The holidays have a way of bringing out both our halos and our horns. To see which parts of the country are keeping Santa proud (and which might be getting coal this year), we ranked every U.S. state on a scale from naughty to nice.

To build this ranking, we surveyed 2,295 Americans across 46 states and analyzed responses to 11 questions about classic holiday behaviors, from how much people donate and volunteer to how early they shop, how much they tip, and whether they���ve ever re-gifted a present. Each answer was scored to reveal which states are the most generous and well-mannered during the holiday season and which ones might want to do a little reputation repair before Santa checks his list twice.

Which States Made Santa���s Naughty & Nice List?

Before we dive into the results, it���s worth noting that this study was conducted in the spirit of holiday fun. We know no state is entirely naughty or nice���everyone���s got a little mix of both. The goal here is to take a lighthearted look at how Americans across the country celebrate, enjoy, and sometimes stumble through the season���s most relatable holiday habits.

Without further ado, here are the top five nicest states and their respective scores:

Kentucky ��� 76.04 (out of 100)Utah ��� 67.08Nebraska ��� 63.91Montana ��� 63.86Texas ��� 63.25

Santa might want to take notes from the Bluegrass State. Kentucky ranks at the top of the nation���s ���nice list��� this holiday season, and it���s not hard to see why. Residents donate an average of $181.80 during the holidays ���the fourth-highest amount in the country ���and back it up with time, too. Kentuckians clock the most volunteer hours in the study (17.6 volunteer hours over the season). Kentucky residents are also among the least likely in the U.S. to re-gift a present.��

Utah earns the runner-up spot on the nice list thanks to its all-around spirit of giving. Residents here donate an impressive $240.04 during the holiday season ��� the highest in the nation ��� and still find room in their budgets to splurge on others, spending an average of $739.79 on gifts for friends and family. Beyond the checkout line, Utahns are also among the most likely to roll up their sleeves for holiday toy and food drives.��

Nebraska secures the third spot on the nice list with a trifecta of generosity, time, and holiday spirit. Residents donate $203.98 during the holiday season, the third-highest in the nation, and give more than just money, volunteering an average of 13.4 hours, second only to Kentucky. And when it comes to spreading cheer, Nebraskans don���t hold back: they spend an average of $853.90 on holiday gifts, the second-highest in the study.

Montana lands at #4 on the nice list. Residents spend an average of $726.67 on holiday gifts ��� one of the highest totals in the country ��� and are among the most likely to take part in toy and food drives during the season. And when Black Friday rolls around, Montanans keep their cool, ranking among the least likely to lose their temper or get overly competitive while shopping.

Texas rounds out the top five on the nice list, proving that good manners and holiday spirit go hand-in-hand in the Lone Star State. Texans are among the least likely to re-gift a present, fib their way out of a holiday party, or peek at their gifts before it���s time to unwrap them on Christmas Day.

The top five naughtiest states and their respective scores are:

Hawaii ��� 28.66 (out of 100)Arkansas ��� 31.54South Dakota ��� 33.88Arizona ��� 35.92Georgia ��� 39.02

Hawaii takes the top spot on the naughty list. Residents log the fewest volunteer hours during the holiday season (1.4 hours) and give the second-lowest amount in charitable donations ($32.87). They���re also among the most likely to peek at their presents early and wait until the last minute to start holiday shopping, with most not hitting the stores until December 16���23. When it comes to holiday hustle, island time definitely applies.

Arkansas claims the #2 spot on the naughty list. Residents leave an average 16.9% tip for waitstaff during the holiday season, one of the lowest in the nation, and are also the most likely to lose their cool on Black Friday, whether that means arguing over a deal or racing for the last item on the shelf.

South Dakota is the third-naughtiest state. Residents give the least to charity during the holiday season ��� just $29.47 on average ��� and are the most likely to return gifts. To top it off, South Dakotans rank second in the nation for sneaking a peek at presents early.��

Arizona lands at #4 on the naughty list, thanks to a mix of last-minute shopping and light tipping. Residents leave an average 18.6% tip for waitstaff during the holidays, below the 20% national average, and are among the most likely to put off gift shopping until the final days before Christmas. They���re also one of the least likely states to participate in holiday toy or food drives, and among the most likely to return presents once the season wraps up.

Georgia rounds out the top five on the naughty list, with scores that trend low across nearly all categories. Residents spend an average of $429.63 on gifts, more than $170 below the national average, and tip waitstaff just 17.9% during the season. Georgians are also prone to procrastinating on their holiday shopping and give well below average in charitable donations.��

The Nicest & Naughtiest States by Survey Category

Before checking the list twice, we broke down which states scored highest (and lowest) across each holiday habit we tracked. Here���s how every state stacked up across 11 categories of nice and naughty:

1. Charity Donations

Nicest: Utah ($240.04), Delaware ($213.96), Nebraska ($203.98)
Naughtiest: South Dakota ($29.47), Hawaii ($32.87), New York ($37.35)

2. Volunteering Hours

Nicest: Kentucky (17.58), Nebraska (13.36), Rhode Island (12.66)
Naughtiest: Hawaii (1.40), Illinois (1.43), Pennsylvania (1.48)

