Are Americans Becoming Unhappier?
Happiness is a relative concept. However, annual reports that attempt to quantify it show that the United States no longer ranks among the 20 happiest countries in the world. According to the 2024 World Happiness Report, the US dropped from the top 20 happiest countries list for the first time in the report’s 12-year history. While the country ranked 15th in 2023, it dropped to 23rd in 2024.
Several Western European countries are following suit, and are falling in the overall level of happiness and well-being primarily because the younger people are feeling unhappier by the day. America’s drop from the 15th to 23rd position was primarily driven by a significant drop in the well-being and happiness of American residents under 30. This age disparity in happiness in the country is significant. While the US ranks among the top ten happiest countries for those over 60 years of age, it ranks 62nd for those under 30. This drop is attributed to various factors, including the rise of digital media and economic inequality among generations. Gallup managing director Ilana Ron Levey told CBS News:
“In the US, happiness or subjective well-being has decreased in all age groups, but especially for young adults. The World Happiness Report and the Gallup/Meta social connectedness data show peak loneliness for younger Americans. It’s widely recognized that social support and feelings of loneliness are influential factors in determining overall happiness, and these dynamics differ across various age groups. The quality of interpersonal relationships may impact the well-being of younger and older individuals in distinct ways.”
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State of Happiness in the United States
According to the 2024 World Happiness Report, this age disparity is the opposite in several countries worldwide. In many regions, young people are happier than the old. However, the US and certain other countries, such as France, Germany, and Canada, paint a completely different picture.
The years following 2010 have adversely affected America’s overall well-being and happiness. Even after the US economy bounced back after the end of the Great Recession in 2009, happiness failed to improve and reach the relatively higher levels of the 1990s.
Before the pandemic, an average of 48% of Americans expressed satisfaction in 2020. Due to the effects of the pandemic, this number significantly dropped in 2021, with 41% of Americans indicating that they were happy. However, happiness levels have not improved even after the end of the pandemic.
For only the third time in more than twenty years, less than 50% of Americans said they were “very satisfied” with their personal lives in 2024. According to Gallup, the 47% of US adults who expressed high satisfaction with their lives dropped three percentage points over 2023. It is now only one point above the record low for the trend, which was measured in 2011.
This record low, like other lows measured in the country, came at a time of economic uncertainty. The record low 46% reading in 2011 arose when US residents were recovering from the 2007-2009 recession. Similarly, the 47% measurement made in December 2008 came at a time of global economic crisis.
Apart from the 47% of US adults who claim they are very satisfied with their lives, 31% are somewhat satisfied, 11% are somewhat dissatisfied, and 9% report being very dissatisfied. Gallup’s January 2024 Mood of the Nation poll also shows that Americans had a largely negative view of the national economy.
Currently, the combined 78% of US adults who are satisfied (either very or somewhat) with their lives stands well below the trend average of 84% since 1979. It is also the lowest number recorded since 2011. This fall comes just four years after it hit a record high of 90% in January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic, when economic confidence stood at a 20-year high. The pandemic resulted in an economic collapse in the country, bringing national happiness levels down as well.
With these trends in view, let’s look at the 25 unhappiest cities in America. You can also look at 30 Countries With The Happiest Workers in the World and 15 Unhappiest States in the US.
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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. We sourced our data from several credible sources, including the US Census Bureau, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We then assigned scores and weights to each of the above metrics. For emotional and physical well-being, we assigned a weight of 70% and a weight of 15% each for income and employment and for community and environment. 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: the 25 Poorest Cities In The US That Are Getting Poorer, the 20 Cities With the Highest Cost of Living in the US, and the 30 Most Crime-Ridden Cities in America.
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25 Unhappiest Cities in America
25. Corpus Christi, TX
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,049
Average Income per Year: $25,203
Insider Monkey Average: 138.7
Corpus Christi takes the 25th spot on our list of the 25 unhappiest cities in America. The city has a higher crime rate than the national average and is located in an isolated area where many residents report feelings of loneliness. It has a 23.30% depression rate.
24. Casper, WY
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,205
Average Income per Year: $30,624
Insider Monkey Average: 141
Casper is located in Wyoming and has a population density of 2,205 people per square mile. Although the city’s violent crime rate is low, its property crime rate is higher than the national average, standing at 42.4. In addition, Casper has one of the lowest income growth rates in the US despite its residents having to work more hours than most other American cities. The city also has a high cost of living.
23. North Las Vegas, NV
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,654
Average Income per Year: $21,003
Insider Monkey Average: 142.85
The average cost of living in North Las Vegas is 10.6% higher than the national average. In addition, the city’s average income per year is $21,003. Financial strains are a key reason for its residents’ unhappiness.
