As the cliché goes, misery loves company. Spend enough time with unhappy people, and you're likely to adopt their Eeyore outlook. Hang out with divorced people, and it increases the likelihood that your marriage ends. Unfortunately, that logic appears to extend to city-size proportions. If you live in one of the most depressed cities — places where mental health is low and unemployment rates are high — there's a decent chance you will find your own life satisfaction taking a dip.
We know this because we've scoured America and discovered that there are definitely cities that aren't nearly as happy and perky as they should be. More specifically, we looked tons of data on the 200 largest cities in the U.S., analyzing everything from the U.S. Census data including divorce and unemployment rates to the changes in earnings over a three-year period (with the expectation that a net-decrease in wealth will ding one's morale). We also studied Gallup and Sharecare's Well-Being Index and various mental health statistics from the CDC. With that in mind, we created a proprietary "Misery Score." So read on, and see if your town is on this list of unhappiest cities and needs a pick-me-up. And for more great city grades, check out the 50 Most Sleepless Cities in America.
50
Montgomery, AL
Unemployment Rate: 9.20%
Divorce Rate: 12.5%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 5.51%
Well-Being Index Score: 59.80
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.50
Misery Score: 70.4
The total opposite of this depressing city, do you know which are The 100 Happiest Cities in America?
49
Tampa, FL
Unemployment Rate: 10.60%
Divorce Rate: 13.1%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 6.15%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.40
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.90
Misery Score: 70.8
48
Kansas City, KS
Unemployment Rate: 11.40%
Divorce Rate: 13.0%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -2.83%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.90
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.70
Misery Score: 71
For more on healthy living, check the 25 Ways to Be Happier Now.
47
Hialeah, FL
Unemployment Rate: 11.80%
Divorce Rate: 11.3%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -0.46%
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.20
Misery Score: 71.4
Some of these cities are also the 50 Cities with the Worst Commute in America.
46
New Orleans, LA
Unemployment Rate: 10.30%
Divorce Rate: 12.2%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 5.65%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.60
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.40
Misery Score: 71.4
45
Clarksville, TN
Unemployment Rate: 10.20%
Divorce Rate: 12.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -0.30%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.70
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.30
Misery Score: 71.6
44
Spokane, WA
Unemployment Rate: 9.00%
Divorce Rate: 15.4%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 5.21%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.70
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.80
Misery Score: 71.6
43
Sacramento, CA
Unemployment Rate: 12.30%
Divorce Rate: 11.9%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 2.68%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.20
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.90
Misery Score: 71.8
42
Reno, NV
Unemployment Rate: 8.40%
Divorce Rate: 15.6%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -3.27%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.50
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 72
41
Cincinnati, OH
Unemployment Rate:12.50%
Divorce Rate: 12.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 3.58%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.80
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.60
Misery Score: 72
40
Vancouver, WA
Unemployment Rate: 9.50%
Divorce Rate: 15.5%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 3.14%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.00
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.70
Misery Score: 72.2
39
Baltimore, MD
Unemployment Rate: 13.10%
Divorce Rate: 11.0%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 7.17%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.00
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 72.2
38
Eugene, OR
Unemployment Rate: 9.40%
Divorce Rate: 12.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 0.95%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.60
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.70
Misery Score: 72.4
37
Rochester, NY
Unemployment Rate: 13.80%
Divorce Rate: 10.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -1.47%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.00
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.90
Misery Score: 72.4
36
St Petersburg, FL
Unemployment Rate: 8.90%
Divorce Rate: 15.4%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 4.41%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.40
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 72.6
35
Stockton, CA
Unemployment Rate: 15.20%
Divorce Rate: 10.1%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -2.55%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.50
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.70
Misery Score: 72.8
34
Savannah, GA
Unemployment Rate: 12.30%
Divorce Rate: 13.1%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 2.09%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.60
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.70
Misery Score: 73
33
Indianapolis, IN
Unemployment Rate: 10.20%
Divorce Rate: 13.8%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 1.49%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.60
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.20
Misery Score: 73.2
32
Tacoma, WA
Unemployment Rate: 10.10%
Divorce Rate: 15.2%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 1.69%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.00
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.80
Misery Score: 73.4
31
Philadelphia, PA
Unemployment Rate: 13.90%
Divorce Rate: 9.1%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 3.91%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.20
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.60
Misery Score: 73.6
30
Jackson, MS
Unemployment Rate: 12.10%
Divorce Rate: 12.2%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 1.58%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.40
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.20
Misery Score: 73.8
29
Springfield, MO
Unemployment Rate: 8.20%
Divorce Rate: 16.3%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 2.08%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.70
