Drawing on the most recent American Community Survey from the U.S. Census, we looked at a few data points. First, we factored in a state’s population density, with the expectation that more people in a smaller space makes things a little bit more interesting. We also examined the percent of the population that was married, had kids, and was older than 65, all of which could be expected to make a place a bit less exciting. To cap it off, we pulled information from the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns to examine the number of bars in each state per 100,000 residents. Then, each factor was weighed to come up with our Boring Index score, which ultimately determined which state is essentially a snooze fest. It’s also essential to note that these states aren’t all boring in the same way; some scored worse because there’s very little to do there, while others scored worse because there are so few people to do anything with. But looking at the numbers, the results were clear. The most boring state in the country has less than five bars per 100,000 residents, fewer nightlife options than almost any other state. But where it really scores its “boring points” is in its demographics. More than two-thirds of the state’s households have kids, while 23 percent of adult residents are married—the most of any state in both of those factors. While these statistics no doubt encourage stability and many other positive qualities, it doesn’t make the state all that exciting. Despite having the lowest rate of residents over the age of 65, its high boring scores in the aforementioned areas make this one state the king of dull. Read on to find out how your state ranked, counting down from least boring to most boring. And if you’re more interested in your state’s friendly factor, check out This Is the Unfriendliest State in the U.S. Density (people per square mile): 1,025 Population over age 65: 17.70 percent Percentage of households with kids: 46.46 percent Marriage rate: 14.10 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 22.2 Boring Index: 12.17 And for more fun facts about your home state, check out The Biggest Star Who’s From Your State. Density (people per square mile): 1,208 Population over age 65: 16.60 percent Percentage of households with kids: 56.19 percent Marriage rate: 14.30 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 10.4 Boring Index: 21.48 Density (people per square mile): 108 Population over age 65: 17.50 percent Percentage of households with kids: 54.00 percent Marriage rate: 15.60 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 47.4 Boring Index: 21.82 And for more states you need to get straight, read up on The Most Mispronounced State in the U.S. Density (people per square mile): 11 Population over age 65: 15.80 percent Percentage of households with kids: 59.17 percent Marriage rate: 21.50 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 51.9 Boring Index: 22.64 Density (people per square mile): 7 Population over age 65: 19.50 percent Percentage of households with kids: 52.20 percent Marriage rate: 15.60 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 50.6 Boring Index: 22.81 And to see who’s bringing in the big bucks where you live, This Is the Richest Person in Every State. Density (people per square mile): 884 Population over age 65: 17.00 percent Percentage of households with kids: 54.05 percent Marriage rate: 15.60 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 10.2 Boring Index: 38.57 Density (people per square mile): 12 Population over age 65: 17.40 percent Percentage of households with kids: 56.70 percent Marriage rate: 18.00 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 37.5 Boring Index: 42.95 Density (people per square mile): 736 Population over age 65: 17.60 percent Percentage of households with kids: 53.23 percent Marriage rate: 13.20 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 8.7 Boring Index: 47.18 And if you’re curious about what you can’t do in Connecticut, here are the 30 Craziest Small Town Laws in America. Density (people per square mile): 413 Population over age 65: 16.90 percent Percentage of households with kids: 55.73 percent Marriage rate: 15.00 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 17.3 Boring Index: 51.32 And if you’re a proud Empire State resident, here’s What People Living in New York Wish You Knew About Their State. Density (people per square mile): 57 Population over age 65: 17.50 percent Percentage of households with kids: 57.14 percent Marriage rate: 17.50 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 29.5 Boring Index: 52.57 And if you want more state guides and fun facts delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Density (people per square mile): 25ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Population over age 65: 16.10 percent Percentage of households with kids: 60.16 percent Marriage rate: 16.10 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 28.5 Boring Index: 54.61 Density (people per square mile): 228 Population over age 65: 16.10 percent Percentage of households with kids: 57.40 percent Marriage rate: 16.70 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 21.5 Boring Index: 54.91 Density (people per square mile): 286 Population over age 65: 18.70 percent Percentage of households with kids: 52.29 percent Marriage rate: 14.70 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 19.3 Boring Index: 54.98 Density (people per square mile): 623 Population over age 65: 15.90 percent Percentage of households with kids: 58.36 percent Marriage rate: 16.90 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 7.5 Boring Index: 56.30 Density (people per square mile): 6 Population over age 65: 17.10 percent Percentage of households with kids: 53.64 percent Marriage rate: 22.90 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 29.4 Boring Index: 57.31 Density (people per square mile): 286 Population over age 65: 17.50 percent Percentage of households with kids: 50.98 percent Marriage rate: 16.10 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 15.9 Boring Index: 60.02 Density (people per square mile): 500 Population over age 65: 19.50 percent Percentage of households with kids: 48.87 percent Marriage rate: 15.00 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 6.9 Boring Index: 63.02 Density (people per square mile): 28 Population over age 65: 16.20 percent Percentage of households with kids: 55.53 percent Marriage rate: 18.70 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 22.4 Boring Index: 64.39 Density (people per square mile): 75 Population over age 65: 20.50 percent Percentage of households with kids: 50.94 percent Marriage rate: 15.60 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 20.2 Boring Index: 65.39 Density (people per square mile): 221 Population over age 65: 14.30 percent Percentage of households with kids: 58.53 percent Marriage rate: 19.60 