In America’s most miserable cities, residents were less likely to be in good physical health and far more likely to report unhealthy behaviors. Residents in all of the nation’s 10 most miserable areas were more likely to smoke than the average American. They had higher obesity rates and lower income than the typical American household, and the percentage of adults with a college degree was universally lower than the national rate of 29.1%, and in four instances, it was below 20%. To determine the well-being of Americans, Gallup-Healthways surveyed hundreds of thousands of Americans in 189 metropolitan areas in the U.S. in 2012 and 2013. The survey recorded the physical and emotional health of the residents, as well as financial, employment, and social indicators, among others.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 189 metropolitan areas assessed by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Scores range from 0 to 100, with 100 representing ideal well-being. The index is composed of six subindexes that measure access to basic needs, healthy behaviors, work environment, physical health, life evaluation and emotional health. 24/7 Wall St. also considered income, poverty and educational attainment figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, all from 2012, plus local unemployment rates and violent crime rates. These are America’s most miserable cities:
10: Evansville, Ind.
9: Mobile, Ala.
8: Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
7: Columbus, Ga.-Al.
6: Beaumont-Pt. Arthur, Tx.
5: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, N.C.
4: Spartanburg, S.C.
3: Redding, Ca.
2: Charleston, W.Va.
1: Huntington-Ashland, W.Va.-Ky.-Oh.
