A person's cadence counts for a lot
Everyone knows first impressions are important—and we don’t just make them based on sight. Beyond a chic outfit and well-coiffed hair, how a person sounds can also be a big factor when forming an initial opinion. In fact, a recent analysis of more than a dozen American accents conducted by BetUS Casino found that some folks’ speech actually conveys more honesty and reliability than others’.
At this point, you’re probably praying your own voice sounds dependable, not shifty or shady, right? Try to relax, and then read on to learn (nay, hear!) where the most trustworthy accents are located.
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How was the study conducted?
As with many studies today, internet data helped determine which parts of the country sound the most steadfast and true. BetUS Casino crafted the report, which is current as of Aug. 15, 2025, by focusing on how people feel about 14 different regional accents.
How did the company determine those feelings? First, researchers looked at internet search terms like “friendly (accent)” or “professional (accent).” Then, to complete the rankings, they compiled data on the rate of financial crimes per 10,000 people, plus the number of lawyers and primary-care doctors in each area.
Why doctors and lawyers, you may ask? Well, these are professions that rely on trust—after all, you might have to put your life in their hands! The more of these professionals in an area, the more trustworthy the accent. Once the study authors had the information in hand, they weighted the data and ranked the regions on a scale of 1–100.
Which regional accent is considered the most trustworthy?
Now hear this: The regional accent that’s considered to be the most trustworthy hails from Boston!
Yup, the fine citizens of Beantown scored 56.1, which was enough to take top honors for sounding highly dependable. Boston ranks so strongly thanks to more than 23,300 searches related to how kind and upstanding the accent sounds. The Massachusetts capital and largest city in New England also sports a low level of financial crime and is home to tens of thousands of lawyers and doctors.
Boston shines in others ways too, underlining the trust factor essential to its distinctive accent. For example, one recent WalletHub report list Boston as the third most caring city in the nation, while another names Massachusetts as the best U.S. state to live in. And the Bay State has excellent health care, with the highest childhood vaccination rates, lowest infant mortality and fewest premature avoidable deaths.
Want to sound just like a Bostonian? Start by dropping some of your R’s, as in “pahk the cah” and “wicked smaht.” Or listen to Ben Affleck turn on the telltale accent in his Dunkin’ commercials. Other famous Bostonians with perfect inflection include Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Amy Poehler.
Which other accents were considered trustworthy?
As for other accents considered to be trustworthy, this quartet hits both the east and west coasts, the deep South and a couple of large urban centers. Here’s the rest of the list, rounding out the top five:
Cajun accent
This distinctive speech took the second ranking with a total score of 49.9, the result of approximately 17,000 searches on how friendly it sounds. The Cajun accent has its roots in Louisiana, and those who speak this way are distant relatives of long-ago French Canadians who made their home in the Pelican State.
Philadelphia accent
Third place makes a lot of sense, since Philadelphia’s nickname—the City of Brotherly Love—dovetails perfectly with the kindness and honor that underpin the accent. Along with more than 19,000 searches, which garnered a score of 48.1, Philly also boasts just 117 financial crimes per 10,000 people.
California accent
Coming in at No. 4, with a total score of 39.4, California’s manner of speech matches the mellow, low-key attitudes of many who call the Golden State home. And if you ever get into a spot of trouble, reach out to one of the 175,000-plus attorneys here, second only to New York in this list.
New York accent
“You talkin’ to me?” Robert De Niro’s iconic Taxi Driver line doesn’t sound that friendly, but the data here says otherwise. Yup, many consider this somewhat gruff accent to be pretty legit. Scoring 38.9, New York also has low financial crime stats, quite commendable as NYC is the world’s financial capital.
Which accents are considered the least trustworthy?
Alas, the report also noted the accents that people apparently consider the least trustworthy. Some of these regions may surprise you!
1. Mountain West accent
While the Mountain West gets plenty of searches for friendly and professional accents, it ranks high for financial crimes—mostly due to Utah, which reports a region-high 1,101 crimes per 10,000 people.
2. New Jersey accent
People aren’t crazy about the Garden State’s tone. Could it be due to its less-than-flattering portrayal in such popular series as Jersey Shore and The Sopranos? Have a listen and decide for yourself.
3. Southern accent
You might think the South’s sweet tea and buttery biscuits would also come with a side of reliability. But the only things loud and clear in the area’s accent (at least according to this WalletHub report) are its low levels of trust and friendliness.
4. Hawaiian accent
Wait—don’t Hawaiians offer visitors those beautiful leis? And yet, per BetUS Casino, scams abound in the Aloha State, targeting many unsuspecting tourists. No wonder this accent ranked the fourth worst.
5. Midwestern accent
Sadly, folks in the heartland don’t have an accent that instills confidence. Like the Mountain West, the Midwest has one state, South Dakota, with a disproportionate number of reported financial crimes (nearly 2,000 per 10,000 of its citizens). Luckily, they have more lawyers than any other region on the list!
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Sources:
- BetUS Casino: “Who to Trust: The Most Trustworthy U.S. Accents”
- WalletHub: “Most Caring Cities in America (2025)”
- WalletHub: “Best States to Live In”
- Mass.gov: “Massachusetts Ranks #1 for Health Care Affordability and Access”
- Explore Louisiana: “How to Speak Cajun: A Crash Course”
- Visual Capitalist: “U.S. Financial Crime Activity by State”
