What makes a city a great place to live? Is it job opportunities, community spirit, or overall well-being? While many cities across the United States boast happy residents and thriving communities, others face significant challenges. Based on metrics like community pride, economic stability, and physical health, a number of urban areas are struggling. Here is a look at 30 cities that have been identified as some of the saddest in the nation, exploring the specific issues they face.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis has struggled with its public image, largely due to having the second-highest violent crime rate in the nation. While unemployment has improved since the recession, this persistent issue with crime has dampened community pride. These factors have contributed to its rise from ninth to first on this list.
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Considered the least healthy city in the country, Fort Smith scores poorly across nearly every category on the Wellbeing Index. Residents face challenges related to physical health, with low rates of healthy eating, exercise, and high rates of smoking.
Youngstown, Ohio
This city’s rate of vacant houses is nearly 20 times the national average. Coupled with lower-than-average wages and fewer residents holding college degrees, the overall mood is understandably low. However, Youngstown has shown improvement, having dropped four places in the rankings from its top spot just two years ago.
Dayton, Ohio
While Dayton scores surprisingly well for happy workers thanks to a diverse economy, its residents grapple with poor health outcomes due to problematic lifestyle choices. The city has seen a consistent loss of residents over the years, though that trend has recently started to level off. The primary struggle here lies in a lack of supportive relationships.
Columbia, South Carolina
Economic stability is the biggest hurdle for Columbia. Nearly 20% of the population lives on an income under $15,000. The city's unemployment rate of 6.6% is higher than the national average of 5.2%. Additionally, home appreciation has been negative over the last decade, with a -1.2% change.
Montgomery, Alabama
Famous for its role in the Civil Rights movement, Montgomery currently struggles with issues related to physical health, financial stability, and community pride. While residents have fostered supportive relationships, the city scores low on personal purpose and overall well-being.
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport's primary challenge is economic. A lack of financial resources affects residents' ability to afford proper healthcare, contributing to poor physical health outcomes. Despite these monetary struggles, the city ranks 44th in personal purpose, suggesting residents find meaning outside of their economic situation.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne stands out for its lack of supportive interpersonal relationships among residents. It is described as a place where people may feel disconnected from their neighbors, making it a challenging environment for building a strong community.
Medford, Oregon
Though located in a beautiful part of the country, Medford’s 80,000 residents face significant issues. The city ranks among the worst in the nation for both personal purpose and financial instability, creating a difficult environment for those living there.
Roanoke, Virginia
Unlike many cities on this list, Roanoke is doing reasonably well financially. The main problem stems from how the community interacts. It is not considered a city where it's easy to make friends, as it scores low in the category of supportive relationships.
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore has faced a persistent image problem due to a high per capita violent crime rate and an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is above the national average of 4.1%. These factors combine to create a low sense of community pride.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
After a difficult year marked by civil rights protests and severe flooding in 2016, community pride in Baton Rouge took a significant hit. The city's population growth has also stagnated. Still, its ranking has improved, moving from #2 to #10 on the list.
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading consistently ranks as one of the worst cities to live in, with very low community pride. Only a third of adults own their homes, and marriage rates are low. Education levels are also below average, contributing to the city's poor reputation.
Flint, Michigan
The water crisis in Flint brought national attention to the city's struggles. Residents have been unable to sell their homes and have faced the financial burden of buying bottled water. With the water problem not expected to be fixed until at least 2020, the community has been in a prolonged state of distress.
Little Rock, Arkansas
While crime rates dropped in many parts of the country, Little Rock saw an increase in 2017. The city already had a high violent crime rate for its size, and much of it is concentrated in areas where residents feel unsupported by local government. Physical activity is another low-scoring area.
Toledo, Ohio
As a major hub for Chrysler and GM, Toledo was hit hard by the auto industry's decline. Although the unemployment rate has rebounded, the city still has a high poverty rate. A silver lining is its significant improvement from ranking #1 on this list just last year.
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is among the top 10 most sleep-deprived metro areas, which may be linked to a lack of personal purpose. Economic worries could also be a factor, as home appreciation over the past 10 years has been a startling -26.4%.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit has seen its population drop by 60% from its peak. In 2013, it filed for the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, and an estimated 10,000 houses remain abandoned. While community pride has improved, finding jobs that provide personal fulfillment remains a major challenge.
Fresno, California
Economic stability is a major concern in Fresno. At the end of 2017, its unemployment rate was 8.2%, double the national rate of 4.1%. This lack of job security makes it difficult for residents to feel stable.
Akron, Ohio
Like other Rust Belt cities, Akron has experienced a population decline and has about 3,000 vacant properties. Its unemployment rate is also higher than the national average, peaking at nearly 14% during the Great Recession, leaving many residents without a sense of personal purpose.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo has lost half of its manufacturing jobs since the 1980s. This has deeply impacted the community's sense of personal purpose, as many people feel unfulfilled without the stability and meaning that a career can offer.
New Orleans, Louisiana
With a poverty rate of 27%—nearly twice the national average—economic stability is a huge issue in New Orleans. The city is also ranked as the third-most unequal in the country, with an economy dominated by low-paying tourism jobs that make it hard for a robust middle class to emerge.
Springfield, Massachusetts
While the rest of the country saw low unemployment, Springfield experienced its highest numbers in nearly two years at the end of 2017. The rate stood at 6.3% due to a downturn in its manufacturing-heavy economy, affecting the city's economic stability.
Wichita, Kansas
Poor health choices have landed Wichita on this list. High rates of drug and smoking usage contribute to poor physical health and a rising premature death rate. The city also faces increases in teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, and it scores low on physical activity.
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Even being the fictional home of Dunder Mifflin couldn't boost Scranton's community pride. The city has seen a steady decline in population over the last 70 years and was on the brink of bankruptcy in 2012.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Along with many Southern communities, Oklahoma City struggles with low rates of physical activity and high rates of obesity. The city is not very walkable, ranking 43rd out of 50 large cities, which discourages residents from getting out and moving around. Physical health is its worst scoring area.
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield ranks poorly in several areas. It is one of the least educated major metro areas, with only 14.7% of residents holding a bachelor's degree. It also has unusually high rates of obesity and smoking (21%) for a city outside of the Southeast. It scores particularly low on supportive relationships.
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Despite being in a beautiful state, the people of Fayetteville have very little pride in their city. According to Gallup and Healthways, they rank as the absolute worst in the nation for community pride.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Similar to its neighbor, Oklahoma City, Tulsa has problems with obesity, low physical activity, and a car-centric design. A lack of infrastructure for pedestrians and bikes contributes to these issues, although improvements have been made along the Arkansas River. The city's lowest score is in supportive relationships.
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is described as an average city in most categories, but it hits the bottom when it comes to supportive relationships. This lack of connection among neighbors makes it a city of isolated individuals rather than a cohesive community.