3. Holiday Gift Spending

Biggest Spenders: Ohio ($906.25), Nebraska ($853.90), Tennessee ($772.21)
Smallest Spenders: Washington ($365.87), Georgia ($429.63), South Dakota ($466.84)

4. Waitstaff Tipping

Nicest: Nevada (22.9%), Connecticut (22.8%), New Hampshire (22.5%)
Naughtiest: Michigan (16.7%), Mississippi (16.9%), Arkansas (16.9%)

5. Participation in Holiday Toy & Food Drives

Most Likely to Participate: Alabama, Montana, Utah
Least Likely to Participate: California, Oklahoma, Florida

6. Re-Gifting Presents

Least Likely to Re-Gift: Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky
Most Likely to Re-Gift: New Hampshire, Utah, Connecticut

7. Returning Presents

Least Likely to Return: Mississippi, Louisiana, Oregon
Most Likely to Return: South Dakota, Arizona, Hawaii

8. When They Start Gift Shopping

Earliest (Nov. 16���30): Connecticut, Maine, Colorado
Most Last-Minute (Dec. 16���23): Illinois, California, Hawaii

9. Told White Lies to Skip a Holiday Party

Least Likely: Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina
Most Likely: Missouri, Connecticut, Maine

10. Peeking at Presents Early

Least Likely Snoopers: California, Washington, Texas
Most Likely Snoopers: Alabama, South Dakota, Hawaii

11. Losing Their Cool on Black Friday

Least Likely: California, Rhode Island, Montana
Most Likely: Arkansas, Connecticut, Minnesota

Unwrapping America's Naughty & Nice Holiday Habits

The holidays really do bring out both our generous and chaotic sides. According to the survey data, the average American donates about $98.77 to charity during the season of giving, with men donating slightly more than women ($110 vs. $93). Americans who volunteer during the holidays spend an average of 4 hours giving back ��� but 71% admit they don���t volunteer at all. Among those who do, women, baby boomers, and millennials volunteer the most.

When it comes to gift-giving, Americans are equally committed to spreading cheer and maybe stretching their wallets. The average person spends around $604 on presents each year, with Gen X topping the list at $702. While the ���shop local��� sentiment is strong, most still rely on big-name brands, as 82% of shoppers say they buy most of their gifts from large retailers like Target, Walmart, or Amazon. Meanwhile, 45% of Americans admit they wait until December to start gift shopping, with Gen Z emerging as the biggest group of last-minute gift hunters.

Of course, no holiday season would be complete without a few telltale quirks. Americans may tip waitstaff generously (averaging 20% during the holidays), but they also admit to a few less-than-ideal holiday habits: 39% have re-gifted a present, 51% have returned one, and 54% have peeked at a holiday gift before they were supposed to. More than half (58%) have even told a little white lie to skip a holiday party, and one in five (20%) say they���ve gotten a bit too competitive on Black Friday ��� think hiding items in a store, arguing with another customer, or cutting in line. Millennials are the biggest culprits.��

Closing Thoughts

After tallying up the scores, it���s clear that Americans bring plenty of personality to the holidays. Some states shine with goodwill, while others lean into their mischievous side. Whether you���re the type to donate, volunteer, or sneak a peek at a present before Christmas morning, this study proves that ���naughty��� and ���nice��� come in all forms, and that every state has its own version of holiday spirit.

The holidays remind us that generosity pays dividends far beyond the season. If you���re thinking about giving back ��� to family, community, or the causes you care about ��� Sera Capital can help you design a charitable strategy that works as hard as your investments.

From donor-advised funds to charitable remainder trusts, we specialize in helping you give smarter, reduce taxes, and create a legacy that lasts well past the holidays.

Methodology

To find which states are on the naughty and nice list, we surveyed 2,295 Americans across 46 states. The survey ran over a two-week period, from October 15 to October 29, 2025. Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming were excluded from the study due to limited survey respondents in those states.

For the state ranking portion of our study, we evaluated states using 11 key survey questions that gauge the naughty or nice behaviors of each state's respondents.��

The survey questions used to rank the states are as follows:

1) How much do you typically donate to charity during the holiday season?

2) How many hours do you spend volunteering during the holiday season?

3) How much do you usually spend on holiday gifts each year?

4) How much do you typically tip waiters during the holiday season?

5) Do you participate in holiday toy or food drives?

6) Have you ever re-gifted a present?

7) Have you ever returned a present?

8) How early do you do the majority of your holiday gift shopping?

9) Have you ever told a white lie to get out of a holiday party or gathering?

10) Have you ever peeked at a gift before you were supposed to?

11) Have you ever gotten a little too competitive while Black Friday shopping?

(i.e., hiding items, arguing with another customer, cutting in line, etc.)

Each question was answered on a scale from 1-3 or 1-4, with higher scores indicating nicer behavior and lower scores indicating naughtier behavior. We then averaged the responses across all 11 questions and indexed them into a final composite score out of 100 for each state, with higher final scores signaling nicer states and lower final scores signaling naughtier states.

Fair Use

You are welcome to use, reference, and share non-commercial excerpts of this study with proper attribution. If you cite or cover our findings, please link back to this page so readers can view the full methodology, charts, and context.

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