The JOMO Index: Where Americans Are Joyfully Missing Out

Even the most extroverted of people can find themselves needing alone time every now and then. For others, however, the idea of JOMO (joy of missing out) is their typical approach to outings. Sometimes solo time at home can be important for recharging your social battery or even just to unwind after a busy week of work.

At Solitaired, we know that you need time to yourself to enjoy your favorite things like playing a game or Pyramid Solitaire or Hearts, or catching up on your favorite TV show. That’s why we set out to learn where Americans are embracing JOMO the most. To do this, we surveyed residents of each state to learn about their preferences when it comes to choosing between going out with others or spending alone time at home.

We then awarded points to answers that represented the joy of missing out and calculated a JOMO index score on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most likely to embrace JOMO. Read on to learn where Americans are enjoying time alone across the U.S.

Key Takeaways

• Nevada, Georgia, and Florida residents are the most likely to embrace JOMO.
• New York, Missouri, and New Jersey residents are the least likely to embrace JOMO.
• Not feeling well and being too tired are the two most common excuses Americans use to get out of social engagements when they're not entirely true.
• More than two-thirds of Americans are likely to feel relieved when they miss a social event or gathering as they enjoy the break.
• Nearly 2 in 5 Americans frequently turn down plans with others in favor of time alone.
• Nearly 1 in 4 Americans frequently tell a white lie to get out of plans.
• 1 in 6 Americans frequently use an Irish goodbye when leaving a gathering.

The States Where People Embrace JOMO the Most

Whether your ideal weekend includes you at home enjoying alone time or you just need a relaxing break from a busy schedule, JOMO is something many Americans can relate to. When it comes to the joy of missing out, we found that Nevada residents lead the way with a score of 99.81 out of 100. Nearly 3 in 4 residents of the state say that when they miss an event or social gathering they feel relieved.

In second place is Georgia with a JOMO index of 99.72 out of 100. Overall, Georgia residents are the most likely in the country to frequently turn down plans in favor of spending time alone. Florida is up next, claiming third place with a score of 97.95. It can be difficult at times to turn down a friend’s invitation, which could be why residents of the Sunshine State are most likely to tell a white lie to get out of plans.

Coming in fourth place is Arizona where more than two-fifths of residents say they need a lot of alone time to feel their best. Rounding out the top five is Oklahoma with a JOMO index of 97.14 out of 100. When asked their opinion of JOMO, 1 in 4 residents said they embrace it.

While joyfully missing out is popular among some Americans, others are more likely to experience the fear of missing out. Leading the way as the least likely to embrace JOMO are New York residents. As home to a city nicknamed “the city that never sleeps,” it’s easy to understand why residents of the Empire State prefer to keep their plans in place.

Missouri is up next as the second least likely to embrace JOMO as more than a third of residents feel frustrated when they miss an event or social gathering. In third place is New Jersey where nearly 1 in 4 residents hardly ever turn down plans in favor of alone time.

Overall, we discovered that women are more likely than men to feel relieved when they miss out on plans. Not all people feel supported in their quest for JOMO, however, as 1 in 3 people who enjoy missing out say their family and friends dislike their choice and try to convince them to go out anyway.

Americans’ Go-to Excuses to Avoid Going Out with Others

It can be difficult to turn down an invitation outright, and that can lead to a variety of excuses that some Americans are all too familiar with. Leading the way as the number one go-to excuse people use to get out of plans is saying they don’t feel well. If you are guilty of this, you are not alone as 1 in 2 Americans admit to faking an illness.

Number two on the list, saying you’re too tired, is likely a popular excuse when plans are scheduled for later in the evening and you just can’t bring yourself to leave the house. This is followed by pretending you have family obligations to attend, which more than two-fifths of people have used.

These excuses also fall into another category we asked respondents about—white lies. Overall, nearly 1 in 4 people say they frequently tell a white lie to get out of plans, but of those, 1 in 2 feel guilty for doing so.

Sometimes we agree to plans, but once we start to say our goodbyes at the end of the night we end up guilted into sticking around a little bit longer. Perhaps that is why 1 in 6 Americans frequently use an Irish goodbye when leaving a gathering, which for those who are unaware, this simply means leaving without saying goodbye.

After learning more about the excuses people use, we wanted to learn which events people are most likely hoping to not attend. Leading the way with nearly 70% of people noting it are holiday work gatherings. While some people enjoy this time with their coworkers, others prefer to limit their office minglings to the time they are being paid for. Similarly, office happy hours rank number two with more than two-thirds of Americans saying they don’t want to attend.

Coming in third are reunions. From those high school classmates you haven’t spoken to in a decade to your distant cousins that you forgot about, many Americans find themselves happy to miss out on reunions. Next up are large events like concerts or sporting events, which nearly 1 in 2 people are eager to avoid. Sometimes squeezing into a venue with hundreds or even thousands of people can be overwhelming, leaving some Americans opting for an evening at home alone instead.

Enjoy Your Alone Time with Solitaire

Whether you regularly embrace JOMO or you typically find yourself fighting off FOMO, everyone needs some alone time at some point. From checking off a lengthy list of errands to achieving fitness goals at the gym, downtime can be beneficial.

This doesn’t mean that alone time has to be boring. At Solitaired, we know this time can be used to enjoy some of your favorite hobbies or to challenge your mind in different ways. So next time you are enjoying solo time and are looking for an activity to do, try out an online game of Spades, Mahjong, or even Yahtzee.

Methodology

In this study, we set out to learn where JOMO (joy of missing out) is taking over in the U.S. To do this, we surveyed residents of every state and asked a variety of questions regarding their likelihood to cancel or turn down plans in favor of spending time alone. Using these responses, we awarded points to each answer that represented JOMO. We then calculated the average score by respondent, and then by state based on residents' scores. Finally, we adjusted those scores on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most likely to embrace JOMO.