The ‘Most Miserable’ City In North Carolina and South Carolina
When I think of being miserable in North Carolina or South Carolina, I go straight to the heat and humidity. Well, there are a lot of other things that go into the act of being miserable. The opposite of misery would be happiness. And when you think of happiness in a city you probably think of things like work opportunities, education, walkability, as well as weather and other things. It’s probably safe to say that you’re going to be more miserable in a city where those things aren’t great.
The website travel.alot.com used data from U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts and AreaVibes to find the “most miserable” city in each state. They used some of the factors we listed above like unemployment rates, poverty rates as well as crime rate and income.
According to the report, the most miserable city in North Carolina is Rocky Mount. The website says, “Rocky Mount’s population has also been declining since 2010 – by 6%. Of a population of 54,242 residents, 22.4% live below the poverty line. The income per capita is $20,053 and the unemployment rate is at 7.7% which is 65% higher than the national average. … [Additionally] the crime rate is 43% higher than the national average with a murder rate of 24% per capita.”
The opposite of misery is happiness, right? When talking about that- Raleigh was listed as the happiest city in the state. Maybe that’s where the Rocky Mount population is moving to.
According to the report, the most miserable city in South Carolina is Sumter. The website says, “In Sumter, the unemployment rate is more than double the national average at 7.3% and the income per capita is already 25% lower than the national average. More than 20% of the city’s population lives below the poverty rate and the median household income is 30% lower than the national income.”
For a “happier experience,” the website suggests Charleston, South Carolina as an alternative.
[READ NEXT: Local Town Makes ‘The Most Miserable Cities In The U.S.’ List]
The Happiest Cities In The US? Here's Where North Carolina Cities Rank
Burton Hills said, “Happiness is not a destination”. But are there destinations that can bring you happiness? At least temporarily. Building on that can where you live impact your happiness? Certainly. Seasonal depression is much more common in areas that have long, dark winters. And if you aren’t used to it the constant rain and overcast skies in Seattle can dampen your mood- pun intended. What about the happiest cities in the Carolinas?
Luckily the folks at WalletHub helped us answer this question. The top 2 in North Carolina are Charlotte and Raleigh. They conducted a study on the happiest cities in the US. To determine which of over 180 of the largest U.S. cities has the happiest residents, researchers at Wallet Hub drew upon the findings of positive psychology research. Each city was analyzed based on 30 key indicators of happiness, including depression rates, income-growth rates, and leisure time spent daily.
The happiest cities in the US included 4 from California, as well as Kansas, Maryland, South Dakota, and Vermont. Meanwhile of the 6 North Carolina cities on this list, 3 were in the bottom half of the rankings. I’d have to disagree though, having lived in several other places North Carolina is a wonderful place to live. Keep reading to see where the NC and SC cities ranked as well as the full top 10. Want more info? Read the full WalletHub study.
22. Raleigh, NC
Total Score: 62.37
Emotional & Physical Well-Being: 13
Income & Employment: 77
Community & Environment: 76
46. Charlotte
Total Score: 59.29
Emotional & Physical Well-Being: 40
Income & Employment: 70
Community & Environment: 80
71. Durham
Total Score: 56.83
Emotional & Physical Well-Being: 39
Income & Employment: 76
Community & Environment: 141
114. Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem North Carolina NC Downtown Skyline Aerial at Sunset.
Total Score: 50.97
Emotional & Physical Well-Being: 108
Income & Employment: 115
Community & Environment: 96
130. Greensboro
Total Score: 48.77
Emotional & Physical Well-Being: 97
Income & Employment: 108
Community & Environment: 168
170. Fayetteville
Total Score: 38.84
Emotional & Physical Well-Being: 168
Income & Employment: 164
Community & Environment: 169
35. Charleston
Total Score: 60.23
Emotional & Physical Well-Being: 65
Income & Employment: 21
Community & Environment: 31
Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina, USA downtown city skyline from Finlay Park at dusk.
Total Score: 52.20
Emotional & Physical Well-Being: 126
Income & Employment: 68
Community & Environment: 38
