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Survey: Americans Like New Jersey Least Of All States

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- New Jersey is the least liked state in the country, according to a new survey.

YouGov.com found that 40 percent of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of the Garden State, while 30 percent have positive feelings -- a favorability rating of minus-10 percent. New Jersey was the only state with a negative score.

To compare, the second least liked state, Alabama, had a 39 percent favorable rating and 31 percent unfavorable, a score of plus-8.

Survey: Americans Like New Jersey Least Of All States

Along the New Jersey Turnpike, drivers passing through say it's northern New Jersey that is hurting the state's reputation, especially with all the jokes on late-night TV.

"The chemical factories, the smell," one man from New Haven, Connecticut, told 1010 WINS' Roger Stern, adding that news coverage portraying New Jersey as a "shady area" doesn't help either.

Another man said New Jersey doesn't put its best foot forward

"When you see all those tanks near Exit 13, even Giant and Jets stadium -- that's on the marshland, so it's nothing really impressive," he said. "Until you get further south, then everything looks to get better."

New York had the 36th most favorable score, and Connecticut was 33rd.

The most liked state in the country is Hawaii, according to the survey.

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