In this article, we list the 30 Unhappiest Cities in America. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of the topic, you can go directly to the 10 Unhappiest Cities in America.
According to a 2022 report published by Oracle, 45% of people have not felt true happiness for more than two years, while 25% have forgotten what it means to feel truly happy. While happiness is subjective, several factors play a part in making people unhappy.
For instance, a research paper by NBER finds that the population density of an area and happiness in communities are closely linked. It finds that average population density in the 20% of most miserable communities in Canada was more than eight times greater than in the happiest 20% of communities. Therefore concluding that living in highly dense cities like metropolitan areas reduces average happiness levels.
Additionally, economic well-being has a major effect on happiness as well, especially in urban living. Although there is a common perception that cities offer amenities that lead to happiness, there’s evidence that urban living does not necessarily mean more happiness in individuals.
According to the NIH study, happiness and well-being increase as income increases. In the study, the researchers decided to look at incomes above and below $100,000 per year. They found out that those American participants making less than $100,000 per year get unhappier as income decreases. On the contrary, those making more than $100,000 per year are less miserable, and once incomes cross $100,000 per year and people make more money, the level of peak happiness grows even faster.
However, while higher income does buy you happiness, other mental-health deteriorating factors in cities, like high costs of living, greater inequality, social isolation, noise, and pollution, can offset the benefits of higher incomes. But for many people, especially Gen Z and Millennials, emotional and physical well-being is more important than job perks such as high salary. According to the Securian Financial survey, 73% of Generation Z and 74% of Millennial employees have utilized the mental health benefits that their employers offered.
People are realizing now more than ever before the importance of happiness and its effect on their emotional and physical well-being. Happiness brings out positive emotions, produces a pleasant mood, and makes your attitude soft towards yourself and others around you. Additionally, happiness protects the heart physically by lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormone levels. Safe to say, happiness is not only a state of mind but also a crucial component for maintaining physical health.
However, many cities in the United States lack factors that would make residents happy, such as pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. The lack of such infrastructure discourages physical activity among the residents, and further hurts the air quality of the area by promoting high use of vehicles. Moreover, the lack of affordable healthcare services is also a significant factor contributing to unhappiness among the residents. Some of the leading healthcare companies that are actively investing in urban areas include Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO), UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ).
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) is one of the leading companies in investing in diagnostics, and healthcare solutions. It made huge investments at the peak of COVID-19, such as opening a new cGMP plasmid DNA manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, California, in 2021. Earlier in the same year, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) announced more than $600 million in capital investments to expand its bioprocessing production capabilities through 2022. Moreover, in 2022, the company announced a $59 million investment in Kentucky’s healthcare sector, which will create 200 full-time jobs that will pay an average of $41 per hour.
Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), an American multinational health insurance and services company, made significant investments in cities in the United States, focusing on various initiatives to address community needs. One of the notable investments includes a $25 million commitment to the Healthy Neighborhoods Equity Fund II (HNEF II) in Boston to finance mixed-use developments that offer retail, housing, and social services. The aim behind this investment is to promote healthier communities. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) recognizes that access to affordable housing will improve community health outcomes and help people live healthier and happier lives.
On the other hand, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has a strong reputation for various initiatives and healthcare investments. A couple of days ago (March 7, 2024), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) announced a successful acquisition of a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, Ambrx Biopharma, Inc. The newly acquired company has a synthetic biology technology platform that will help design and develop next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). This acquisition is completed in an all-cash merger transaction for a total equity value of approximately $2.0 billion.
30 Unhappiest Cities in America
Our Methodology
For our list of 30 Unhappiest Cities in America, we have considered the emotional and physical well-being of residents, income, employment, community, and environment of each city. Sourcing our data from 8 different sources (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8), we assigned scores and weights to each of the above metrics. For emotional and physical well-being we assigned a weight of 70%, for income and employment, and for community and environment, we assigned a weight of 15% to each. We then averaged out the weighted scores and shortlisted the top thirty cities with the highest averages as they represented the cities with the highest rates of unhappiness.
For our scoring, we have also considered three of our own lists. Namely, 25 Poorest Cities In The US That Are Getting Poorer, 20 Cities With The Highest Cost of Living in the US, and 30 Most Crime Ridden Cities in America.
By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that uses a consensus approach to identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The website tracks the movement of corporate insiders and hedge funds. Our top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 stock index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). So, if you are looking for the best stock picks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.
