The Cities with the Rudest Kids in 2024

Rude kids. Many Americans cross paths with them regularly, while others are only exposed to the behaviors once in a blue moon. Regardless of the frequency with which you experience poor attitudes or inconsiderate actions from children, one bad outing can leave you feeling as though your city is full of them.

At Solitaired, we understand the need for a mental escape from kids cursing or listening to loud videos, whether it be from your kids or other people’s. And while popping in headphones to listen to music or focusing on a game of Pyramid or Spider Solitaire can offer a temporary distraction, sometimes it just isn’t enough.

So our team once again set out to find the cities with the rudest kids. We surveyed Americans in the largest cities across the country and asked what behaviors they have witnessed by kids of all ages. Using those responses, we awarded points to those who experienced these behaviors and ranked cities according to those scores. Read on to see how your city ranked among the rest.

Key Takeaways

• Memphis, TN, Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD, are home to the rudest kids in 2024.
• Tucson, AZ, San Diego, CA, and Raleigh, NC, are home to the least rude kids.
• According to Americans, being absorbed in their phones, cursing, and playing music or videos loudly are kids' most common rude behaviors.
• Nearly 3 in 4 Americans blame social media for kids being rude these days.
• Compared to past years, 72% of Americans think kids are more rude in 2024.
• Detroit, MI, is the only city to see no change in kids' behaviors as the city remains 10th in both the 2023 and 2024 reports.
• Indianapolis, IN, Fort Worth, TX, Boston, MA, Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, and Nashville, TN, all received higher ranks this year for rude kids in their cities.

The U.S. Cities Where Kids Exhibit the Worst Behaviors

People of all ages exhibit rude behaviors every day in cities worldwide, but the rude behaviors of children often gain the most attention. In 2023, the team at Solitaired set out to determine Americans’ views of children’s behaviors, and after discovering how many people considered kids rude in their city, we decided to poll the public once again.

In 2023, Philadelphia, PA, claimed the top spot for misbehaving children, but this year that title belongs to Memphis, TN. With a rudeness score of 99.6 out of 100, 89% of Memphis residents say they think kids in their city are ruder now than they have been in the past.

While dropping lower in the rankings, Philadelphia, PA, only moved one spot, claiming second this year with a score of 97.2. When asked to rate kids’ rudeness in their city, Philadelphia residents ranked first overall with an average score of 7.6 out of 10. In addition, nearly 1 in 2 residents of The City of Brotherly Love believe kids in their city are most rude to strangers.

In third place for rude kids is Baltimore, MD, with a score of 94.4 out of 100, moving up 18 spots from their 22nd ranking in 2023. On average, Baltimore residents consider teenagers ages 13 to 17 to be the rudest in their city.

Other cities seeing an increase in misbehaving children based on our research from 2023 compared to 2024 include Boston, MA, Indianapolis, IN, Fort Worth, TX, Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, and Nashville, TN. Overall, 72% of Americans think kids are more rude now than they have been in the past.

On the other end of the scale, residents in Tucson, AZ, San Diego, CA, and Raleigh, NC, are among the least likely to witness bad behaviors from kids in their city.

The Rude Behaviors Americans See from Kids Most Often

Now that we have determined where kids are the rudest, we decided to dive into the behaviors residents witness most often. As technology continues to play a bigger role in our lives each day, it comes as no surprise that two of the top three rude behaviors involve kids and teens using tech.

Up first, Americans see kids being absorbed in their phones more than any other rude behavior. Whether they are wanting to engage in conversations or simply want kids to focus on their surroundings in public, people just want them to put the phones away.

Looking locally, residents in Atlanta, GA, and Fort Worth, TX, are the most likely to witness kids ignoring the world around them as they stare at their phones. Second on our list is cursing, with Memphis, TN, residents reporting the most sightings of it in their city.

Turning back to behaviors involving technology, kids playing music or videos loudly in public claimed third on the list for the worst behaviors in 2024. When we look back to our 2023 data, the same three behaviors topped our list, showing these behaviors seem to be sticking around.

Kids are not always rude toward others, but when asked who they think bears the brunt of the behaviors, a majority of Americans say it’s parents. Not all people agree though as 27% think children’s behaviors are mostly directed toward their peers and 28% say it’s strangers who face the worst of it.

The Reasons Americans Think Kids Are Rude in 2024

This year, we decided to add an additional layer to our research as we asked survey respondents to ponder the potential reasons for these behaviors. Overall, the most common response was social media, as nearly 3 in 4 Americans blame the platforms for kids being rude these days.

Following social media, 66% of people think the behaviors stem from a lack of respect for others. In third place, Americans say they blame bad personal role models like parents, siblings, and friends for the rude behaviors.

Rounding out the top five reasons are kids being spoiled and bad famous role models like influencers and celebrities in fourth and fifth, respectively. In addition, 42% of Americans think poor health causes children to misbehave while nearly 2 in 5 people blame gentle parenting.

Relax With a Game of Solitaire

Regardless of the age of the person, facing rude behavior can leave you feeling upset, frustrated, or even offended. From kids to adults, unjustifiable rudeness is simply unacceptable. When you find yourself in a situation where others are being disrespectful or misbehaving sometimes you just need a respite from the rudeness.

Whether you live in a city with the rudest or kindest kids, online card games can offer that get away from the world around you. Next time you find yourself looking for a distraction try your hand at an online game of Mahjong Solitaire or FreeCell Solitaire for a way to focus and calm down after being faced with a rude experience.

Methodology

In this study, we surveyed Americans in several of the largest U.S. cities to gain insight into kids' behaviors across the country. We asked a variety of questions regarding children's overall behavior, as well as specific behaviors by age. Using these responses, we awarded points to answers exhibiting rude behaviors and found the average score for each city. Finally, we adjusted the scores on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the rudest behaviors.