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30 Worst Cities to Live in if You Care About Your Happiness

Yes, your zip code has a major effect on your mood.

Knoxville, fattest cities, drunkest cities, longest-living cities, best singles scenes, flip a house, sleepless cities
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A number of factors can impact a person's happiness, from their natural disposition to the people they hang out with. But, when it comes to measuring unhappiness, there's another, commonly overlooked factor: Zip code. Just as living in some cities can send your state-of-mind into the stratosphere, living in others can cause your overall mood to plummet—fast.


To find out which U.S. cities are the worst when it comes to happiness, we combed through figures from the Census and Centers for Disease Control on the 200 largest cities in the country, looking at factors most closely associated with happiness level: physical and mental health, employment, family stability, and more. From there, we crunched the numbers to find which cities are most conducive to happiness—and which are prone to misery. Here are the results—ranked in increasing order of unhappiness with our proprietary "Unhappiness Score." And if you're curious where in America people are super happy, don't miss The 50 Cities in America Where People Live the Longest.

30 | Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids, happiest cities, fattest cities

Population: 196,445

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 25.8%

Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

Poverty Level: 22.5%

Divorce Rate: 11.3%

Mental Health: 14.0%

Physical Health: 13.5%

Unhappiness Score: 63.10

And for more stats on our country's locales, learn all about The 20 American Cities with the Most Unfaithful Husbands.

29 | Winston–Salem, NC

fattest citiesShutterstock

Population: 242,203

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 26.7%

Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

Poverty Level: 23.3%

Divorce Rate: 11.4%

Mental Health: 14.1%

Physical Health: 12.9%

Unhappiness Score: 65.40

28 | Columbus, GA

Downtown skyline of Columbus Georgia on as the sun is nearly settingShutterstock

Population: 197,485

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 26.3%

Unemployment Rate: 5.7%

Poverty Level: 21.7%

Divorce Rate: 13.6%

Mental Health: 14.0%

Physical Health: 14.1%

Unhappiness Score: 68.60

Next, check out The 50 Most Caffeinated Cities in America.

27 | Philadelphia, PA

fattest citiesShutterstock

Population: 1,567,872

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 26.5%

Unemployment Rate: 6.8%

Poverty Level: 25.8%

Divorce Rate: 9.2%

Mental Health: 15.3%

Physical Health: 14.6%

Unhappiness Score: 69.00

26 | Laredo, TX

Laredo, worst singles scenesShutterstock

Population: 257,156

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 26.2%

Unemployment Rate: 3.2%

Poverty Level: 30.6%

Divorce Rate: 8.7%

Mental Health: 14.2%

Physical Health: 16.0%

Unhappiness Score: 71.10

You also don't want to be single here, as Laredo is one of The 50 Cities with the Worst Singles Scenes in America.

25 | Richmond, VA

most sleepless cities

Population: 223,170

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 27.6%

Unemployment Rate: 5.7%

Poverty Level: 25.2%

Divorce Rate: 11.5%

Mental Health: 13.8%

Physical Health: 12.3%

Unhappiness Score: 73.50

24 | Kansas City, KS

fattest cities

Population: 151,709

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 22.6%

Unemployment Rate: 5.5%

Poverty Level: 22.3%

Divorce Rate: 13.4%

Mental Health: 13.6%

Physical Health: 13.6%

Unhappiness Score: 73.80

23 | St. Louis, MO

St. Louis Arch Tourist Traps That Locals HateShutterstock

Population: 311,404

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 23.8%

Unemployment Rate: 6.1%

Poverty Level: 25.0%

Divorce Rate: 12.6%

Mental Health: 15.5%

Physical Health: 15.4%

Unhappiness Score: 76.40

22 | Brownsville, TX

Brownsville, TX, worst singles scenes

Population: 183,823

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 20.3%

Unemployment Rate: 4.3%

Poverty Level: 31.4%

Divorce Rate: 6.9%

Mental Health: 14.3%

Physical Health: 16.5%

Unhappiness Score: 76.70

21 | Memphis, TN

Memphis Tennessee American Cities Vacation DestinationsShutterstock

Population: 652,717

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 22.6%

Unemployment Rate: 6.6%

Poverty Level: 26.9%

Divorce Rate: 10.7%

Mental Health: 15.9%

Physical Health: 16.5%

Unhappiness Score: 77.60

Oh, and by the way, Memphis is among The 50 Fattest Cities in America.

20 | New Orleans, LA

new orleans french quarterShutterstock

Population: 391,495

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 27.5%

Unemployment Rate: 5.3%

Poverty Level: 25.4%

Divorce Rate: 13.3%

Mental Health: 13.3%

Physical Health: 12.7%

Unhappiness Score: 78.50

19 | Milwaukee, WI

milwaukee wi worst cities to drive in

Population: 595,047

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 22.1%

Unemployment Rate: 5.9%

Poverty Level: 27.4%

Divorce Rate: 10.1%

Mental Health: 15.4%

Physical Health: 14.0%

Unhappiness Score: 78.70

18 | Fresno, CA

fresno california sleepless cities, worst drinking waterShutterstock

Population: 522,053

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 28.7%

Unemployment Rate: 6.8%

Poverty Level: 28.4%

Divorce Rate: 10.4%

Mental Health: 14.6%

Physical Health: 14.3%

Unhappiness Score: 79.20

17 | Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, fattest cities, drunkest cities, longest-living cities, best singles scenes, flip a house, sleepless cities

Population: 186,239

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 20.4%

Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

Poverty Level: 26.5%

Divorce Rate: 13.0%

Mental Health: 16.1%

Physical Health: 15.1%

Unhappiness Score: 79.50

Still, it's not all bad news: Knoxville is one of The 50 Cities with the Best Singles Scenes in America.

