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Massachusetts Ranks Among the Bottom 5 States with Bullying Problems

By TWIW Staff | October 12, 2021
Last Updated: October 12, 2021

A new study ranks 47 states and Washington, D.C. to find the states with the biggest bullying problems.

Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington were not included in the study due to a lack of available data.

The study found Massachusetts at the bottom of the list, showing all other states have a bigger problem with bullying.

The study used 20 different metrics to develop its rankings.

Here is how Massachusetts ranked in some key areas:

(1 = bigger problem with bullying)

  • 25th – Student-to-Counselor Ratio
  • 32nd – % of High School Students Bullied Online
  • 37th – % of High School Students Involved in Physical Fight at School
  • 39th – % of High School Students Bullied on School Property
  • 39th – % of High School Students Who Attempted Suicide
  • 42nd – % of High School Students Who Missed School for Fear of Being Bullied

Source: WalletHub

Bullying is a well-documented problem in the United States. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] says its 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System shows 19 percent of students in grades nine through twelve said they experienced bullying at school over the last 12 months and 15 percent said they experienced cyberbullying during the same period.

National Voices for Equality, Education and Enlightenment [NVEEE], a nonprofit organization that works to prevent bullying, violence, and suicide among youth, says only four in 100 adults will intervene while only 11 percent of the child’s peers might do the same. The remaining 85 percent will do nothing.

To see the full study and its methodology visit WalletHub.com.

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