30 Unhappiest Cities in America
30. Amarillo, TX
Population Density (people per square mile): 1,965
Average Income per Year: $24,904
Insider Monkey Average: 137.4
Ranked 30, Amarillo is a city in Texas with a density of population of 1,965 people per square mile. Note that, according to the World Bank’s most recent data, the US’s average population density is only 94 people per square mile. Amarillo also has high levels of violent and property crimes, and while the cost of living is decent, the city struggles with a lack of green spaces and accessibility to nutritious food options.
29. Buffalo, NY
Population Density (people per square mile): 6,302
Average Income per Year: $20,726
Insider Monkey Average: 137.75
Buffalo, New York, has a population of 276,011 that battles with a concerning depression rate of 22%, exceeding the national average. Economic challenges, high cost of living, and high crime rates are some factors that contribute to the city’s struggle with mental health.
28. Cincinnati, OH
Population Density (people per square mile): 3,909
Average Income per Year: $25,256
Insider Monkey Average: 137.95
Cincinnati, a city in the state of Ohio, faces a higher crime rate than the national average, with a rate of 46.8 per 100,000 people. The city also has an increasing growth and sprawl issue.
27. New Orleans, LA
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,299
Average Income per Year: $27,255
Insider Monkey Average: 138.2
Although New Orleans is known for its rich culture and carnivals, the city has high rates of violent and property crimes. New Orleans especially has a violent crime rate, which poses constant threats and safety concerns for its residents. The city’s unique culture also contrasts with its high cost of living, which is 1.6% higher than the US average as of 2024. Also, New Orleans has an unemployment rate of 11% and higher tax rates than the national average.
26. Las Vegas, NV
Population Density (people per square mile): 4,478
Average Income per Year: $25,555
Insider Monkey Average: 138.3
While it may be known for its glitzy lifestyle and casinos, Las Vegas is the 26th unhappiest city in America, with a cost of living that’s 10.6% higher than the national average as of writing this article. Unemployment, home prices, the costs of renting an apartment, and even sales tax – all of these are higher than the national average in Las Vegas. The city also has minimal green spaces and a high exposure to unhealthy habits such as gambling.
25. Corpus Christi, TX
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,049
Average Income per Year: $25,203
Insider Monkey Average: 138.7
While Corpus Christi has coastal beauty, it has a significantly higher crime rate than the average in the US. The city’s 23.30% depression rate reminds us that even in scenic locales, mental health support remains important. While the city has a good cost of living, with an average monthly rent of $1,115 a month, it is an isolated location with many industrial landscapes and a high unemployment rate. Moreover, according to WorldHealth’s 2023 report, Corpus Christi is the tenth unhealthiest city in America.
24. Casper, WY
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,205
Average Income per Year: $30,624
Insider Monkey Average: 141
Ranked 24, Casper is a beautiful city in Wyoming with scenic hiking trails and a booming art scene. Despite the scenery, the city suffers from high unhappiness and suicide rates due to various reasons. Residents complain of cold and wind, isolation, and low ethnic diversity. While the violent crime rate is low in Casper, the property crime rates are still higher than the national average, with a rate of 42.2. Moreover, the residents have to work more hours than the majority of other cities in the States, but the city still has one of the lowest income growth rates in America.
23. North Las Vegas, NV
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,654
Average Income per Year: $21,003
Insider Monkey Average: 142.85
Economic struggles persist in North Las Vegas, with the cost of living being 10.6% higher than the national average. According to World Health’s 2023 report, North Las Vegas is the thirteenth unhealthiest city in the US.
22. Tulsa, OK
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,041
Average Income per Year: $27,313
Insider Monkey Average: 143.25
Ranked 22 on the list of unhappiest cities in America, Tulsa is also one of the most dangerous cities in Oklahoma, with 72 murders occurring in the city in 2020 alone and an average of 16.39 crimes occurring per day. While there are plenty of green spaces in Tulsa, the city still deals with a high depression rate of 24%.
21. Fort Smith, AR
Population Density (people per square mile): 1,387
Average Income per Year: $23,452
Insider Monkey Average: 143.95
Fort Smith faces a crime rate that is 19% higher than the national average and was ranked as the twelfth unhealthiest city in WorldHealth’s 2023 report. Isolation persists in Fort Smith, and the city also has low educational attainment, and poor arts and culture amenities.
20. Lubbock, TX
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,056
Average Income per Year: $24,168
Insider Monkey Average: 145.1
Twentieth on the list, Lubbock is another city with rampant crime, which is 32% higher than the national average. While there are some positive aspects of living in Lubbock, like the low cost of living and a lively cultural scene, the city is one of the unhealthiest cities in America, has high rates of isolation, and lacks recreational facilities.
