Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Alabama?
Only a third of Alabamians say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Alabama don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which Alabama cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.
After analyzing the 104 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Heart of Dixie.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Alabama
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.
Oh, and by the way, Auburn is the happiest place in Alabama.
For more Alabama reading, check out:
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Alabama For 2023
/10
Population: 16,422
Poverty Level: 19.6%
Median Home Price $105,400
Married Households 29.0%
Households With Kids 43.31%
More on Center Point: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 5,420
Poverty Level: 13.7%
Median Home Price $156,200
Married Households 20.0%
Households With Kids 37.03%
More on Smiths Station: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 16,694
Poverty Level: 10.4%
Median Home Price $118,800
Married Households 36.0%
Households With Kids 36.74%
More on Hueytown: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,137
Poverty Level: 24.4%
Median Home Price $92,300
Married Households 21.0%
Households With Kids 26.77%
More on Tarrant: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 19,645
Poverty Level: 30.1%
Median Home Price $69,300
Married Households 24.0%
Households With Kids 34.48%
More on Prichard: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 7,824
Poverty Level: 26.5%
Median Home Price $119,500
Married Households 23.0%
Households With Kids 31.5%
More on Bay Minette: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,603
Poverty Level: 10.4%
Median Home Price $135,300
Married Households 23.0%
Households With Kids 34.74%
More on Robertsdale: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 10,691
Poverty Level: 16.9%
Median Home Price $93,000
Married Households 28.0%
Households With Kids 35.56%
More on Russellville: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 10,108
Poverty Level: 19.6%
Median Home Price $101,000
Married Households 21.0%
Households With Kids 31.74%
More on Fairfield: Data | Cost Of Living
10. Midfield
/10
Population: 5,219
Poverty Level: 20.1%
Median Home Price $73,800
Married Households 32.0%
Households With Kids 32.93%
More on Midfield:
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Heart of Dixie
To rank the unhappiest places in Alabama, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.
So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.
Like magic.
Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 104 places in Alabama with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 104 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).
Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In Alabama.”
If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.
We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Alabama.
There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Alabama
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Alabama is usually a subjective matter.
But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in Alabama, according to science:
- Auburn
- Rainsville
- Troy
For more Alabama reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Alabama
- Cheapest Places To Live In Alabama
- Most Dangerous Cities In Alabama
