Is New York a Hot Bed for Psychos? Yep!

Let me start with an apology. No, not for my casual use of the word psycho in a very P.C. 2025—though I’m sure that’ll ruffle a few feathers. I'm apologizing for bringing this story to your face weeks after the data dropped. It’s been a hectic start to summer, and I fell behind. My bad.

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Anyway, a few weeks ago, the New York Post published the results of a twenty-year study conducted by the University of Copenhagen. Yes, twenty years. Without diving too deep into the academic weeds, the researchers wanted to find out where the world’s psychopaths are most likely to come from.

Surprise! The U.S. made a strong showing, with four states rising to the top (or bottom?) of the psycho charts:

• New York
• Texas
• Nevada
• South Dakota

These results came from a study involving 1.7 million participants across 183 countries, so yeah—the long timeline starts to make a lot more sense when you realize how much data they were chewing through.

To sum it up (again, avoiding full nerd mode), the researchers found that where you live can play a role in developing “dark traits” like psychopathy and narcissism. Isn't that comforting?

Now, for balance, let’s give a little love to the places least likely to produce psychos:

• Vermont
• Utah
• Maine
• Oregon

Before we dig any deeper, I need to own something—I am part of the problem. I grew up in New York. Specifically, Brewster/Putnam Lake. Pick your poison. I bounced between the two and, honestly, they’re basically the same town with slightly different flavors of chaos. The people? Certifiably nuts—in the most lovable, yet concerning way.

Read More: The Viral Shopping Cart Theory: Is Connecticut Getting It Right? 

I didn’t even realize unhinged my hometown crowd was until I moved to Connecticut. Now, I’m not saying Connecticut folks are better (calm down, Nutmeggers), I’m just saying New Yorkers—especially the ones I knew—have always been, uh, extra. Unpredictable. Loud. Chaotic. Capable of turning a Tuesday night into a full-blown crime doc. Think Mark Wahlberg in the 1996 film "Fear." Let me in the house!

Personally, I like a little wild in my life. But fair warning: if you’re heading into the Empire State, maybe keep your head on a swivel. Because it’s not just the bagels that are intense—one divisive headline and it starts to feel like the next installment of The Purge.

P.S. I’m so tempted to start naming actual living psychos in Brewster right now, but I’m feeling oddly sane today. I’ll check back Wednesday and see if that changes.