These Are The 10 Most Miserable Cities In New York

Do you live in one of the most miserable places in New York?

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 New York – don’t really have it too bad, in the grand scheme of things.

But, we were curious – which New York 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 Empire State:

1. New York (Photos)
2. Monticello (Photos)
3. Hempstead (Photos)
4. Newburgh (Photos)
5. Poughkeepsie (Photos)
6. Mount Vernon (Photos)
7. Liberty (Photos)
8. Beacon (Photos)
9. Mechanicstown (Photos)
10. Spring Valley (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, Niskayuna is the happiest place in New York.

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 New York

In order to rank the unhappiest places in New York, 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 New York with over 2,000 people.

We then ranked each place from one to 402 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 New York’.

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. New York

Population: 8,354,889
People Who Own Their Home: 29.01%
Married Adults: 39.0%

2. Monticello

Population: 6,780
People Who Own Their Home: 18.11%
Married Adults: 32.12%

3. Hempstead

Population: 54,801
People Who Own Their Home: 39.37%
Married Adults: 34.27%

4. Newburgh

Population: 28,614
People Who Own Their Home: 25.49%
Married Adults: 33.55%

5. Poughkeepsie

Population: 30,716
People Who Own Their Home: 33.4%
Married Adults: 32.85%

6. Mount Vernon

Population: 67,962
People Who Own Their Home: 34.69%
Married Adults: 35.3%

7. Liberty

Population: 4,281
People Who Own Their Home: 28.53%
Married Adults: 36.33%

8. Beacon

Population: 14,437
People Who Own Their Home: 47.41%
Married Adults: 37.43%

9. Mechanicstown

Population: 7,030
People Who Own Their Home: 41.26%
Married Adults: 39.53%

10. Spring Valley

Population: 32,007
People Who Own Their Home: 26.41%
Married Adults: 45.83%

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 New York reading , check out:

• These Are The 10 Dumbest Cities In New York
• These Are The 10 Worst Places To Live In New York State
• These Are The 10 Safest Places In New York According To Science