- Richest Cities In Alabama
- Safest Places In Alabama
- Worst Places To Live In Alabama
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Alabama
Miserable Cities In Alabama For 2023
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Center Point, AL | 16,422 | 19.6% | $105,400 | 29.0% | 43.31% |
| 2 | Smiths Station, AL | 5,420 | 13.7% | $156,200 | 20.0% | 37.03% |
| 3 | Hueytown, AL | 16,694 | 10.4% | $118,800 | 36.0% | 36.74% |
| 4 | Tarrant, AL | 6,137 | 24.4% | $92,300 | 21.0% | 26.77% |
| 5 | Prichard, AL | 19,645 | 30.1% | $69,300 | 24.0% | 34.48% |
| 6 | Bay Minette, AL | 7,824 | 26.5% | $119,500 | 23.0% | 31.5% |
| 7 | Robertsdale, AL | 6,603 | 10.4% | $135,300 | 23.0% | 34.74% |
| 8 | Russellville, AL | 10,691 | 16.9% | $93,000 | 28.0% | 35.56% |
| 9 | Fairfield, AL | 10,108 | 19.6% | $101,000 | 21.0% | 31.74% |
| 10 | Midfield, AL | 5,219 | 20.1% | $73,800 | 32.0% | 32.93% |
| 11 | Hamilton, AL | 6,974 | 17.2% | $91,700 | 24.0% | 20.91% |
| 12 | Wetumpka, AL | 7,025 | 12.3% | $160,300 | 28.0% | 37.8% |
| 13 | Talladega, AL | 15,782 | 26.8% | $96,300 | 22.0% | 28.09% |
| 14 | Tallassee, AL | 5,199 | 12.7% | $128,900 | 22.0% | 19.55% |
| 15 | Bessemer, AL | 26,171 | 28.8% | $102,200 | 22.0% | 21.79% |
| 16 | Ozark, AL | 14,396 | 19.7% | $121,400 | 23.0% | 26.16% |
| 17 | Chickasaw, AL | 6,421 | 34.2% | $78,600 | 22.0% | 39.81% |
| 18 | Clanton, AL | 8,715 | 14.3% | $147,600 | 27.0% | 26.24% |
| 19 | Atmore, AL | 8,734 | 36.9% | $98,600 | 14.0% | 22.02% |
| 20 | Margaret, AL | 5,118 | 5.7% | $162,700 | 37.0% | 50.58% |
| 21 | Opp, AL | 6,671 | 16.9% | $94,100 | 34.0% | 25.81% |
| 22 | Pinson, AL | 7,242 | 13.8% | $150,800 | 39.0% | 39.27% |
| 23 | Selma, AL | 18,429 | 29.4% | $86,800 | 21.0% | 22.31% |
| 24 | Eufaula, AL | 12,753 | 29.7% | $122,800 | 22.0% | 33.4% |
| 25 | Phenix City, AL | 38,216 | 26.4% | $136,600 | 13.0% | 31.88% |
| 26 | Oxford, AL | 22,210 | 12.6% | $141,700 | 31.0% | 35.01% |
| 27 | Lincoln, AL | 6,836 | 15.4% | $152,500 | 35.0% | 37.72% |
| 28 | Gadsden, AL | 34,317 | 27.2% | $81,600 | 22.0% | 26.81% |
| 29 | Chelsea, AL | 14,710 | 3.0% | $256,700 | 34.0% | 44.73% |
| 30 | Satsuma, AL | 6,704 | 4.8% | $161,200 | 51.0% | 39.09% |
| 31 | Tuskegee, AL | 9,125 | 28.8% | $83,600 | 13.0% | 22.79% |
| 32 | Alexander City, AL | 14,765 | 17.8% | $106,800 | 31.0% | 30.41% |
| 33 | Spanish Fort, AL | 9,720 | 3.6% | $237,700 | 19.0% | 37.4% |
| 34 | Lanett, AL | 6,821 | 18.2% | $95,500 | 21.0% | 26.29% |
| 35 | Valley, AL | 10,498 | 13.4% | $100,800 | 26.0% | 34.58% |
| 36 | Pleasant Grove, AL | 9,638 | 7.6% | $160,600 | 41.0% | 34.73% |
| 37 | Alabaster, AL | 33,133 | 6.7% | $189,600 | 32.0% | 37.43% |
| 38 | Southside, AL | 9,253 | 5.0% | $161,400 | 35.0% | 30.91% |
| 39 | Roanoke, AL | 5,368 | 20.6% | $114,500 | 29.0% | 26.31% |
| 40 | Anniston, AL | 21,455 | 22.8% | $117,900 | 23.0% | 23.75% |
| 41 | Calera, AL | 16,126 | 6.7% | $161,900 | 32.0% | 43.56% |
| 42 | Sylacauga, AL | 12,512 | 25.1% | $137,500 | 35.0% | 32.3% |
| 43 | Montevallo, AL | 6,968 | 17.7% | $163,100 | 22.0% | 26.01% |
| 44 | Saraland, AL | 15,942 | 7.8% | $163,600 | 41.0% | 31.85% |
| 45 | Attalla, AL | 5,872 | 12.1% | $89,500 | 36.0% | 23.75% |
| 46 | Moody, AL | 13,100 | 11.8% | $177,500 | 36.0% | 30.57% |
| 47 | Arab, AL | 8,462 | 14.2% | $158,000 | 31.0% | 32.16% |
| 48 | Clay, AL | 10,320 | 10.3% | $165,000 | 40.0% | 34.73% |
| 49 | Greenville, AL | 7,395 | 21.6% | $111,400 | 30.0% | 28.66% |
