Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Florida?
According to a Harris Poll taken in October of 2015, only a third of Americans say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that Americans – especially folks in Florida – don’t really have it too bad, in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which Florida cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using science and data.
After analyzing the largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Sunshine State:
- Gladeview
- Florida City
- Brownsville
- Immokalee
- Pinewood
- North Miami (Photos)
- Leisure City
- Lake Worth (Photos)
- Homestead (Photos)
- Opa-Locka (Photos)
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, Edgewood is the happiest place in Florida.
Or check out the Most Miserable Cities In America.
If you’re looking for something more positive, check out the best states in America or the best places to live in America.
How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In Florida
In order to rank the unhappiest places in Florida, we had to determine what criteria makes 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 2010-2014 report for the criteria, flipped the list, and it spit out the answer. Like magic.
We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of home owners
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 108 places in Florida with over 2,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 347 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 Florida’.
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.
1. Gladeview
Population: 11,825
People Who Own Their Home: 31.43%
Married Adults: 23.09%
2. Florida City
Population: 11,853
People Who Own Their Home: 24.16%
Married Adults: 29.92%
3. Brownsville
Population: 14,835
People Who Own Their Home: 30.76%
Married Adults: 17.63%
4. Immokalee
Population: 24,021
People Who Own Their Home: 31.32%
Married Adults: 35.36%
5. Pinewood
Population: 16,531
People Who Own Their Home: 37.72%
Married Adults: 32.03%
6. North Miami
Population: 60,756
People Who Own Their Home: 41.38%
Married Adults: 33.75%
7. Leisure City
Population: 24,125
People Who Own Their Home: 50.81%
Married Adults: 36.58%
8. Lake Worth
Population: 35,903
People Who Own Their Home: 37.64%
Married Adults: 32.62%
9. Homestead
Population: 63,459
People Who Own Their Home: 34.89%
Married Adults: 40.28%
10. Opa-Locka
Population: 15,867
People Who Own Their Home: 29.95%
Married Adults: 27.37%
There You Have It
Like we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in {state} 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 {state}, according to science:
For more Florida reading , check out:
- These Are The 10 Most Boring Places In Florida
- These Are The 10 Most Dangerous Places In Florida
- These Are The 10 Best Places To Live In Florida
Detailed List Of Miserable Places In Florida
City | Rank |
---|---|
Gladeview | 1 |
Florida City | 2 |
Brownsville | 3 |
Immokalee | 4 |
Pinewood | 5 |
North Miami | 6 |
Leisure City | 7 |
Lake Worth | 8 |
Homestead | 9 |
Opa-Locka | 10 |
Golden Glades | 11 |
Miami | 12 |
West Perrine | 13 |
Lauderdale Lakes | 14 |
Lauderhill | 15 |
