The 10 Most Miserable Cities In California For 2023


The most miserable cities in California are Avenal and Mendota for 2023 based on Saturday Night Science.

Do you live in one of the most miserable places in California?

Only a third of Californians say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in California don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.

But, we were curious – which California cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.

After analyzing the 428 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Golden State.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


The 10 Most Miserable Places In California

  1. Avenal
  2. Mendota
  3. Adelanto
  4. Los Banos
  5. Dos Palos
  6. Patterson
  7. Orange Cove
  8. Firebaugh
  9. Huron
  10. Newman

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, Villa Park is the happiest place in California.

For more California reading, check out:

The 10 Most Miserable Places In California For 2023

Avenal, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Armona | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 13,881
Poverty Level: 25.6%
Median Home Price $180,200
Married Households 10.0%
Households With Kids 59.72%
More on Avenal: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Mendota, CA

Source: Wikipedia User David Jordan at English Wikipedia | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 12,534
Poverty Level: 37.5%
Median Home Price $202,900
Married Households 6.0%
Households With Kids 69.61%
More on Mendota: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Adelanto, CA

Source: Flickr User TikTak Images | CC BY-ND 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 37,229
Poverty Level: 21.0%
Median Home Price $239,100
Married Households 17.0%
Households With Kids 57.54%
More on Adelanto: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Los Banos, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Hank chapot at English Wikipedia | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 44,421
Poverty Level: 13.8%
Median Home Price $340,800
Married Households 16.0%
Households With Kids 50.52%
More on Los Banos: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Dos Palos, CA

Source: Flickr User GoneApey | CC BY-ND 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 5,651
Poverty Level: 11.3%
Median Home Price $252,800
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 39.92%
More on Dos Palos: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Patterson, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 23,517
Poverty Level: 6.5%
Median Home Price $350,300
Married Households 21.0%
Households With Kids 60.63%
More on Patterson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Orange Cove, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Bobak Ha’Eri | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 9,680
Poverty Level: 48.7%
Median Home Price $191,300
Married Households 8.0%
Households With Kids 61.05%
More on Orange Cove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Firebaugh, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 8,040
Poverty Level: 32.7%
Median Home Price $185,200
Married Households 9.0%
Households With Kids 62.49%
More on Firebaugh: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Huron, CA

Source: Wikipedia User David Jordan at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 6,277
Poverty Level: 40.3%
Median Home Price $190,000
Married Households 4.0%
Households With Kids 45.08%
More on Huron: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Newman, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 12,154
Poverty Level: 7.7%
Median Home Price $297,000
Married Households 26.0%
Households With Kids 45.64%
More on Newman: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Golden State

To rank the unhappiest places in California, 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 428 places in California with over 5,000 people.

We then ranked each place from one to 428 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 California.”

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 California.

There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In California

As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in California 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 California, according to science:

  1. Villa Park
  2. Auburn
  3. Pismo Beach

For more California reading, check out:

