What Americans Tip

What Americans Tip on Average in Each State, Ranked From Lowest to Highest

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MATTHEW MICHAELS / BUSINESSINSIDER.COM
This story originally appeared on BusinessInsider.com.

You've enjoyed your meal but your work is not yet over. You have to pay the check and figure out how much to tip.


Americans tip 16.4% of a check, on average, according to a study from Square, which measured credit and debit card transactions from over two million vendors in July 2017 and discovered how much people tip in each US state.

A June 2017 survey of 1,002 Americans from Creditcards.com found men were more generous with tipping, at least to restaurant servers. When asked if they leave tips 0f 15% or more, 59% of men responded in the affirmative while only 47% of women said yes.

Women, however, were more likely to say they always tipped hair stylists, baristas, and hotel staff than men.

The Creditcards.com survey — which is self reported — found that plastic also pays more than paper; purchases with credit cards are more likely to include a tip than those with cash.

People also tip differently depending on which part of the country they live. According to Square's research, five of the ten states that tip less than 16% are in the Northeast.

The state with the lowest tip average, Hawaii, paid 14.8% of the check, while the place with the highest tip average, Idaho, paid out 17.4%. See where every state ranked in generosity, according to data from Square.

Here are the rankings:

• Hawaii — 14.8%
• Washington, DC — 14.9%
• Massachusetts — 15.0%
• California — 15.2%
• Rhode Island — 15.3%
• New Jersey — 15.5%
• New York — 15.6%
• Connecticut — 15.9%
• Maryland — 15.9%
• Tennessee — 15.9%
• Vermont — 16.0%
• Maine — 16.0%
• Minnesota — 16.0%
• Virginia — 16.0%
• South Dakota — 16.1%
• Washington — 16.3%
• Montana — 16.4%
• Illinois — 16.4%
• Georgia — 16.4%
• Florida — 16.4%
• Oregon — 16.4%
• Wisconsin — 16.5%
• Alabama — 16.6%
• Nevada — 16.6%
• Louisiana — 16.6%
• Utah — 16.6%
• Missouri — 16.6%
• Colorado — 16.6%
• Texas — 16.6%
• New Hampshire — 16.7%
• Nebraska — 16.7%
• South Carolina — 16.7%
• Ohio — 16.7%
• Pennsylvania — 16.7%
• North Carolina — 16.7%
• North Dakota — 16.8%
• Wyoming — 16.8%
• Kansas — 16.8%
• Oklahoma — 16.8%
• Michigan — 16.8%
• Arkansas — 16.9%
• New Mexico — 16.9%
• Mississippi — 17.0%
• Iowa — 17.0%
• Kentucky — 17.0%
• Alaska — 17.1%
• Indiana — 17.1%
• Delaware — 17.2%
• West Virginia — 17.3%
• Arizona — 17.3%
• Idaho — 17.4%