Detailed List Of Miserable Places In New York

City	Rank	People Who Own Their Home
New York	1	29.01%
Monticello	2	18.11%
Hempstead	3	39.37%
Newburgh	4	25.49%
Poughkeepsie	5	33.4%
Mount Vernon	6	34.69%
Liberty	7	28.53%
Beacon	8	47.41%
Mechanicstown	9	41.26%
Spring Valley	10	26.41%
Rochester	11	33.41%
Granville	12	46.44%
Syracuse	13	32.81%
Schenectady	14	37.23%
Riverside	15	63.24%
Middletown	16	45.52%
Inwood	17	44.04%
Manorhaven	18	33.56%
Peekskill	19	46.06%
Buffalo	20	34.7%
Whitehall	21	42.37%
Yonkers	22	43.48%
New Paltz	23	24.89%
Roosevelt	24	62.72%
Endicott	25	36.49%
Wyandanch	26	56.91%
Albion	27	50.46%
Phoenix	28	44.91%
Salamanca	29	45.86%
Gloversville	30	39.55%
Binghamton	31	39.15%
Troy	32	33.16%
Haverstraw	33	41.55%
Amsterdam	34	40.21%
Mastic Beach	35	60.94%
Cobleskill	36	36.8%
Hudson Falls	37	52.33%
Albany	38	32.11%
Pulaski	39	37.11%
Utica	40	40.82%
Kingston	41	39.32%
Port Jervis	42	42.94%
Boonville	43	50.16%
Mechanicville	44	30.53%
Ossining	45	43.19%
Arlington	46	29.24%
Walton	47	41.77%
Fulton	48	47.41%
Freeport	49	62.92%
Herkimer	50	39.31%
Ballston Spa	51	47.41%
Mount Ivy	52	58.74%
Elmira	53	42.04%
Hudson	54	28.65%
Rensselaer	55	39.28%
Riverhead	56	53.28%
Auburn	57	43.16%
Chester	58	65.92%
Lyons	59	53.46%
Palmyra	60	49.19%
Niagara Falls	61	45.54%
Lackawanna	62	49.56%
Jamestown	63	44.78%
Long Beach	64	48.77%
Oneonta	65	40.01%
Medina	66	49.68%
Port Chester	67	40.49%
Cohoes	68	37.92%
Glens Falls	69	45.45%
Camden	70	47.81%
Central Islip	71	59.42%
Uniondale	72	70.88%
North Bellport	73	53.21%
Perry	74	54.11%
Lincoln Park	75	42.33%
Sleepy Hollow	76	37.4%
Oswego	77	44.92%
Delhi	78	44.78%
Watertown	79	35.64%
Brentwood	80	65.87%
Carthage	81	49.25%
Hornell	82	48.27%
Massena	83	54.25%
Elmont	84	75.21%
Mount Kisco	85	50.86%
Ilion	86	53.57%
Walden	87	58.51%
Little Falls	88	44.79%
New Rochelle	89	46.96%
Johnstown	90	52.05%
Lockport	91	51.6%
Ontario	92	73.16%
Canton	93	40.08%
Port Jefferson Station	94	71.22%
Bay Shore	95	54.63%
Wappingers Falls	96	29.48%
Nyack	97	27.92%
Warsaw	98	46.89%
Norwich	99	43.26%
Groton	100	59.98%
Plattsburgh	101	34.52%
Lakeview	102	78.91%
South Lockport	103	61.41%
Frankfort	104	57.21%
Ticonderoga	105	58.45%
Patchogue	106	52.85%
South Valley Stream	107	77.15%
Huntington Station	108	66.69%
Dunkirk	109	53.6%
Geneva	110	46.52%
Tuckahoe	111	47.3%
Penn Yan	112	50.04%
Valley Stream	113	75.34%
Viola	114	55.57%
Ithaca	115	24.96%
Canandaigua	116	47.93%
New Cassel	117	53.1%
Corning	118	44.89%
Johnson City	119	46.88%
Waterford	120	45.0%
Bath	121	48.92%
North Amityville	122	55.44%
Cedarhurst	123	53.6%
Warrensburg	124	64.05%
Mahopac	125	66.06%
West Haverstraw	126	60.66%
Ogdensburg	127	57.24%
North Bay Shore	128	67.99%
North Lindenhurst	129	64.01%
Mattydale	130	61.2%
Saranac Lake	131	39.13%
Brockport	132	41.24%
Geneseo	133	33.79%
Yorkville	134	69.24%
Solvay	135	44.54%
Glen Cove	136	48.61%
Webster	137	36.89%
Newark	138	50.57%
Cortland	139	41.3%
White Plains	140	49.01%
New Windsor	141	64.63%
Olean	142	47.46%
Orangeburg	143	63.09%
Sidney	144	51.37%
East Rochester	145	59.09%
East Garden City	146	59.32%
Scotchtown	147	62.15%
Brookhaven	148	70.47%
Great Neck Plaza	149	43.03%
Batavia	150	48.16%
Mamaroneck	151	54.43%
Baldwin	152	75.65%
Coram	153	63.18%
Malone	154	51.58%
Copiague	155	66.49%
Homer	156	60.65%
Springs	157	41.39%
Monsey	158	37.63%
East Patchogue	159	60.01%
University At Buffalo	160	0.0%
Lynbrook	161	67.49%
North Gates	162	55.78%
Highland	163	52.0%
Lake Mohegan	164	69.45%
Seneca Falls	165	59.58%
Saratoga Springs	166	48.36%
North Valley Stream	167	84.29%
Hampton Bays	168	45.71%
Fredonia	169	52.16%
Rome	170	48.83%
Baldwin Harbor	171	84.36%
Warwick	172	63.38%
Harrison	173	61.04%
Tonawanda	174	66.69%
Amityville	175	57.72%
Mastic	176	74.83%
Caledonia	177	63.61%
Calverton	178	77.34%
Goshen	179	46.73%
Lancaster	180	65.28%
Suffern	181	64.12%
Baywood	182	78.08%
Rocky Point	183	76.56%
Carmel Hamlet	184	69.42%
New Square	185	15.39%
Croton-On-Hudson	186	73.12%
Waverly	187	51.02%
Great Neck	188	67.61%
North Tonawanda	189	63.09%
Morrisville	190	39.14%
West Glens Falls	191	73.13%
Gardnertown	192	81.76%
Lake Carmel	193	77.69%
Oneida	194	52.35%
Selden	195	74.87%
East Farmingdale	196	64.65%
North Syracuse	197	62.97%
Harriman	198	53.95%
Hartsdale	199	66.39%
Middle Island	200	71.83%
Greenlawn	201	76.32%
Shirley	202	76.08%
Lindenhurst	203	72.19%
New Hempstead	204	94.68%
Franklin Square	205	78.69%
