Let’s face it, we’re all guilty of bragging now and then. Whether we’re tooting our own horn about a career milestone, flexing out our fitness feats, or cheering on our hometown sports heroes, there’s nothing quite like boasting about the things that make us proud.
And for the most part, this kind of occasional boasting is about as harmless as sharing a photo of a perfect vacation sunset. But other times, it equates to a full-on victory lap as you go on about that marathon personal best or your alma mater’s latest championship win.
Simply put, bragging can boost our confidence, spark friendly rivalry, and even forge social bonds. But it can also grate on listeners when it goes too far.
With this in mind, we want to find out which states wear their egos on their sleeves the most. Surveying 2,000 Americans aged 18 and over, we asked what they love to boast about, how often they can’t resist showing off, and how they feel when others lavish their own self-congratulations.
The results reveal surprising regional pride points and show just how much people across the country love a bit of bragging.
America’s Most Boastful States
Ready to find out if your state brags like a pro? Let’s take a look at the top states in America for boasting:
1. Wyoming
Based on the results from our study, it would seem that the number one state for boasting is Wyoming!
Here, you can expect an average of 4 hours and 30 minutes of dedicated bragging every month, with the most common topics circling around winning a bet or competition (1 hour and 55 minutes per week) and the success surrounding a person’s sex life (1 hour and 54 minutes). Meanwhile, their child’s achievements, such as graduating from college, only take up a mere 20 minutes per week.
2. Washington & New York
Washington and New York both place joint second when it comes to bragging rights, with locals spending an average of 2 hours and 42 minutes boasting about things that are important to them. However, the topics are very different.
In Washington, conversations about sex life are allocated an average of 47 minutes per week, but talking about your relationship or partner (in a positive light – this is bragging, after all) tops the agenda, with 55 minutes per week devoted to the topic.
In contrast, people in New York are far more likely to brag about their sports knowledge, with 53 minutes a week spent on the topic – hardly surprising with iconic teams like the Yankees and Knicks in the mix. Gaming skills are another key point of pride, earning 48 minutes of weekly discussion.
3. New Jersey
On average, New Jersey residents spend an average of 2 hours and 41 minutes per week boasting, with the spotlight firmly on their personal lives and sports knowledge.
They spend around 1 hour and 9 minutes every week talking positively about their relationships or partners, making love the top bragging topic. Not far behind, sports take up 56 minutes of their weekly chatter, showing that Garden State locals balance heart and hustle when it comes to what they brag about most.
What Topics Are Americans Boasting About?
When it comes to bragging in America, no subject matter is truly off the table. At the top of our rankings, the topic of a relationship or partner is boasted about an average of 2 hours and 30 minutes every month. But while 62% of men do this regularly, only 55% of women dedicate chatter time to their partner’s finer attributes.
Naturally, boasting about your sports team winning a game is also a very popular thing to brag about, too, with Americans spending 2 hours and 22 minutes a month cheering on their team during conversations.
Again, more men (76%) do this than women (69%), which comes as no surprise. But it’s also worth noting that boasting about your knowledge of sports takes up an almost identical 2 hours and 17 minutes per month (69% of men and 51% of women).
Going alongside this, young people have so many milestones ahead of them, so it makes sense that boasting about your child’s achievements takes up to 2 hours and 6 minutes per month. Women beat men at this one, as 59% brag about their kids compared to 56% of men doing the same.
Then, at the other end of the scale, the topics that receive the least boast time are paying off a debt or reaching a financial milestone (1 hour 37 minutes per month), graduating from college (1 hour 35 minutes), and running a marathon or hitting a fitness goal (1 hour 26 minutes). But hey, some things are harder to achieve than others – thankfully, you can always brag about your sports team if the conversation runs dry.
The Most Boastful NFL Teams
Finally, to wrap up this bragidocious extravaganza, let’s quickly see which NFL fans stand out as the most bragtastic boasters in all of America:
1. Los Angeles Chargers
Charged up and ready to boast the most, fans of the Los Angeles Chargers save 4 hours and 9 minutes of their time each month to celebrate their team during a chit-chat!
2. New York Giants
Fittingly, fans of the New York Giants have pretty big mouths, spending 3 hours and 24 minutes a month bragging about their team and the wider world of sports.
3. Washington Commanders
Finally, followers of the Washington Commanders passionately commit 3 hours and 15 minutes per month to boasting about their sports knowledge or their team winning a game.
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Do You Love to Brag About Sports?
Interestingly, 35% of Americans actually enjoy hearing others talk about their successes, finding it motivating or inspiring. Still, it can get a bit much at times, as 17% admit they find bragging annoying.
In fact, one in ten go as far as to say it makes them feel uncomfortable or awkward. So, it’s clear that a little healthy bragging remains an American pastime, just maybe don’t overdo it… unless, of course, your team wins, in which case, boast away!
Methodology
We surveyed 2,000 Americans over 18, asking them about what they boast about, how often, and what they think of others who brag to them.
