What is the least desirable place to live in the US?
Asked by: Delmer Koepp | Last update: March 18, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (22 votes)
There's no single "least desirable" place, as it's subjective, but studies often point to New Mexico, Louisiana, and Mississippi as states ranking lowest due to factors like crime, poverty, and poor education/health. Conversely, certain cities like Washington D.C. are flagged for being least desirable by some, while other lists highlight cities with high unemployment or poverty, like areas in Mississippi or California, as least desirable for their residents.
What is the most forgotten city in America?
There isn't one single "most forgotten city," but Cahokia (near modern Collinsville, IL) is often called "America's Forgotten City" for its massive, advanced Native American metropolis that predates Columbus, while San Jose, CA, is cited as a forgotten major city due to its low national recognition despite its size, and cities like Youngstown, OH, are forgotten in the context of industrial decline, notes this Forbes article and this YouTube video. Other contenders include small, isolated towns like Huslia, AK, or places experiencing significant population loss, such as Youngstown, OH, or Highland Park, MI.
What city has the lowest quality of life?
Global Liveability Index
Copenhagen was ranked the most liveable city in 2025, while Damascus was ranked the least liveable.
What are the top 10 least livable cities?
The 10 least liveable cities for 2021 are: • Damascus, Syria • Lagos, Nigeria • Port Moresby, PNG • Dhaka, Bangladesh • Algiers, Algeria • Tripoli, Libya • Karachi, Pakistan • Harare, Zimbabwe • Douala, Cameroon • Caracas, Venezuela Here is the list of the top 10 most liveable cities for 2021: • Auckland, New Zealand • ...
What is the least desirable city to live in?
Nashville and Tampa tie as the most desirable cities in 2025, each ranked in the top five by 22% of respondents. At the bottom, Washington, D.C. holds the least desirable spot for a third straight year. Meanwhile, 93% face barriers to moving, with 46% saying they can't afford it as average moving costs reach $2,050.
10 LEAST DESIRABLE Places to Live in AMERICA in 2024
What is the most livable city in the USA?
There's no single "most livable" city, as rankings vary by source, but Honolulu, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Seattle, and Washington D.C. consistently rank high in global reports like the EIU's, while Portland (ME), Kansas City, and Des Moines lead newer lists focusing on US metro areas, balancing factors like affordability, culture, and safety.
What is the unhappiest state in the US?
According to recent analyses, West Virginia is frequently cited as the unhappiest state in the U.S., often appearing at the bottom of rankings due to factors like high depression rates, poor physical health outcomes, low income, and food insecurity, with states like Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama often ranking near the bottom as well.
What is the roughest city in the USA?
1. Memphis. Memphis has one of the highest crime rates in the country at 2,437 per 100,000 people, with assault leading the list. The city has addressed these issues through targeted policing and community engagement initiatives.
What state is #1 in quality of life?
There isn't one single answer, as different studies use different metrics, but Vermont often ranks first for quality of life due to factors like air quality, healthcare access, and low crime, while Massachusetts leads in overall "Best States to Live" lists by WalletHub, excelling in education, health, and safety, and Hawaii is noted for natural environment quality. Other top contenders include Idaho, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, depending on the specific ranking.
What is the #1 state people are leaving?
While rankings vary slightly by source and year, New York and California consistently top the list of states people are leaving, often followed by Illinois, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, primarily due to high housing costs, taxes, and the pursuit of affordability and a better quality of life, often moving to warmer, less expensive states like Florida and Texas.
What is the emptiest US state?
The state of Alaska has — by far — the lowest population density in the United States, with only 1.3 people per square mile.
What is the hardest US state to live in?
While "hardest" is subjective, recent studies consistently rank New Mexico as one of the toughest states to live in due to high crime, poverty, and poor education/health outcomes, often appearing at or near the bottom in overall quality of life, education, and safety rankings. Other contenders for difficult living conditions include Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, and Arkansas, facing challenges with poverty, healthcare, and economic opportunity.
What is the least happy city in the United States?
The data set ranges from depression rate, to income-growth rate, to average leisure time spent per day. Cleveland will hold the title this year as the least happy city in America, finishing last out of all 182 cities surveyed.
What state is #1 in crime?
Alaska often ranks #1 for violent crime rates per capita, followed closely by New Mexico, while Louisiana frequently tops lists for overall danger or homicide rates, though figures vary slightly by source and specific metrics (violent vs. property crime) for 2024/2025 data.
What US city has the highest number of murders?
While rankings vary slightly by report year (2024/2025 data), cities like St. Louis (Missouri), Memphis (Tennessee), New Orleans (Louisiana), Baltimore (Maryland), and Jackson (Mississippi) consistently appear at the top for the highest murder rates per capita, with Jackson often cited with extremely high rates (e.g., 77.8 per 100k in 2024 data), and St. Louis also frequently holding the highest spot among major cities.
Which US state is safest?
Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire consistently rank as the safest states in the U.S., according to recent studies by WalletHub and others, often due to low violent crime rates, strong financial stability, and good road safety, with Maine and Utah also frequently appearing in the top five. These rankings consider multiple factors, including personal safety (crime), financial security (unemployment, poverty), road safety (fatalities), workplace safety, and emergency preparedness.
What is the least fun state in the US?
The 10 Least Fun States
- West Virginia.
- Mississippi.
- Rhode Island.
- Delaware.
- Arkansas.
- Vermont.
- Alabama.
- Connecticut.
What state has the most mental issues?
There isn't one single state with the absolute "most" mental illness, as rankings vary by report and metric (prevalence vs. access), but states like West Virginia, Kentucky, Utah, and Alabama often appear at the top for high prevalence, while Nevada and Arizona are consistently ranked low due to poor access to care, despite varying prevalence, according to analyses by groups like Mental Health America (MHA) and U.S. News & World Report.
What is the most relaxed state in the United States?
1. South Dakota. South Dakota is the most relaxed state in the country. It has an average of 12.2% of people reporting stress monthly.
What is the most loved city in the US?
1. New York City, NY. There's no other city quite like New York City. In 2023, New York attracted over 9 million international visitors, making it the most visited city in the United States for overseas travelers.
Where in the US is rent cheap?
The cheapest rent in America is typically found in Midwestern and Southern cities, with Wichita, Kansas, Toledo, Ohio, Akron, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas consistently ranking as most affordable for one-bedroom apartments, often under $800/month, while states like Oklahoma, Arkansas, and West Virginia offer the lowest state averages, well below the national trend.
What city has the best quality of life?
Zurich. Consistently ranking at the top, Zurich has earned its reputation as one of the best quality-of-life cities in the world. This Swiss financial and cultural hub boasts a nearly unmatched combination of high educational attainment, exceptional public transportation, and meticulous urban environments.