Cheektowaga	206	64.81%
Valley Cottage	207	75.72%
Baldwinsville	208	56.99%
Nanuet	209	64.82%
West Hempstead	210	83.02%
Springville	211	59.68%
South Hill	212	63.33%
Westbury	213	72.64%
Akron	214	56.03%
Ronkonkoma	215	75.65%
Lansing	216	28.03%
West Babylon	217	73.9%
Waterloo	218	63.41%
Stony Point	219	79.11%
Dobbs Ferry	220	60.21%
Lima	221	62.7%
Wheatley Heights	222	76.21%
Mineola	223	62.3%
Medford	224	80.64%
Kiryas Joel	225	32.98%
Hamilton	226	49.35%
Bayport	227	60.4%
Roslyn Heights	228	84.5%
Rye Brook	229	75.25%
Hillcrest	230	85.77%
East Moriches	231	65.08%
Depew	232	69.06%
Farmingdale	233	62.07%
Brighton	234	52.51%
Garden City Park	235	79.28%
Lake Grove	236	77.11%
Manhasset	237	66.01%
Sound Beach	238	74.73%
Rotterdam	239	73.63%
Corinth	240	60.8%
Washingtonville	241	72.37%
Westfield	242	64.46%
Bohemia	243	74.51%
Orange Lake	244	77.35%
Port Washington	245	65.09%
Monroe	246	76.4%
Yaphank	247	88.25%
Albertson	248	92.19%
New Hyde Park	249	79.66%
Chestnut Ridge	250	80.36%
East Massapequa	251	77.27%
Carle Place	252	64.92%
South Huntington	253	80.41%
Williamsville	254	59.4%
Holtsville	255	79.03%
Hamlin	256	78.21%
Holbrook	257	75.23%
Southport	258	66.5%
Lakewood	259	53.64%
Thomaston	260	79.44%
North Babylon	261	77.94%
Glens Falls North	262	57.99%
East Rockaway	263	70.29%
Port Jefferson	264	68.49%
Pleasantville	265	72.34%
Babylon	266	72.19%
Fairmount	267	75.71%
Lake Ronkonkoma	268	72.19%
Kenmore	269	62.03%
East Meadow	270	83.53%
Westmere	271	52.61%
Oyster Bay	272	55.81%
Deer Park	273	80.67%
Pomona	274	93.0%
Scotia	275	59.51%
Eggertsville	276	72.19%
Rockville Centre	277	68.28%
Irondequoit	278	73.44%
Islip Terrace	279	82.13%
West Seneca	280	73.45%
West Point	281	1.56%
Southold	282	56.76%
Thiells	283	87.4%
Centereach	284	81.38%
Hastings-On-Hudson	285	66.97%
Wesley Hills	286	82.07%
Stony Brook University	287	93.18%
Horseheads	288	53.49%
Bronxville	289	72.37%
Farmingville	290	81.44%
Huntington	291	78.44%
Nesconset	292	80.78%
Williamson	293	68.25%
Avon	294	63.15%
North Patchogue	295	85.47%
Terryville	296	72.79%
Ridge	297	73.64%
Fort Salonga	298	86.19%
Northport	299	67.45%
Hicksville	300	81.08%
Williston Park	301	74.53%
Islip	302	78.69%
Montgomery	303	62.96%
Woodbury	304	79.76%
Pelham	305	66.0%
Hewlett	306	75.4%
North Bellmore	307	87.51%
Larchmont	308	69.11%
Fairport	309	68.44%
Scottsville	310	66.42%
Malverne	311	90.8%
East Islip	312	83.91%
Tonawanda	313	69.61%
Kings Park	314	79.66%
Bayville	315	75.57%
Blauvelt	316	92.16%
Woodmere	317	84.36%
Salisbury	318	87.92%
Hilton	319	61.08%
Pearl River	320	76.94%
Montrose	321	81.14%
Lewiston	322	69.89%
East Northport	323	81.85%
Floral Park	324	76.87%
Congers	325	81.4%
Smithtown	326	85.0%
Sayville	327	78.31%
Oakdale	328	77.58%
East Aurora	329	64.17%
Hawthorne	330	85.26%
Manorville	331	79.89%
Endwell	332	66.13%
Greece	333	70.77%
Bethpage	334	86.16%
Rye	335	70.05%
Fayetteville	336	64.33%
Colonie	337	72.73%
Massapequa Park	338	94.99%
Oceanside	339	83.43%
Sea Cliff	340	72.84%
Centerport	341	86.41%
Kings Point	342	83.77%
East Glenville	343	72.28%
North New Hyde Park	344	92.13%
Briarcliff Manor	345	79.88%
Jefferson Valley-Yorktown	346	85.76%
Levittown	347	88.22%
Center Moriches	348	73.31%
New City	349	86.88%
Merrick	350	91.14%
Airmont	351	72.56%
Commack	352	89.55%
Dix Hills	353	89.63%
Lakeland	354	85.53%
Myers Corner	355	92.43%
Irvington	356	71.8%
Old Bethpage	357	88.11%
Elwood	358	91.95%
Hamburg	359	69.15%
Eden	360	81.6%
Miller Place	361	89.83%
Jericho	362	80.11%
Seaford	363	86.01%
Chittenango	364	69.78%
Mount Sinai	365	93.05%
Stony Brook	366	87.94%
North Massapequa	367	91.32%
Melville	368	83.97%
Woodbury	369	83.48%
Bellmore	370	88.57%
Lawrence	371	72.08%
South Farmingdale	372	87.52%
Massapequa	373	89.63%
Scarsdale	374	84.86%
Brookville	375	86.56%
Garden City	376	90.36%
East Hills	377	98.3%
Clarence	378	70.9%
Syosset	379	89.65%
Hauppauge	380	81.18%
Montebello	381	80.54%
East Shoreham	382	91.03%
West Islip	383	91.53%
Eastchester	384	77.67%
Big Flats	385	77.19%
Wading River	386	83.36%
Plainedge	387	88.75%
Pelham Manor	388	86.6%
Wantagh	389	92.36%
Bedford	390	80.51%
Plainview	391	91.89%
Cold Spring Harbor	392	89.6%
North Merrick	393	89.44%
West Hills	394	86.43%
Tappan	395	91.19%
North Hills	396	80.88%
North Wantagh	397	91.86%
Setauket-East Setauket	398	87.99%
Harris Hill	399	79.02%
Melrose Park	400	89.18%
Westvale	401	93.31%
Niskayuna	402	92.86%