North Miami Beach | 16 |
Fort Pierce | 17 |
West Little River | 18 |
Pine Hills | 19 |
Inwood | 20 |
Sweetwater | 21 |
Hallandale Beach | 22 |
Belle Glade | 23 |
Richmond Heights | 24 |
Crystal Lake | 25 |
Fort Myers | 26 |
Lehigh Acres | 27 |
Palm Springs | 28 |
Princeton | 29 |
Pompano Beach | 30 |
Jasmine Estates | 31 |
Holly Hill | 32 |
Oak Ridge | 33 |
Miami Gardens | 34 |
Goldenrod | 35 |
Live Oak | 36 |
Lake City | 37 |
West Pensacola | 38 |
Dania Beach | 39 |
Azalea Park | 40 |
Sanford | 41 |
Madison | 42 |
Quincy | 43 |
West Park | 44 |
Kissimmee | 45 |
Golden Gate | 46 |
Orange City | 47 |
Mango | 48 |
New Port Richey | 49 |
Lantana | 50 |
Cocoa | 51 |
North Lauderdale | 52 |
Sebring | 53 |
Daytona Beach | 54 |
Palatka | 55 |
Fort Lauderdale | 56 |
Watertown | 57 |
Riviera Beach | 58 |
Hialeah | 59 |
Ives Estates | 60 |
Malone | 61 |
Orlando | 62 |
Taft | 63 |
Union Park | 64 |
Oakland Park | 65 |
Haines City | 66 |
Hilliard | 67 |
Poinciana | 68 |
Cleveland | 69 |
Arcadia | 70 |
South Miami Heights | 71 |
Trenton | 72 |
Lealman | 73 |
East Lake-Orient Park | 74 |
South Bradenton | 75 |
Leesburg | 76 |
Holiday | 77 |
Brent | 78 |
Elfers | 79 |
Egypt Lake-Leto | 80 |
Wilton Manors | 81 |
Hollywood | 82 |
West Palm Beach | 83 |
Greenacres | 84 |
Fountainebleau | 85 |
Tallahassee | 86 |
Stuart | 87 |
Deerfield Beach | 88 |
South Daytona | 89 |
Warrington | 90 |
Sarasota | 91 |
Miami Beach | 92 |
Gainesville | 93 |
Jasper | 94 |
Hudson | 95 |
Palm River-Clair Mel | 96 |
Vero Beach | 97 |
Ridgecrest | 98 |
Hernando | 99 |
Tampa | 100 |
Bowling Green | 101 |
Bradenton | 102 |
Gibsonton | 103 |
Beverly Hills | 104 |
San Carlos Park | 105 |
Davenport | 106 |
Shady Hills | 107 |
Monticello | 108 |
Homosassa Springs | 109 |
Kendall West | 110 |
Myrtle Grove | 111 |
Bayonet Point | 112 |
Memphis | 113 |
Ocala | 114 |
Boynton Beach | 115 |
Delray Beach | 116 |
Perry | 117 |
Fort Meade | 118 |
Casselberry | 119 |
Meadow Woods | 120 |
Palmetto Estates | 121 |
Auburndale | 122 |
Panama City | 123 |
Thonotosassa | 124 |
Country Club | 125 |
Gulfport | 126 |
Lake Wales | 127 |
Hialeah Gardens | 128 |
Laguna Beach | 129 |
Milton | 130 |
Kendale Lakes | 131 |
Buenaventura Lakes | 132 |
Dover | 133 |
Titusville | 134 |
Lockhart | 135 |
Eustis | 136 |
Largo | 137 |
Altamonte Springs | 138 |
The Hammocks | 139 |
South Miami | 140 |
Coral Terrace | 141 |
Springfield | 142 |
Gulf Gate Estates | 143 |
Margate | 144 |
Lakeland | 145 |
Tarpon Springs | 146 |
University Park | 147 |
Deland | 148 |
Bayshore Gardens | 149 |
Inverness | 150 |
Cape Coral | 151 |
South Pasadena | 152 |
Sunny Isles Beach | 153 |
Town ‘N’ Country | 154 |
Forest City | 155 |
Key West | 156 |
Tamiami | 157 |
Winter Haven | 158 |
Wright | 159 |
Ensley | 160 |
Key Largo | 161 |
Miami Springs | 162 |
Ferry Pass | 163 |
West Lealman | 164 |
Parker | 165 |
Spring Hill | 166 |
Jacksonville | 167 |
Palmetto | 168 |
Bonita Springs | 169 |
Plant City | 170 |
Palm Bay | 171 |
Deltona | 172 |
Melbourne | 173 |
Tamarac | 174 |
Middleburg | 175 |
Zephyrhills | 176 |
Clearwater | 177 |
Campbell | 178 |
Longwood | 179 |
Ruskin | 180 |
Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace | 181 |