16 | Tucson, AZ

Tucson, drunkest citiesShutterstock

Population: 530,706

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 22.3%

Unemployment Rate: 5.7%

Poverty Level: 24.1%

Divorce Rate: 13.7%

Mental Health: 14.1%

Physical Health: 14.4%

Unhappiness Score: 79.70

15 | Miami, FL

miami beach floridaShutterstock

Population: 453,579

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 22.9%

Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

Poverty Level: 25.8%

Divorce Rate: 13.1%

Mental Health: 13.1%

Physical Health: 15.5%

Unhappiness Score: 80.20

14 | Akron, OH

akron Ohio, sleepless citiesShutterstock

Population: 197,633

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 19.3%

Unemployment Rate: 5.9%

Poverty Level: 24.1%

Divorce Rate: 13.5%

Mental Health: 15.6%

Physical Health: 15.2%

Unhappiness Score: 80.40

13 | Springfield, MO

Springfield, drunkest cities

Population: 167,319

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 17.5%

Unemployment Rate: 3.9%

Poverty Level: 25.7%

Divorce Rate: 13.5%

Mental Health: 15.7%

Physical Health: 14.9%

Unhappiness Score: 81.20

12 | Newark, NJ

Newark, drunkest citiesShutterstock

Population: 281,764

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 20.0%

Unemployment Rate: 9.2%

Poverty Level: 28.3%

Divorce Rate: 8.0%

Mental Health: 15.8%

Physical Health: 16.7%

Unhappiness Score: 84.00

11 | Hialeah, FL

Hialeah, Florida, Miami, worst singles scenes

Population: 236,387

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 14.7%

Unemployment Rate: 4.1%

Poverty Level: 25.9%

Divorce Rate: 12.9%

Mental Health: 13.0%

Physical Health: 17.0%

Unhappiness Score: 84.00

10 | Buffalo, NY

Buffalo New York American Cities Vacation Destinations

Population: 256,902

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 20.9%

Unemployment Rate: 5.2%

Poverty Level: 30.9%

Divorce Rate: 9.8%

Mental Health: 15.5%

Physical Health: 15.8%

Unhappiness Score: 85.50

9 | San Bernardino, CA

San Bernardino California most dangerous citiesShutterstock

Population: 216,239

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 22.8%

Unemployment Rate: 7.3%

Poverty Level: 30.6%

Divorce Rate: 10.4%

Mental Health: 16.6%

Physical Health: 16.6%

Unhappiness Score: 88.90

8 | Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati, drunkest cities

Population: 298,800

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 24.2%

Unemployment Rate: 6.8%

Poverty Level: 28.7%

Divorce Rate: 12.8%

Mental Health: 15.0%

Physical Health: 13.7%

Unhappiness Score: 92.00

And for more startling zip code stats, here are The 100 Drunkest Cities in America.

7 | Toledo, OH

fattest citiesShutterstock

Population: 278,508

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 19.7%

Unemployment Rate: 6.7%

Poverty Level: 26.5%

Divorce Rate: 15.0%

Mental Health: 15.9%

Physical Health: 15.2%

Unhappiness Score: 93.80

6 | Birmingham, AL

fattest citiesShutterstock

Population: 212,157

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 18.5%

Unemployment Rate: 6.5%

Poverty Level: 28.1%

Divorce Rate: 14.1%

Mental Health: 15.2%

Physical Health: 16.3%

Unhappiness Score: 96.10

5 | Jackson, MS

fattest cities

Population: 169,148

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 20.6%

Unemployment Rate: 7.7%

Poverty Level: 28.9%

Divorce Rate: 12.6%

Mental Health: 15.1%

Physical Health: 14.6%

Unhappiness Score: 97.30

4 | Syracuse, NY

Syracuse, drunkest cities

Population: 143,378

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 20.4%

Unemployment Rate: 5.9%

Poverty Level: 32.6%

Divorce Rate: 11.0%

Mental Health: 15.9%

Physical Health: 14.8%

Unhappiness Score: 97.40

3 | Rochester, NY

Rochester, drunkest cities

Population: 208,880

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 17.4%

Unemployment Rate: 7.5%

Poverty Level: 33.1%

Divorce Rate: 11.2%

Mental Health: 16.4%

Physical Health: 15.5%

Unhappiness Score: 97.90

2 | Detroit, MI

detroit mi worst driving citiesShutterstock

Population: 672,795

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 13.7%

Unemployment Rate: 10.6%

Poverty Level: 37.9%

Divorce Rate: 11.3%

Mental Health: 18.0%

Physical Health: 19.3%

Unhappiness Score: 98.40

You might not want to drive here either because Detroit is one of  The 50 Worst Cities to Drive In.

1 | Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, Ohio, drunkest cities

Population: 385,809

Households Earning Annual Income Above $75K: 14.2%

Unemployment Rate: 9.4%

Poverty Level: 35.2%

Divorce Rate: 14.3%

Mental Health: 16.5%

Physical Health: 17.5%

Unhappiness Score: 99.00

Next, learn all about The 50 Most Tax-Friendly Cities in America.

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