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What a snob!
Ever met someone and had that reaction? Maybe it’s the way they hold their glass of wine, instructing you on how to properly appreciate the aroma. Or the smug way they inform you that actually, the artist Edward Munch’s name doesn’t rhyme with bunch.
It could also be the way they manage to insert their illustrative ivy league education into every conversation. Whatever it is, when you see it you know.
Since we like to rank things here, we set out to find where in the US snobbiness reigns prime— and where snobbery will make you stand out like a sore thumb.
Snobbiest States
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- California
- Oregon
- Maine
- Virginia
Looks like the northeast may have a smug problem. Keep reading to see where all 50 states landed and what makes these 10 states so snobby.
How We Determined This
We ranked each state in four areas
- Percent of population with a bachelor’s degree
- Percent of degree earners with a degree in arts and humanities
- Number of Ivy League colleges
- Gallons of wine consumed yearly
First, we examined education using data from the ACS. We opted to find the overall percent of the population in each state with a college degree. From there, we decided to also look at a percent of
Sorry wine drinkers, but wine is a bit of a smug beverage, so we were forced to include the percent of people with degrees in the humanities and the arts.
While there are a lot of great things with college degrees and the arts, they also do increase the rate of snobbiness, scientifically.
We then decided to incorporate the number of ivy league colleges in each state. Once again, an Ivy League education is great, but there is a understandable smug factor.
From there, we looked into the snobbiest beverage â¦wine (although, only narrowly beating out craft beer.)
To determine how much wine each state consumes, we took the gallons of table wine drank in each state according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. From there, we converted gallons into bottles, since that is the more standard purchase of wine. Roughly 1 gallon = 5 bottles of wine.
However, since some states are home to a lot of people and others a lot less, we then took into account the number of bottles consumed per capita. Of course, this number includes some non-drinkers and children (which are hopefully are non-drinkersâ¦). Which means some in the state are drinking more and others drinking less.
1. Massachusetts
Adults With College Diploma: 42.9
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 24%
Wine Bottles Per Person:21
How do you tell someone went to Harvard? You don’t, but trust me, they’ll tell you. In addition to being home to a prestigiously smug university, Massachusetts is ridiculously more educated than the rest of the country and has a strong appreciation for wine. Sounds like a perfect breeding ground for snobbiness and artisanal cheese stands.
2. Vermont
Adults With College Diploma: 37.3
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 29%
Wine Bottles Per Person:26
In 2nd place is a still pretty snobby Vermont. 29% of Vermonters have a humanities or arts degree, more than anywhere else in the country. Throw in some very full wine glasses, and it’s easy to see what earned this ranking.
3. Connecticut
Adults With College Diploma: 38.9
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 24%
Wine Bottles Per Person:19.5
Connecticut is the third snobbiest state. Don’t believe me? Just head to New Haven and visit Yale. Or you could talk to the disproportionately high number of grads with a degree in literature, that’d be an Odyssey.
4. New York
Adults With College Diploma: 35.9
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 27%
Wine Bottles Per Person:16.8
New York New York…what a snobby place! Home to Broadway, many art galleries, and premier institutions, there is a lot to be confident about. Maybe too confident.
5. New Hampshire
Adults With College Diploma: 36.5
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 23%
Wine Bottles Per Person:28
In 5th place is New Hampshire. New Hampshire consumes a staggering 36.5 bottles of wine for every man, woman, and child each year. While some of those might be 2 buck Chuck, some of them are oozing with winey smugness.
6. Rhode Island
Adults With College Diploma: 33.3
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 25%
Wine Bottles Per Person:18.9
Rhode Island may be the smallest state but it’s also the 6th smuggest.
6. California
Adults With College Diploma: 33.3
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 26%
Wine Bottles Per Person:19.7
California has a smog problem, but judging from this ranking it also has a smug problem. California is a well-educated state with a high number of humanities graduates. Oh, and did we mention the 19.7 gallons of wine they drink yearly?