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.20
Misery Score: 74.2
28
Columbus, GA
Unemployment Rate: 11.00%
Divorce Rate: 13.8%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual*: 3.31%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.20
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.10
Misery Score: 74
27
Jacksonville, FL
Unemployment Rate: 10.30%
Divorce Rate: 13.9%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 1.05%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.20
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.30
Misery Score: 74
26
Bridgeport, CT
Unemployment Rate: 16.00%
Divorce Rate: 10.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 3.77%
Well-Being Index Score: 63.20
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.50
Misery Score: 74.4
25
Mobile, AL
Unemployment Rate: 10.60%
Divorce Rate: 13.2%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -1.14%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.60
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.50
Misery Score: 74.6
24
Tucson, AZ
Unemployment Rate: 11.20%
Divorce Rate: 14.4%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 0.61%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.70
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.90
Misery Score: 74.6
23
Miami, FL
Unemployment Rate: 10.90%
Divorce Rate: 13.8%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 4.52%
Well-Being Index Score: 63.40
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.20
Misery Score: 74.6
22
Salem, OR
Unemployment Rate: 10.60%
Divorce Rate: 14.5%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -0.88%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.30
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.10
Misery Score: 74.8
21
Cape Coral, FL
Unemployment Rate: 11.30
Divorce Rate: 14.4%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 0.33%
Well-Being Index Score: 63.30
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.90
Misery Score: 74.8
20
Fresno, CA
Unemployment Rate: 14.30%
Divorce Rate: 11.1%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -1.13%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.10
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 74.8
19
Fayetteville, NC
Unemployment Rate: 13.20%
Divorce Rate: 12.1%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -0.36%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.70
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.10
Misery Score: 75.2
18
Port St. Lucie, Fl
Unemployment Rate: 12.60%
Divorce Rate: 12.5%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 3.97%
Well-Being Index Score: 63.50
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.20
Misery Score: 75.4
17
Chattanooga, TN
Unemployment Rate: 10.20%
Divorce Rate: 14.1%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 3.31%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.80
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.50
Misery Score: 75.6
16
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Unemployment Rate: 11.10%
Divorce Rate: 14.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 0.91%
Well-Being Index Score: 63.40
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 75.6
15
Newark, NJ
Unemployment Rate: 18.40%
Divorce Rate: 9.2%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -1.17%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.60
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.50
Misery Score: 76.2
14
Las Vegas, NV
Unemployment Rate: 11.80%
Divorce Rate: 14.9%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -1.76%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.70
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.80
Misery Score: 76.2
13
Memphis, TN
Unemployment Rate: 12.30%
Divorce Rate: 12.2%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 2.24%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.50
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.60
Misery Score: 76.6
12
Springfield, MA
Unemployment Rate: 13.30%
Divorce Rate: 11.3%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 0.83%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.10
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.60
Misery Score: 76.8
11
Buffalo, NY
Unemployment Rate: 11.20%
Divorce Rate: 16.0%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 1.74%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.90
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.80
Misery Score: 77.2
10
Modesto, CA
Unemployment Rate: 14.80%
Divorce Rate: 11.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 1.12%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.40
Mental Health Days: 4.1
Misery Score: 77.6
9
Akron, OH
Unemployment Rate: 12.60%
Divorce Rate: 14.4%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 2.19%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.70
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 78
8
San Bernadino, CA
Unemployment Rate: 16.60%
Divorce Rate: 10.6%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -3.83%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.10
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 78.4
7
Rockford, IL
Unemployment Rate: 14.90%
Divorce Rate: 13.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -3.01%
Well-Being Index Score: 59.90
Poor Mental Health Days: 3.80
Misery Score: 80
6
Birmingham AL
Unemployment Rate: 13.30%
Divorce Rate: 15.2%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -0.28%
Well-Being Index Score: 62.00
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 81
5
Toledo, OH
Unemployment Rate: 13.70%
Divorce Rate: 14.9%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 0.42%
Well-Being Index Score: 59.80
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.20
Misery Score: 82.4
4
Macon, GA
Unemployment Rate: 18.70%
Divorce Rate: 12.3%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 6.58%
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.10
Misery Score: 86.6
3
Dayton, OH
Unemployment Rate: 14.70%
Divorce Rate: 15.7%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 0.43%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.60
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.40
Misery Score: 87.2
2
Cleveland, OH
Unemployment Rate: 18.50%
Divorce Rate: 14.4%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: 7.21%
Well-Being Index Score: 61.00
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.00
Misery Score: 89.8
1
Detroit, MI
Unemployment Rate: 24.90%
Divorce Rate: 12.0%
Three-Year Change in Earnings Per Individual: -2.77%
Well-Being Index Score: 60.70
Poor Mental Health Days: 4.30
Misery Score: 99.6
If you're in need of some motivation after reading about these unhappiest cities, brighten up and learn How to Be Happy, According to Albert Einstein.
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