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Thursday 3 February 2011

America's top 20 unhappiest cities

By Bloomberg Businessweek


The other kind of depressionSome U.S. cities were depressed even before the economy went on life support. These were the cities that saw the highest depression and suicide rates even while the Dow Jones was climbing to 14,000 and Countrywide Financial was considered a respected mortgage lender. Why? Blame a variety of reasons, from divorce and crime to lousy weather and job loss. While that's bad enough, it will be important to see how these rankings change from this year to next. As the rest of the country struggles with the financial crisis, it is possible that some of these cities may soon become even unhappier.

Portland, Ore. © Justin Sullivan/Getty Images 

1. Portland, Ore. 
Overall rank: 1
Depression rank: 1
Suicide rank: 12
Crime (property and violent) rank: 24
Divorce rate rank: 4
Cloudy days: 222
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 7.8% 
 
St. Louis © Michael S. Lewis/Corbis
  
2. St. Louis
Overall rank: 2
Depression rank: 13
Suicide rank: 22
Crime (property and violent) rank: 1
Divorce rate rank: 18
Cloudy days: 164
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 8.2%

New Orleans © Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images 

3. New Orleans
Overall rank: 3
Depression rank: 25
Suicide rank: 43
Crime (property and violent) rank: 5
Divorce rate rank: 26
Cloudy days: 146
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 7.9%   
   
Detroit © Spencer Platt/Getty Images
    
4. Detroit     
Overall rank: 4
Depression rank: 46
Suicide rank: 50
Crime (property and violent) rank: 3
Divorce rate rank: 15
Cloudy days: 185
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 18.6%     
     
Cleveland © Jason Nelson/Getty Images
      
5. Cleveland
Overall rank: 5
Depression rank: 17
Suicide rank: 27
Crime (property and violent) rank: 11
Divorce rate rank: 2
Cloudy days: 202
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 8.8%         
         
Jacksonville, Fla. © Brian Bahr/Getty Images
          
6. Jacksonville, Fla.
Overall rank: 6
Depression rank: 2
Suicide rank: 9
Crime (property and violent) rank: 23
Divorce rate rank: 7
Cloudy days: 144
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 7.6%             
             
Las Vegas © David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
               
7. Las Vegas
Overall rank: 7
Depression rank: 42
Suicide rank: 1
Crime (property and violent) rank: 9
Divorce rate rank: 6
Cloudy days: 73
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 9%                 
                 
Nashville-Davidson, Tenn. © Rusty Russell/Getty Images
                    
8. Nashville-Davidson, Tenn.                   
Overall rank: 8
Depression rank: 4
Suicide rank: 26
Crime (property and violent) rank: 8
Divorce rate rank: 8
Cloudy days: 156
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 6%                   
                   
Cincinatti © Scott Olson/Getty Images 
                   
9. Cincinnati
Overall rank: 9
Depression rank: 7
Suicide rank: 20
Crime (property and violent) rank: 34
Divorce rate rank: 19
Cloudy days: 186
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 6.4%                       
                       
Atlanta © Barry Williams/Getty Images

10. Atlanta                       
Overall rank: 10
Depression rank: 29
Suicide rank: 18
Crime (property and violent) rank: 2
Divorce rate rank: 28
Cloudy days: 149
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 7.7%                     

Darren Hauck/Getty Images                       
                                                                   
11. Milwaukee, Wis.                                                        
Overall rank: 11 
Depression rank: 19
Suicide rank: 16
Crime (property and violent) rank: 17
Divorce rate rank: 30
Cloudy days: 175
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 7.9%
                                                               
David Paul Morris/Getty Images                       
                                               
12. Sacramento, Calif.                                                       
Overall rank: 12  
Depression rank: 20  
Suicide rank: 4 
Crime (property and violent) rank: 18
Divorce rate rank: 20 
Cloudy days: 100
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 10.2%

Jamie Squire/Getty Images                       

13. Kansas City, Mo.                                                       
Overall rank: 13 
Depression rank: 23
Suicide rank: 29
Crime (property and violent) rank: 10
Divorce rate rank: 12
Cloudy days: 149
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 8.7%
                                                               
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images                       

14. Pittsburgh, Pa.                                                       
Overall rank: 14
Depression rank: 10
Suicide rank: 10
Crime (property and violent) rank:  24
Divorce rate rank: 45
Cloudy days: 203
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 5.6%
                                                                
Carlo Allegri/Getty Images  
                    
15. Memphis, Tenn.                                                       
Overall rank: 15 
Depression rank: 35
Suicide rank: 45 
Crime (property and violent) rank: 4
Divorce rate rank: 21
Cloudy days: 151
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 8.4%
                                                               
Donald Miralle/Getty Images                       

16. Indianapolis city, Ind.                                                       
Overall rank: 16  
Depression rank: 12
Suicide rank: 23
Crime (property and violent) rank: 28
Divorce rate rank: 11
Cloudy days: 179
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 7.2%
                                                               
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
                       
17. Louisville, Ky.                                                       
Overall rank: 17  
Depression rank: 8 
Suicide rank: 24 
Crime (property and violent) rank: 29
Divorce rate rank: 1
Cloudy days: 73
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 7.5%
                                                               
Brian Bahr /Allsport                       

18. Tucson, Ariz.                                                        
Overall rank: 18  
Depression rank: 24
Suicide rank: 3
Crime (property and violent) rank: 27
Divorce rate rank: 10
Cloudy days: 81
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 6.9%
                                                                
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images                       

19. Minneapolis, Minn.                                                       
Overall rank: 19  
Depression rank: 9 
Suicide rank: 44
Crime (property and violent) rank: 10
Divorce rate rank: 33
Cloudy days: 169
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 10.7%
                                                               
                 GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images                        

20. Seattle, Wash.                                                       
Overall rank: 20 
Depression rank: 6
Suicide rank: 27
Crime (property and violent) rank: 25
Divorce rate rank: 24 
Cloudy days: 201
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 11.5%

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