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No matter where you're from, clear imagery comes to mind when you think of the South: hot summer days and cold iced tea (sweet, of course), finger-lickin' good barbecue and spicy Tex-Mex, Sunday church and sit-down family meals. Southerners are all about making folks feel welcome, and all this has come to be known as Southern hospitality, but how do you really characterize it? Southerners and non-Southerners alike defined what they believed are the top qualities of Southern hospitality, and both groups agreed that politeness and delicious home cooking were important, according to a survey by Twiddy. But for born-and-bred Southerners, politeness topped the list, while non-Southerners put more emphasis on homemade cooking. Kindness, helpfulness, charm, and charity were the other top four qualities of Southern hospitality, according to the 2,000 participants. So which state has perfected this famous combination of good manners and homestyle food? With almost twice the votes of any other state, Georgia takes home the title of most hospitable state, followed by Louisiana and Texas. Considering Savannah, Georgia has been ranked one of the friendliest cities in the U.S., and Louisiana and Texas offer some of the best Southern food in the country, we're not too surprised that these three states topped the list. The group also ranked the top qualities for each Southern state, and politeness won out once again, with five states—Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina, and Virgina—claiming that as their defining quality. For a dose of that classic Southern charm, head to Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, or Florida. But if you're craving a plate of country cooking, look no further than Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Kentucky—they'll send you home full and satisfied. This fascinating survey confirms what we already knew—no matter where you come from, there's no place like the South to make you feel like you've finally come home. (h/t Twiddy)