry, research director for Kindness.org. “Overall, our research revealed a surprisingly high capacity for kindness across America, and the results across all the states were remarkably similar.”

Top takeaways from the research include:

The top three kindest acts ranked by Americans overall were: “Become an organ donor for a family member,” “Pull a stranger from a burning car,” “Adopt and raise a family member.”

  • The top three kind acts that you can plan ahead are: “Cover the shift for a work colleague,” “Cheer up a family member,” “Call a friend to encourage them.”

  • The average American would give up $6.40 if that meant a stranger got $10.

  • 86 percent of people would donate a part of their liver to a family member

  • 72 percent would lend money to a friend in a financial crisis

  • 53 percent would donate their vacation time to a colleague

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Tags: #Good_News, #Kindness, #The_Brighter_Side_of_News


Joseph Shavit
Joseph ShavitSpace, Technology and Medical News Writer
Joseph Shavit is the head science news writer with a passion for communicating complex scientific discoveries to a broad audience. With a strong background in both science, business, product management, media leadership and entrepreneurship, Joseph possesses the unique ability to bridge the gap between business and technology, making intricate scientific concepts accessible and engaging to readers of all backgrounds.