8. Oregon
Adults With College Diploma: 32.9
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 26%
Wine Bottles Per Person:18.8
Oregon, home to Portland and home to some snobs. 32% of all Oregoners have a college degree. Of those who have a degree, 26% hold theirs in the arts or humanities.
9. Maine
Adults With College Diploma: 34.9
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 27%
Wine Bottles Per Person:14.7
What’s the Maine thing that makes Maine so snobby? The fact the 27% of all degree holders have a humanities or arts degree. Bet they all know how to pronounce Matisse.
10. Virginia
Adults With College Diploma: 38.2
Degree holders w/ Arts or Humanities Degree: 24%
Wine Bottles Per Person:15.9
Virginia is the only southern state to break the top 10 for snobbiest states. However, while Virginia may be in the south, it is educated far more in-line with Northeastern states.
It’s okay to be proud, but don’t be a snob!
The line between pride and snobbiness can be thin.
However, if you find yourself saying, “Actually”, “It’s prounounced,” and “You’ve probably never heard of it but…”, you may be a snob.
So maybe take a step back and rephrase. Of course, if you don’t feel a little smug about your career, it may be time to find a new job that makes you feel a bit more puffed-up. Or at least buy more bottles of wine a bit nicer than Two Buck Chuck.
Snobbiest States
| Rank | State | Adults With College Diploma | Degree Holders W/ Arts Or Humanities Degree | Wine Bottles Per Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 42 | 24% | 21 |
| 2 | Vermont | 37 | 29% | 26 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 38 | 24% | 19 |
| 4 | New York | 35 | 27% | 16 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 36 | 23% | 28 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 33 | 25% | 18 |
| 7 | California | 33 | 26% | 19 |
| 8 | Oregon | 32 | 26% | 18 |
| 9 | Maine | 34 | 27% | 14 |
| 10 | Virginia | 38 | 24% | 15 |
| 11 | Washington | 35 | 24% | 16 |
| 12 | New Jersey | 38 | 21% | 18 |
| 13 | Maryland | 39 | 23% | 12 |
| 14 | Illinois | 34 | 23% | 14 |
| 15 | Hawaii | 32 | 22% | 18 |
| 15 | Minnesota | 35 | 23% | 14 |
| 17 | Alaska | 29 | 23% | 16 |
| 18 | North Carolina | 30 | 23% | 14 |
| 19 | Idaho | 26 | 22% | 37 |
| 20 | Utah | 33 | 24% | 6 |
| 21 | Colorado | 25 | 23% | 16 |
| 22 | Delaware | 31 | 20% | 23 |
| 23 | Florida | 31 | 20% | 17 |
| 23 | Montana | 31 | 21% | 16 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | 30 | 22% | 10 |
| 26 | Nevada | 24 | 22% | 19 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | 29 | 21% | 12 |
| 28 | Missouri | 28 | 22% | 12 |
| 29 | New Mexico | 27 | 23% | 10 |
| 30 | Arizona | 28 | 21% | 12 |
| 31 | Michigan | 28 | 21% | 13 |
| 32 | Kansas | 32 | 22% | 4 |
| 32 | Louisiana | 23 | 23% | 10 |
| 34 | Tennessee | 26 | 23% | 10 |
| 35 | Georgia | 30 | 21% | 7 |
| 36 | Texas | 29 | 20% | 10 |
| 37 | Nebraska | 31 | 20% | 6 |
| 37 | North Dakota | 29 | 19% | 10 |
| 39 | Kentucky | 23 | 23% | 6 |
| 39 | Ohio | 27 | 21% | 9 |
| 41 | Indiana | 25 | 22% | 9 |
| 41 | South Carolina | 27 | 21% | 8 |
| 43 | Iowa | 28 | 21% | 7 |
| 44 | Wyoming | 26 | 20% | 10 |
| 45 | South Dakota | 28 | 19% | 7 |
| 46 | Alabama | 24 | 20% | 8 |
| 47 | Arkansas | 22 | 20% | 7 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | 25 | 20% | 6 |
| 49 | Mississippi | 21 | 20% | 5 |
| 50 | West Virginia | 20 | 19% | 3 |
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Senior Manager, Product Management Jobs
Author
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
