CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LendingTree®, the nation's leading online loan marketplace, released its study on the states hit hardest by social distancing. With COVID-19 spreading throughout the country and experts urging Americans to practice social distancing, the study found that residents of Western states and New England tend to be more social than the rest of the country and might be having a difficult time with social distancing.

Key findings

• Rhode Island is the most social state in America and tops the list of places hit hardest by social distancing. Rhode Islanders spend 205 minutes per day in social situations, according to our analysis of Time Use data. In particular, they spend a lot of time caring for and helping non-household members, compared with other states.
• Idaho is the runner-up in terms of socialization. Residents in this state spent more time in religious and volunteering activities compared with other states. In total, we estimate a total of 159 minutes per day in social situations for Idaho residents.
• New Hampshire came in third with 153 minutes of potential non-work social time per day. In terms of pure socializing for fun, New Hampshire residents rack up an impressive 68 minutes per day.
• At the bottom of the list are Washington, D.C. (50th), Alaska (49th) and New Mexico (48th). Washington D.C. in particular stood out with just 88 minutes of non-work social time per day. Residents of the nation's capital are also known to work long hours, so that may be where residents are getting their social time in

Here are the top 10 states hit hardest by social distancing:

1. Rhode Island
2. Idaho
3. New Hampshire
4. Wyoming
5. Montana
6. Utah
7. Vermont
8. Michigan
9. Hawaii
10. South Dakota

To view the full report, visit
https://www.lendingtree.com/personal/social-distancing-study/

Methodology
To find the most social states in America, LendingTree researchers gathered data for seven metrics from the 2018 American Time Use survey. Specifically, we looked at time spent on phone calls, mail and email; socializing and communicating; sports exercise and recreation; religious and spiritual activities; volunteering; caring for and helping household members and caring for and helping non-household members. We then added up the average amount of time spent doing each activity per day. This gave us the average amount of time a person in each state spent in social situations per day. We ranked the states from highest to lowest based on this figure.

About LendingTree
LendingTree (NASDAQ: TREE) is the nation's leading online marketplace that connects consumers with the choices they need to be confident in their financial decisions. LendingTree empowers consumers to shop for financial services the same way they would shop for airline tickets or hotel stays, comparing multiple offers from a nationwide network of over 500 partners in one simple search, and can choose the option that best fits their financial needs. Services include mortgage loans, mortgage refinances, auto loans, personal loans, business loans, student loans, insurance, credit cards and more. Through the My LendingTree platform, consumers receive free credit scores, credit monitoring and recommendations to improve credit health. My LendingTree proactively compares consumers' credit accounts against offers on our network, and notifies consumers when there is an opportunity to save money. In short, LendingTree's purpose is to help simplify financial decisions for life's meaningful moments through choice, education and support. LendingTree, LLC is a subsidiary of LendingTree, Inc. For more information, go to www.lendingtree.com, dial 800-555-TREE, like our Facebook page and/or follow us on Twitter @LendingTree.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Greuling
[email protected]
704-943-8208

SOURCE LendingTree.com

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