Miserable Cities In California For 2023

Rank City Population Poverty Level Median Home Value % Married % Kids
1 Avenal, CA 13,881 25.6% $180,200 10.0% 59.72%
2 Mendota, CA 12,534 37.5% $202,900 6.0% 69.61%
3 Adelanto, CA 37,229 21.0% $239,100 17.0% 57.54%
4 Los Banos, CA 44,421 13.8% $340,800 16.0% 50.52%
5 Dos Palos, CA 5,651 11.3% $252,800 15.0% 39.92%
6 Patterson, CA 23,517 6.5% $350,300 21.0% 60.63%
7 Orange Cove, CA 9,680 48.7% $191,300 8.0% 61.05%
8 Firebaugh, CA 8,040 32.7% $185,200 9.0% 62.49%
9 Huron, CA 6,277 40.3% $190,000 4.0% 45.08%
10 Newman, CA 12,154 7.7% $297,000 26.0% 45.64%
11 Perris, CA 78,106 12.1% $333,900 17.0% 59.44%
12 Lynwood, CA 67,497 16.5% $449,300 9.0% 53.25%
13 Huntington Park, CA 55,439 19.9% $452,300 7.0% 50.83%
14 San Pablo, CA 31,975 12.4% $413,000 8.0% 47.0%
15 Victorville, CA 132,924 18.8% $257,400 19.0% 48.45%
16 La Puente, CA 38,447 9.4% $467,200 11.0% 46.85%
17 South Gate, CA 93,308 14.3% $470,200 10.0% 48.36%
18 Lindsay, CA 12,551 29.5% $212,200 11.0% 50.36%
19 Rialto, CA 103,799 14.6% $350,000 18.0% 50.15%
20 Cudahy, CA 23,003 29.1% $434,200 9.0% 49.84%
21 Lathrop, CA 28,078 11.3% $430,800 19.0% 56.5%
22 Compton, CA 96,083 17.3% $423,000 11.0% 46.76%
23 Moreno Valley, CA 208,371 13.5% $353,400 17.0% 48.96%
24 Livingston, CA 14,078 18.6% $242,400 10.0% 49.77%
25 Arvin, CA 19,568 27.9% $193,100 12.0% 63.21%
26 Ceres, CA 49,132 16.1% $305,000 19.0% 46.65%
27 Corcoran, CA 22,616 27.6% $176,900 14.0% 49.89%
28 Palmdale, CA 167,987 15.8% $332,400 18.0% 47.35%
29 Bell, CA 33,915 23.3% $450,900 7.0% 48.4%
30 Hesperia, CA 99,287 18.9% $279,600 23.0% 45.95%
31 San Jacinto, CA 53,299 18.0% $291,100 21.0% 45.7%
32 Chowchilla, CA 18,826 16.0% $241,000 17.0% 48.66%
33 Baldwin Park, CA 72,813 13.1% $464,800 10.0% 42.72%
34 Jurupa Valley, CA 104,684 11.6% $416,300 19.0% 48.61%
35 Madera, CA 66,173 27.4% $255,500 19.0% 54.9%
36 Wasco, CA 27,505 19.2% $187,100 14.0% 47.11%
37 Pittsburg, CA 75,701 10.3% $456,300 16.0% 39.49%
38 Hollister, CA 41,077 9.3% $566,900 24.0% 50.03%
39 Williams, CA 5,520 10.2% $270,700 20.0% 58.95%
40 Bell Gardens, CA 39,870 25.6% $423,700 6.0% 53.61%
41 Delano, CA 52,206 18.7% $212,700 14.0% 55.01%
42 Maywood, CA 25,477 20.9% $481,800 6.0% 55.2%
43 Calexico, CA 38,798 21.0% $233,100 10.0% 43.28%
44 Barstow, CA 25,123 29.8% $147,000 16.0% 39.19%
45 Stockton, CA 317,818 16.3% $324,600 17.0% 42.43%
46 Mcfarland, CA 14,085 29.3% $201,400 12.0% 62.87%
47 Montclair, CA 37,871 17.8% $423,300 15.0% 46.72%
48 California City, CA 14,914 25.4% $169,100 25.0% 35.55%
49 San Bernardino, CA 220,821 20.9% $293,000 16.0% 45.74%
50 Hemet, CA 88,903 17.2% $226,000 20.0% 33.5%
51 Lake Elsinore, CA 68,822 13.2% $392,200 21.0% 48.05%
52 Reedley, CA 25,168 18.4% $227,900 17.0% 52.86%
53 Fontana, CA 208,087 11.5% $423,100 20.0% 52.51%
54 Antioch, CA 114,750 12.9% $467,500 19.0% 38.51%
55 Watsonville, CA 52,966 12.9% $542,900 12.0% 46.13%
56 Paramount, CA 53,904 14.4% $412,300 10.0% 49.91%
57 Farmersville, CA 10,441 24.4% $189,100 17.0% 50.31%
58 Woodlake, CA 7,458 31.1% $217,200 14.0% 56.55%
59 Atwater, CA 31,401 17.3% $265,200 20.0% 41.81%
60 Kerman, CA 15,817 16.2% $252,300 21.0% 52.96%
61 Suisun City, CA 29,436 9.8% $418,900 18.0% 36.99%
62 Murrieta, CA 111,096 6.1% $458,000 26.0% 45.23%
63 Artesia, CA 16,390 6.7% $635,000 12.0% 37.97%
64 Bellflower, CA 79,070 12.7% $535,300 15.0% 40.59%
65 Chula Vista, CA 274,818 9.1% $565,400 16.0% 42.82%
66 Norwalk, CA 103,330 8.9% $487,800 16.0% 44.54%
67 Pomona, CA 151,592 16.4% $446,300 13.0% 41.02%
68 American Canyon, CA 21,735 7.2% $553,800 16.0% 49.01%
69 Menifee, CA 101,089 7.9% $371,500 26.0% 36.76%
70 El Monte, CA 110,144 18.1% $508,200 8.0% 40.68%
71 Beaumont, CA 52,081 8.8% $356,700 27.0% 47.56%
72 Lompoc, CA 44,232 19.4% $353,100 16.0% 42.19%
73 Commerce, CA 12,459 14.8% $455,700 13.0% 38.2%
74 Oakley, CA 42,996 6.7% $502,100 31.0% 46.47%
75 Waterford, CA 9,100 16.8% $298,000 26.0% 45.99%
76 Porterville, CA 62,164 21.0% $208,400 20.0% 47.98%
77 Vallejo, CA 125,350 11.0% $434,800 16.0% 32.96%
78 Galt, CA 25,385 9.2% $382,000 30.0% 42.24%
79 Gustine, CA 5,990 8.3% $322,300 27.0% 25.59%
80 Parlier, CA 14,666 30.2% $183,000 11.0% 56.93%
81 Merced, CA 85,993 26.6% $268,600 18.0% 42.03%
82 Clearlake, CA 16,468 26.5% $155,200 18.0% 28.82%
83 Wildomar, CA 36,511 9.7% $413,800 26.0% 37.1%
84 Santa Maria, CA 109,309 12.8% $376,100 13.0% 49.52%
85 Guadalupe, CA 8,138 27.7% $337,100 13.0% 55.83%
86 San Fernando, CA 24,086 10.1% $525,200 15.0% 40.86%
87 National City, CA 56,846 15.2% $452,100 12.0% 37.51%
88 Oxnard, CA 202,981 10.6% $496,100 13.0% 46.46%
89 Montebello, CA 62,828 11.4% $557,400 14.0% 35.37%
90 Riverbank, CA 24,714 14.3% $343,300 21.0% 46.83%
91 Ontario, CA 175,223 13.0% $438,300 18.0% 42.87%
92 Selma, CA 24,545 23.4% $209,500 20.0% 46.62%
93 Apple Valley, CA 75,311 16.9% $292,500 27.0% 36.94%
94 Fairfield, CA 118,932 8.8% $460,100 18.0% 39.53%
95 Holtville, CA 5,672 22.1% $220,200 12.0% 30.9%
96 Manteca, CA 82,408 10.7% $432,100 26.0% 39.07%
97 Stanton, CA 38,167 13.9% $454,200 11.0% 37.11%
98 Oakdale, CA 23,016 12.1% $354,400 30.0% 38.2%
99 Tracy, CA 92,792 9.8% $508,500 20.0% 45.28%
100 Coalinga, CA 17,560 16.5% $200,200 18.0% 39.14%
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

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