Sunrise | 182 |
Miramar | 183 |
Temple Terrace | 184 |
Glenvar Heights | 185 |
Four Corners | 186 |
North Fort Myers | 187 |
Ojus | 188 |
Fort Walton Beach | 189 |
Westwood Lakes | 190 |
Mount Dora | 191 |
Bartow | 192 |
Aventura | 193 |
Cutler Bay | 194 |
Pensacola | 195 |
Coral Springs | 196 |
The Crossings | 197 |
Pinellas Park | 198 |
Florida Ridge | 199 |
Westchester | 200 |
Olympia Heights | 201 |
Englewood | 202 |
Williston | 203 |
Cocoa Beach | 204 |
Callaway | 205 |
Villas | 206 |
Southchase | 207 |
Port Charlotte | 208 |
Alafaya | 209 |
Edgewater | 210 |
Kendall | 211 |
High Point | 212 |
Crestview | 213 |
Lake Magdalene | 214 |
Apopka | 215 |
Three Lakes | 216 |
Cypress Lake | 217 |
Vero Beach South | 218 |
Sebastian | 219 |
Doral | 220 |
Ocean City | 221 |
North Port | 222 |
Coconut Creek | 223 |
Lakeside | 224 |
White City | 225 |
Destin | 226 |
Miami Lakes | 227 |
Fernandina Beach | 228 |
Davie | 229 |
Richmond West | 230 |
Williamsburg | 231 |
Miami Shores | 232 |
Jensen Beach | 233 |
Hobe Sound | 234 |
Freeport | 235 |
Winter Springs | 236 |
Dunedin | 237 |
Pembroke Pines | 238 |
Citrus Park | 239 |
Tavares | 240 |
Clermont | 241 |
Oldsmar | 242 |
Cheval | 243 |
Palm Coast | 244 |
Ocoee | 245 |
Southgate | 246 |
Brandon | 247 |
Merritt Island | 248 |
Lady Lake | 249 |
Venice | 250 |
New Smyrna Beach | 251 |
Northdale | 252 |
Sarasota Springs | 253 |
Riverview | 254 |
Country Walk | 255 |
Umatilla | 256 |
Cortez | 257 |
Geneva | 258 |
South Venice | 259 |
Winter Park | 260 |
Wildwood | 261 |
The Acreage | 262 |
Hunters Creek | 263 |
Punta Gorda | 264 |
Carrollwood | 265 |
Debary | 266 |
Ormond Beach | 267 |
Navarre | 268 |
Newberry | 269 |
Jacksonville Beach | 270 |
Upper Grand Lagoon | 271 |
Seminole | 272 |
Royal Palm Beach | 273 |
Boca Raton | 274 |
Rockledge | 275 |
Sun City Center | 276 |
Apollo Beach | 277 |
Atlantic Beach | 278 |
Lakewood Park | 279 |
West Melbourne | 280 |
Yulee | 281 |
Oakleaf Plantation | 282 |
Pea Ridge | 283 |
Weston | 284 |
Bloomingdale | 285 |
Alva | 286 |
Wesley Chapel | 287 |
Palmetto Bay | 288 |
Coral Gables | 289 |
Winter Garden | 290 |
Palm Harbor | 291 |
Land O’ Lakes | 292 |
Maitland | 293 |
Iona | 294 |
Sunset | 295 |
Port Orange | 296 |
Glencoe | 297 |
Westchase | 298 |
Greenbriar | 299 |
Wekiwa Springs | 300 |
Oviedo | 301 |
Laurel | 302 |
East Lake | 303 |
Bellview | 304 |
Valparaiso | 305 |
River Ridge | 306 |
Fruitville | 307 |
Lutz | 308 |
Wellington | 309 |
Fleming Island | 310 |
Horizon West | 311 |
Jupiter Farms | 312 |
Valrico | 313 |
Niceville | 314 |
Odessa | 315 |
Lake Mary | 316 |
Safety Harbor | 317 |
Gateway | 318 |
Estero | 319 |
Naples | 320 |
Lynn Haven | 321 |
Doctor Phillips | 322 |
Jupiter | 323 |
World Golf Village | 324 |
Satellite Beach | 325 |
Pace | 326 |
Key Biscayne | 327 |
Fish Hawk | 328 |
Pinecrest | 329 |
Cooper City | 330 |
North Palm Beach | 331 |
Marco Island | 332 |
Palm Beach Gardens | 333 |
Lighthouse Point | 334 |
Conway | 335 |
Viera East | 336 |
Oakland | 337 |
Gonzalez | 338 |
Palm Valley | 339 |
Palm City | 340 |
Keystone | 341 |
Fruit Cove | 342 |
Parkland | 343 |
Trinity | 344 |
The Villages | 345 |
Lakeland Highlands | 346 |
Edgewood | 347 |