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 14.5 Boring Index: 66.49 Density (people per square mile): 44 Population over age 65: 18.20 percent Percentage of households with kids: 53.56 percent Marriage rate: 18.70 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 20.8 Boring Index: 66.75 Density (people per square mile): 401 Population over age 65: 20.90 percent Percentage of households with kids: 51.18 percent Marriage rate: 15.70 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 8.4 Boring Index: 67.07 Density (people per square mile): 108 Population over age 65: 16.50 percent Percentage of households with kids: 55.70 percent Marriage rate: 14.80 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 16.5 Boring Index: 67.48 Density (people per square mile): 1 Population over age 65: 12.40 percent Percentage of households with kids: 61.98 percent Marriage rate: 21.00 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 21.2 Boring Index: 67.58 Density (people per square mile): 188 Population over age 65: 16.10 percent Percentage of households with kids: 55.95 percent Marriage rate: 16.60 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 13.6 Boring Index: 68.55 Density (people per square mile): 177 Population over age 65: 17.70 percent Percentage of households with kids: 52 percent Marriage rate: 15.80 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 13.4 Boring Index: 69.32 Density (people per square mile): 71 Population over age 65: 16.30 percent Percentage of households with kids: 58.29 percent Marriage rate: 16.90 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 16.5 Boring Index: 70.59 Density (people per square mile): 22 Population over age 65: 16.20 percent Percentage of households with kids: 60.72 percent Marriage rate: 22.60 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 20 Boring Index: 70.91 Density (people per square mile): 254 Population over age 65: 14.80 percent Percentage of households with kids: 60.96 percent Marriage rate: 15.90 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 8.4 Boring Index: 72.69 Density (people per square mile): 68 Population over age 65: 20.10 percent Percentage of households with kids: 50.27 percent Marriage rate: 19.00 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 16.2 Boring Index: 73.15 Density (people per square mile): 115 Population Over Age 65: 15.90 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 55.16 percent Marriage rate: 18.70 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 12.2 Boring Index: 75.16 Density (people per square mile): 56 Population Over Age 65: 14.70 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 59.30 percent Marriage rate: 19.50 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 13.3 Boring Index: 76.78 Density (people per square mile): 216 Population Over Age 65: 16.70 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 55.23 percent Marriage rate: 15.70 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 6.8 Boring Index: 77.11 Density (people per square mile): 111 Population Over Age 65: 12.90 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 62.69 percent Marriage rate: 18.10 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 9.6 Boring Index: 78.39 Density (people per square mile): 171 Population Over Age 65: 18.20 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 51.45 percent Marriage rate: 14.50 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 7.2 Boring Index: 78.42 Density (people per square mile): 89 Population Over Age 65: 17.20 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 55.30 percent Marriage rate: 19.30 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 10.6 Boring Index: 79.80 Density (people per square mile): 184 Population Over Age 65: 14.30 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 55.90 percent Marriage rate: 16.20 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 4.1 Boring Index: 81.87 Density (people per square mile): 58 Population Over Age 65: 16.10 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 58.45 percent Marriage rate: 20.30 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 10.2 Boring Index: 82.32 Density (people per square mile): 36 Population Over Age 65: 16.40 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 61.34 percent Marriage rate: 18.80 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 10.6 Boring Index: 82.59 Density (people per square mile): 166 Population Over Age 65: 16.70 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 51.52 percent Marriage rate: 17.40 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 5 Boring Index: 82.71 Density (people per square mile): 113 Population Over Age 65: 16.90 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 55.07 percent Marriage rate: 16.80 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 6.9 Boring Index: 82.72
Density (people per square mile): 44 Population Over Age 65: 21.30 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 50.63 percent Marriage rate: 13.20 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 9 Boring Index: 82.90 Density (people per square mile): 64 Population Over Age 65: 18.00 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 57.38 percent Marriage rate: 19.50 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 8.6 Boring Index: 84.82 Density (people per square mile): 216 Population Over Age 65: 15.90 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 58.46 percent Marriage rate: 18.10 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 2.1 Boring Index: 85.35 Density (people per square mile): 97 Population Over Age 65: 17.40 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 50.65 percent Marriage rate: 17.10 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 5.1 Boring Index: 86.09 Density (people per square mile): 152 Population Over Age 65: 18.60 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 49.64 percent Marriage rate: 15.50 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 2.1 Boring Index: 87.51 Density (people per square mile): 63 Population Over Age 65: 16.40 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 53.97 percent Marriage rate: 16.40 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 3.2 Boring Index: 90.17 Density (people per square mile): 17 Population Over Age 65: 18.00 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 54.47 percent Marriage rate: 16.40 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 5.2 Boring Index: 90.34 Density (people per square mile): 58 Population Over Age 65: 17.40 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 53.76 percent Marriage rate: 17.90 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 3.8 Boring Index: 90.77 Density (people per square mile): 39 Population Over Age 65: 11.40 percent Percentage of Households with Kids: 68.53 percent Marriage rate: 23.10 percent Bars per 100,000 residents: 4.60 Boring Index: 98.80
