JOMO Is In Why More Americans Are Glad to Miss Out
Even the most outgoing people sometimes need a break from socializing. For many Americans, JOMO—the joy of missing out—is their favorite way to recharge. And when they’re enjoying alone time, a solitaire card game like Pyramid or Freecell is often the perfect companion.
At Solitrd, we get it. Sometimes all you need is your favorite card game—like Pyramid Solitaire or Hearts—or time to catch up on a show. So we set out to find where in the U.S. people are most likely to embrace JOMO.
We surveyed residents in every state about their preference for going out versus staying in. Then we assigned points to JOMO-friendly responses and calculated a JOMO Index score from 0 to 100, with 100 showing the highest love for staying in. Read on to find out which states are the most joyfully missing out.
- People in Nevada, Georgia, and Florida are the most likely to embrace the joy of missing out (JOMO).
- Those in New York, Missouri, and New Jersey are the least likely to do so.
- The top two excuses Americans give—when they’re not being fully honest—are “not feeling well” and “too tired.”
- Over two-thirds of Americans feel relieved when they miss a social event—they enjoy the break.
- Almost 40% often turn down plans to spend time alone.
- Nearly 25% regularly tell a white lie to skip out on social commitments.
- 1 in 6 frequently pull an Irish goodbye, slipping out without saying goodbye.
Top States for Embracing JOMO
Whether you love staying in on the weekend or just need a break from the chaos, JOMO—the joy of missing out—is something many Americans relate to. And when it comes to truly embracing JOMO, Nevada is on top with a score of 99.81 out of 100. Nearly 3 in 4 Nevadans say they feel relieved when they skip a social event.
Georgia comes in second with a JOMO score of 99.72. Residents there are the most likely in the country to regularly turn down plans for some solo time. In third is Florida, scoring 97.95. Saying no to friends can be tough, which may explain why Floridians are the most likely to use a white lie to get out of plans.
Arizona lands in fourth place, where over 40% of people say they need plenty of alone time to feel their best. Oklahoma rounds out the top five with a score of 97.14, and 1 in 4 residents there say they fully embrace JOMO.
But not everyone is into joyfully missing out. New York ranks lowest on the JOMO scale. With a reputation as the city that never sleeps, it makes sense that many Empire State residents prefer sticking to their plans.
Next is Missouri, where over a third of people say they feel frustrated when they miss out. New Jersey comes in third-to-last, with nearly 1 in 4 residents saying they rarely skip social plans in favor of solitude.
Overall, women are more likely than men to feel relieved when they cancel or miss plans. Still, not everyone gets support for embracing JOMO. About 1 in 3 people who enjoy it say their family and friends don’t approve—and often pressure them to go out anyway.
Top Excuses Americans Use to Skip Social Plans
Turning down plans isn’t always easy, which is why many Americans rely on common excuses. The top excuse is claiming to feel unwell—used by half of Americans—even when they’re not actually sick. Other popular reasons include feeling too tired or citing family obligations, with over two in five people admitting to using them.
These excuses often fall under the category of white lies, which nearly 1 in 4 Americans say they frequently use to skip plans. Of those, about half feel guilty afterward. Some skip the excuses altogether and opt for an Irish goodbye—leaving without saying goodbye—which 1 in 6 Americans admit to doing regularly.
After looking into the excuses people make, we also wanted to know which events they’re most eager to skip. Topping the list? Holiday work parties. Nearly 70% of people said they’d rather not go. While some enjoy the chance to socialize with coworkers, many would rather keep work and personal time separate.
Office happy hours aren’t far behind—more than two-thirds of Americans say they’d rather pass. Reunions come in third, whether it’s distant cousins you barely know or high school classmates you haven’t seen in years.
Large gatherings like concerts and sporting events rank next. Almost half of respondents say they’d prefer to stay home than deal with crowds and noise. For many, a quiet night in beats the chaos of a packed venue.
Make the Most of Your Me-Time with a Solitaire Card Game
Whether you’re all about JOMO or constantly battling FOMO, everyone needs some alone time now and then. Whether you’re powering through errands or chasing fitness goals, a little downtime can do wonders.
But alone time doesn’t have to mean doing nothing. At Solitrd, we believe it’s the perfect moment to dive into a favorite hobby or give your brain a fun challenge. The next time you’re flying solo and looking for something to do, try a game of Spades, Freecell, or Anubis Pyramid.
Approach
This study set out to discover where JOMO—the joy of missing out—is most popular across the U.S. We surveyed people in every state, asking how likely they are to cancel or decline plans in favor of spending time alone. Each JOMO-leaning response earned points, and we calculated an average score per person, then by state. To compare results, we scaled each state’s score from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating the highest likelihood of embracing JOMO.
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