It's hard to be objective about whether a place is rude or nice. The best gauge just might be how tourists perceive a place. If that's accurate then Illinois is much nicer than Missouri based on some just updated statistics.
This is a story a friend shares with you and you wonder if their making it up. This woman really is knitting hats and giving them away from her front yard.
Every morning, before the show starts, I search for stories that restore some of my faith in humanity. Simply put, I try to fill my soul with people who don't suck.