| 50 | Fort Payne, AL | 14,730 | 22.5% | $134,700 | 27.0% | 30.76% |
| 51 | Millbrook, AL | 16,675 | 9.5% | $161,300 | 23.0% | 33.97% |
| 52 | Montgomery, AL | 201,022 | 21.2% | $125,600 | 20.0% | 31.4% |
| 53 | Rainbow City, AL | 10,093 | 11.5% | $169,800 | 29.0% | 32.1% |
| 54 | Helena, AL | 20,680 | 4.8% | $227,800 | 32.0% | 39.35% |
| 55 | Albertville, AL | 22,268 | 20.8% | $136,100 | 30.0% | 38.2% |
| 56 | Enterprise, AL | 28,242 | 16.1% | $187,600 | 17.0% | 32.43% |
| 57 | Birmingham, AL | 202,234 | 25.5% | $102,900 | 18.0% | 20.92% |
| 58 | Madison, AL | 55,551 | 5.0% | $279,800 | 16.0% | 40.93% |
| 59 | Oneonta, AL | 6,778 | 16.4% | $164,200 | 38.0% | 29.91% |
| 60 | Muscle Shoals, AL | 15,969 | 5.4% | $154,600 | 37.0% | 33.3% |
| 61 | Pell City, AL | 12,923 | 15.3% | $205,900 | 37.0% | 29.57% |
| 62 | Fairhope, AL | 21,825 | 8.9% | $337,100 | 22.0% | 31.67% |
| 63 | Monroeville, AL | 5,953 | 20.3% | $107,900 | 26.0% | 18.53% |
| 64 | Scottsboro, AL | 15,446 | 18.8% | $122,000 | 26.0% | 28.15% |
| 65 | Hoover, AL | 91,371 | 6.6% | $316,700 | 26.0% | 33.48% |
| 66 | Jasper, AL | 14,370 | 16.2% | $172,200 | 34.0% | 34.03% |
| 67 | Daphne, AL | 27,088 | 8.5% | $231,000 | 22.0% | 30.98% |
| 68 | Fultondale, AL | 9,707 | 12.4% | $157,900 | 38.0% | 31.68% |
| 69 | Foley, AL | 20,170 | 9.7% | $205,300 | 14.0% | 13.79% |
| 70 | Brewton, AL | 5,288 | 18.4% | $116,100 | 29.0% | 28.74% |
| 71 | Mobile, AL | 187,445 | 20.0% | $138,400 | 23.0% | 25.3% |
| 72 | Irondale, AL | 13,457 | 13.7% | $169,400 | 23.0% | 20.52% |
| 73 | Sheffield, AL | 9,305 | 25.6% | $105,000 | 24.0% | 19.85% |
| 74 | Trussville, AL | 25,027 | 3.7% | $287,700 | 46.0% | 37.61% |
| 75 | Hartselle, AL | 15,308 | 11.4% | $149,000 | 37.0% | 31.73% |
| 76 | Athens, AL | 25,213 | 13.6% | $184,900 | 29.0% | 28.32% |
| 77 | Prattville, AL | 37,977 | 12.3% | $171,700 | 23.0% | 34.79% |
| 78 | Andalusia, AL | 8,764 | 22.9% | $130,800 | 26.0% | 29.32% |
| 79 | Decatur, AL | 57,303 | 15.2% | $147,600 | 27.0% | 26.26% |
| 80 | Northport, AL | 30,334 | 13.6% | $196,200 | 33.0% | 36.98% |
| 81 | Boaz, AL | 10,091 | 21.6% | $114,800 | 33.0% | 34.58% |
| 82 | Glencoe, AL | 5,360 | 5.4% | $168,400 | 49.0% | 32.88% |
| 83 | Pike Road, AL | 9,193 | 5.6% | $308,500 | 39.0% | 47.11% |
| 84 | Leeds, AL | 12,385 | 8.5% | $169,900 | 35.0% | 31.54% |
| 85 | Pelham, AL | 24,134 | 4.1% | $215,700 | 31.0% | 31.46% |
| 86 | Jacksonville, AL | 13,076 | 26.7% | $148,400 | 16.0% | 21.06% |
| 87 | Dothan, AL | 70,318 | 18.2% | $157,600 | 24.0% | 27.48% |
| 88 | Florence, AL | 39,709 | 20.1% | $146,700 | 22.0% | 26.23% |
| 89 | Orange Beach, AL | 7,847 | 4.7% | $353,000 | 21.0% | 16.14% |
| 90 | Opelika, AL | 30,810 | 17.2% | $154,800 | 24.0% | 26.77% |
| 91 | Guntersville, AL | 8,559 | 18.8% | $227,600 | 28.0% | 31.52% |
| 92 | Tuscumbia, AL | 8,977 | 23.1% | $121,400 | 32.0% | 31.43% |
| 93 | Homewood, AL | 26,206 | 7.9% | $391,500 | 20.0% | 34.34% |
| 94 | Gulf Shores, AL | 14,712 | 8.2% | $271,500 | 16.0% | 19.88% |
| 95 | Huntsville, AL | 210,081 | 14.6% | $194,500 | 16.0% | 24.43% |
| 96 | Gardendale, AL | 15,920 | 5.5% | $190,400 | 42.0% | 25.97% |
| 97 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 99,252 | 22.6% | $194,500 | 21.0% | 25.3% |
| 98 | Demopolis, AL | 7,134 | 21.5% | $153,100 | 26.0% | 20.97% |
| 99 | Vestavia Hills, AL | 38,504 | 3.8% | $402,100 | 33.0% | 34.23% |
| 100 | Cullman, AL | 17,892 | 10.8% | $167,500 | 30.0% | 29.37% |