22. Tulsa, OK
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,041
Average Income per Year: $27,313
Insider Monkey Average: 143.25
Tulsa takes the 22nd spot on our list of the unhappiest cities in the US. It is also considered one of the most dangerous cities in Oklahoma, with an average of 16.39 crimes occurring daily. It also has a 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, located on the Arkansas River in the northwest of the state, has an average income of $23,452. According to the World Health 2023 report, its crime rate is 19% higher than the national average, and it is the 12th unhealthiest city in the US.
20. Lubbock, TX
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,056
Average Income per Year: $24,168
Insider Monkey Average: 145.1
Lubbock is located in northwest Texas and suffers from rampant crime. Its crime rate is 32% higher than the national average. The city has a population density of 2,056 people per square mile, and its residents report suffering from high rates of isolation.
19. Baltimore, MD
Population Density (people per square mile): 7,241
Average Income per Year: $25,062
Insider Monkey Average: 146.5
Baltimore holds the 19th spot on our list of the 25 unhappiest cities in America. Baltimore is the most populous city in the US state of Maryland and is a major city due to its long history as a significant seaport. According to the US Census Bureau, Baltimore had a registered median household income growth of 3.76% in 2021, ranking it as the poorest city in the state.
18. Philadelphia, PA
Population Density (people per square mile): 11,759
Average Income per Year: $22,542
Insider Monkey Average: 150.15
Philadelphia is the largest city in the US state of Pennsylvania and is famous for its rich history. Despite being a vibrant city, Philadelphia has a depression rate of 22.60%. Violent crimes are also rampant in the city, ranking it on our list of the unhappiest cities in America. 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
St. Louis has a 22.50% reported rate of depression and thus ranks on our list of the unhappiest American cities. The city has high violent crime and property crime rates, standing at 86.8% and 85.1%, respectively.
16. San Antonio, TX
Population Density (people per square mile): 3,234
Average Income per Year: $22,784
Insider Monkey Average: 153.35
San Antonio, Texas, holds the 16th spot on our list of the 25 unhappiest cities in America. With a population of more than 1.4 million people, it is the most populous city in Greater San Antonio and the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas. It is also considered one of the dirtiest cities in the US and ranks among the worst cities for mental health in the country.
15. Baton Rouge, LA
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,535
Average Income per Year: $23,990
Insider Monkey Average: 159.65
Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana. Although the city’s cost of living is around 6.8% cheaper than the average in the US, its median income is almost half of the US average. This means that the city is expensive for its residents. In addition, the violent crime rate in the city is more than double the US average, making it unsafe for its citizens.
14. Columbus, GA
Population Density (people per square mile): 908
Average Income per Year: $23,209
Insider Monkey Average: 161.1
Columbus lies on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in western Georgia. The city ranks 14th on our list of the unhappiest cities in America, with an average income of $23,209 annually. The city is unsafe for its citizens due to the high levels of violent crime rates, and this affects their mental health as well. According to the World Health Report, Columbus has a depression rate of 21.90%.
13. Memphis, TN
Population Density (people per square mile): 2,047
Average Income per Year: $21,909
Insider Monkey Average: 161.6
Memphis is located on the Mississippi River in southwest Tennessee. Despite being popular for the strains of music that originated there, Memphis ranks among the unhappiest cities in the US. It has a population density of 2,047 people per square mile and a population of around 634,139 people.
12. Fayetteville, NC
Population Density (people per square mile): 1,432
Average Income per Year: $23,843
Insider Monkey Average: 163.7
Fayetteville is a city in the Sandhills of North Carolina and the county seat of Cumberland County. Its average annual income is $23,843, which puts financial strain on its residents. Healthcare in the city is also 16.4% more expensive than the national average, further leading to unhappiness.
11. Augusta, GA
Population Density (people per square mile): 653
Average Income per Year: $20,553
Insider Monkey Average: 164.2
Augusta is a city in Georgia near the South Carolina border. Its population density is 653 people per square mile. According to the World Health 2023 report, it is one of the top five unhealthiest cities in the US. Its residents also have some of the lowest sleep rates in the country, further adding to their unhappiness.
10. Akron, OH
Population Density (people per square mile): 3,165
Average Income per Year: $20,245
Insider Monkey Average: 164.2
Akron is a city in Ohio and the county seat of Summit County in the state. The city has higher crime rates than the US average, with 35.5 out of every 1,000 people falling prey to violent crime. The rate of property crime is even higher in the city, with 61.9 people out of every 1,000 falling prey to it.