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In today’s marketplace, where access to information–and misinformation–is ever-increasing, the trust between a business and a customer has become a bedrock of brand equity.
According to the Better Business Bureau, 82% of consumers in the United States believe that trust sets the foundation for purchasing goods and services. Trust drives growth, with 77% of survey respondents reporting that they buy the products of businesses they trust, and 67% saying that they would recommend a trusted business to family and friends.
In this new study, ZenBusiness analyzed data from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to uncover which US cities and states have the highest proportion of businesses that people trust.
The BBB devised a trust scale that grades businesses from A+ through to F based on several factors to determine how trustworthy the company is.
% of Trusted Businesses = % of businesses with A or Above ratings
For each city and business type, the number of most trusted businesses was taken as a percentage of all businesses serving that area which had received a rating on the BBB website. This figure was only computed for cities with 20 or more businesses in each category. The overall percentage of most trusted businesses is a weighted average of percentages across business types.
Separate searches were carried out for each state to determine the number of all rated businesses and those rated A or above in each state.
A list of cities and their population were taken from the US Census Bureau.
Most Trusted Businesses by State
According to the Better Business Bureau’s trust scale, North Carolina has the most trusted businesses overall, with 98.8% of all businesses achieving an A or above. In fact, northern states have a higher percentage of trusted businesses – with Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and North Dakota all placing in the top 10.
Banks
According to the Better Business Bureau rating system, 100% of the banks in North Dakota, New Mexico, and Hawaii have a trust of A or above. However, New Jersey is home to the least trustworthy banks, with less than half of them (47%) holding a rating of A or above.
Car Dealers
Car owners in Rhode Island and Mississippi can rest assured that 100% of car dealers within those states have an A or above trust ratio. The number is a little less promising for those looking to buy a vehicle in North Dakota or Hawaii – each with just 50% of car dealers holding a trust rating of A or above.
Car Repair Services
Car repair shops in Nebraska are the most trusted, with 100% scoring a rating of A or above.
Charities
The charitable sector plays a crucial role in many people’s lives across the U.S. and around the world. From Feeding America to the American Red Cross, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to the ALSAC – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, many charities are doing great work to raise money and offer support to those who need it the most.
Perhaps because of the nature of the sector and those who work within it, 100% of charities in 16 states hold a trust rating of A or above. This includes Alabama, Kansas, New Mexico, and West Virginia. The state with the fewest number of trusted charities is Connecticut, with 50% of all charities holding a rating of A or above.
Home Improvement
9.2% of home improvement stores in North Dakota have a rating of A or above. The state with the fewest number of trusted stores, although still a credible score, is Arkansas. 83.1% have a rating of A or above.
Lawyers
100% of all lawyers in Alaska, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia are deemed trustworthy, with each bagging a rating of A or above. Utah is home to lawyers trusted the least, with 87.8% achieving an A or above.
Newspapers
Newspapers in Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Vermont are the most trusted publications in the U.S. – with 100% of the newspapers in each of these states receiving a rating of A or above. Newspapers in New Jersey are the least trusted, with only 58.3% of papers achieving an A or above.
Pharmacy
100% of pharmacies in Connecticut, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Vermont have a rating of A or above. However, with 28.6% of pharmacies scoring an A or above, South Dakota is home to the most minor trusted pharmacies.
Real Estate
Achieving an A or above, 100% of North Dakota and Wyoming real estate agents are perfectly trustworthy. In New York, that number drops to 84.5%, making the big apple home to the least reliable realtors.
Restaurants
Restaurants of various types are the best businesses to start in 17 U.S. cities. But trust in restaurant businesses varies from city to city and state to state. North Carolina is home to the most trusted restaurants, with 100% of them graded an A or above. Over half of restaurants (52.3%) in Arkansas managed the same rating.
Travel Agencies
100% of travel agencies in Arkansas, Maine, Mississippi, Vermont, and West Virginia earned a rating of A or above. However, home to the least trustworthy travel agencies in Florida – with only 72.7% of agencies earning an A or above.
The Top 10 Major Cities with the Highest Proportion of Businesses that Peoples Trust
From the tumult neighborhoods of New York City to the beaches of San Diego, Chicago with its exciting architecture, to Seattle, home to the headquarters of both Microsoft and Amazon, American metropolises have a lot to suggest. But which major cities are home to the most trusted businesses in the United States?
Key Findings
The state with the most trusted businesses overall is North Carolina (98.8%).
In less populated states, many in the North tend to have a higher percentage of trusted businesses.
Four of the top 10 major cities with the most trusted businesses are located in Texas (San Antonio, Fort Worth, Dallas, and Austin).
Boston (94.64%) stands out as the only city in the Northeast to rank among the top 10.