19. Baltimore, MD
Population Density (people per square mile): 7,241
Average Income per Year: $25,062
Insider Monkey Average: 146.5
Baltimore has staggering violent crime rates, which pose significant safety challenges for the residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Baltimore was Maryland’s poorest city, with a registered median household income growth of 3.76% in 2021. It ranked 16 in our list of the poorest cities in the US that are getting poorer. Growth and sprawl is also a major issue in the city.
18. Philadelphia, PA
Population Density (people per square mile): 11,759
Average Income per Year: $22,542
Insider Monkey Average: 150.15
Philadelphia is a culturally vibrant city with a depression rate of 22.60% and high levels of violent crimes. Not only does Philadelphia struggle with low economic growth, but the cost of living there is 4.3% higher than the US average. Philadelphia was also ranked #18 on our list of cities with the highest cost of living.
17. St. Louis, MO
Population Density (people per square mile): 4,821
Average Income per Year: $23,244
Insider Monkey Average: 151.25
Ranked 17, St. Louis faces a serious crime problem, with the violent crime rate being 86.8 and property crime rates being 85.1. The city also has a 22.50% rate of reported depression, high taxes, employment concerns, and an increasing growth and sprawl issue.
16. San Antonio, TX
Population Density (people per square mile): 3,234
Average Income per Year: $22,784
Insider Monkey Average: 153.35
With a population of over 1.4 million people, San Antonio, Texas, is the seventh-biggest city in the United States. While the population density is high in the city, it lacks a pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, which contributes to the overall unhappiness in the city. On top of that, San Antonio is seen as one of the dirtiest cities in the US, with litter and trash throughout the city.
Crime rates are also high in the city, and according to CertaPet’s list of the worst US cities for mental health, San Antonio is one of the top 5 worst states for mental health in the US. Note that the list analyzed the cities based on therapy session rates, prescription charges, mandatory treatment laws, criminalization of mental illness, number of residents per 1 mental health provider, overall community well-being, and poor mental health days by county. The city also ranked #2 in our list of most crime-ridden cities in the US.
15. Baton Rouge, LA
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,535
Average Income per Year: $23,990
Insider Monkey Average: 159.65
With a population of 225,539, Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital, is a hot and humid city. Several factors contribute to the prevalence of unhappiness in the city. To start with, Baton offers a cost of living that is 6.8% cheaper than the US average, but the median income is also almost half (49.1%) of the US average. So, in effect, despite the low cost of living in the city, Baton Rouge is still expensive for its citizens.
Baton Rouge residents also have very little sense of safety, with the violent crime rate being more than double the US average and property crime rates being nearly twice as much as the national average. Healthcare is also more expensive than the national average in Baton Rouge, contributing further to the high levels of unhappiness among the population.
14. Columbus, GA
Population Density (people per square mile): 908
Average Income per Year: $23,209
Insider Monkey Average: 161.1
Located on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, Columbus, GA, is a city that seems vibrant but is really home to unhappy citizens. While the city experiences a strong economy with ample job opportunities and offers an average annual income of $23,209, the violent and property crime in Columbus is significantly higher than the national average, threatening the safety of residents and hurting their mental peace. The city also has a depression rate of 21.90%, and according to WorldHealth’s report, it is the 4th unhealthiest city in the US.
13. Memphis, TN
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,047
Average Income per Year: $21,909
Insider Monkey Average: 161.6
Being the most populous city in Tennessee’s state, Memphis is one of the unhappiest cities, with a population of 634,139 people. The violent crime rate in Memphis is nearly four times the US average, while property thefts and crime are over two times the national average.
12. Fayetteville, NC
Population Density (people per square mile): 1,432
Average Income per Year: $23,843
Insider Monkey Average: 163.7
Located in the Sandhills of North Carolina, Fayetteville is a prominent and populous city with a population density of 1,432 people per square mile. The city lacks pedestrian-friendly infrastructure with 87% of residents use vehicles to commute to work. Moreover, residents need an annual income of $37,200 to live comfortably in Fayetteville, but the annual average income of residents in Fayetteville is only $23,843. Additionally, healthcare is also 16.4% more expensive than the national average, and the crime rates are significantly higher than the national average.
11. Augusta, GA
Population Density (people per square mile): 653
Average Income per Year: $20,553
Insider Monkey Average: 164.2
Situated near the South Carolina border, Augusta is a city in Georgia with a population density of 653 people per square mile. While Augusta’s economy is progressing at a moderate speed with positive job growth, it has tax rates higher than the national average. Augusta is also one of the top five cities with the lowest sleep rates, and the 5th unhealthiest city in the US according to WorldHealth’s 2023 report.
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Disclosure: None. 30 Unhappiest Cities in America is originally published on Insider Monkey.