America's Happiest and Most Depressed Cities

[sugar and spice]

Oregon has been hit pretty hard by the recession. Portland less so than other parts of Oregon, but still more than similar-sized cities in the rest of the country.

On the plus side, we've had a lot more sun this year than is normal. Yay for global warming!

Seattle is fun, too. The Pacific Northwest is just being unfairly punished by our preponderance of rainy days.

[Munchkin03]

See, that surprises me as well. I figured that if any state was ahead of the curve with "green-collar" jobs, that it'd be Oregon. But, if the state relies a lot on forestry, maybe not so much...?

I've also heard great things about Seattle. The time for me to leave NYC is nigh, and I'm starting to think about cities to which to relocate within the next 3-4 years.

[AGDee]

The number of people on anti-depressants may also correlate to how many people have health insurance which pays for those anti-depressants. Many folks aren't going to take meds for a non-life threatening ailment if they don't have insurance. Definitely not scientific, but I fully expected Detroit to be on the top of the list. People are totally freaking out here and the Lions didn't win any games at all last season.

[honeychile]

I tend to think that these poll makers go into it with an agenda of sorts. Last year, Pittsburgh was on top of one "happy" poll and near the bottom of another. The variables have to be equalized to have them mean anything truly important.

I love the beauty of the Seattle area, but I've never lived there. Having severe allergy problems, I don't think I could live in a city so dedicated to mold.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by honeychile

I tend to think that these poll makers go into it with an agenda of sorts. Last year, Pittsburgh was on top of one "happy" poll and near the bottom of another. The variables have to be equalized to have them mean anything truly important.

I love the beauty of the Seattle area, but I've never lived there. Having severe allergy problems, I don't think I could live in a city so dedicated to mold.

What sort of agenda would they have, though? An axe to grind against a certain city?

Every city has a reputation, heck, every area of the country has a reputation. People have notions about Pittsburgh, Detroit, Boston, NYC, Washington DC, and lots of other cities. There are assumptions made about Southerners, Northerners, New Englanders, West Coast people, etc. It's not really a big deal (unless you're part of a city's tourism bureau); some cities are more depressing than others, some are more fun than others, it just is what it is.

[agzg]

I don't care what anyone says - I loved living in Pittsburgh and I would move back in a heartbeat if I got a job there.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

What sort of agenda would they have, though? An axe to grind against a certain city?

Every city has a reputation, heck, every area of the country has a reputation. People have notions about Pittsburgh, Detroit, Boston, NYC, Washington DC, and lots of other cities. There are assumptions made about Southerners, Northerners, New Englanders, West Coast people, etc. It's not really a big deal (unless you're part of a city's tourism bureau); some cities are more depressing than others, some are more fun than others, it just is what it is.

Different surveys take different criteria into consideration, what with different people difining quality of life differently. Some feel that the arts (symphony, museums, etc) rank highly, others might rank education, job security highly, a third could rank green living most highly. So, surveys and polls are usually skewed towards the agenda of the poll taker.

[justabeachbrat]

Lived in Portland, briefly. I couldn't get used to the bridges, At first. I was always on the wrong bridge. And alot of homeless camping. Some of the homeless were young-ish, kicked out or just left, middle classs homes.

Fresno...It is fine in some areas right near Fresno State, getting the football stadium next to school helped, and next to it, central Clovis, is cute. An area where students used to live, just beyond Greek houses has really gone sown. Downtown, no. Everyone I knew avoided it in college. Donald Trump and his group gave up on the place a year or so ago, problems with demands I think the city put on plans to revamp an area into a golf course. It needs something.

Honolulu, and all of Hawaii, always good times there.

Every time I've driven through El Paso I found it depressing. Rather than take pill, kept going.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Different surveys take different criteria into consideration, what with different people difining quality of life differently. Some feel that the arts (symphony, museums, etc) rank highly, others might rank education, job security highly, a third could rank green living most highly. So, surverys and polls are usually skewed towards the agenda of the poll taker.

Wouldn't it be rare, though, that a city would rank last or close to last on each survey? On the same token, I can't think of any cities that would be at the top or close to the top of all of the surveys, either. I feel like all cities win some and lose some, and most (like where I grew up) end up right in the middle all of the time.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by justabeachbrat

Every time I've driven through El Paso I found it depressing. Rather than take pill, kept going.

Why? I mean there isn't any green here, but that is what happens when you live in a desert. I don't find it that bad.

ETA:

Originally Posted by flirt5721

El Paso as #2 happiest. NO. There are some good things about EP but with all the stuff going on across the boarder and spilling over it is not happy.

That poll was from 2005, there wasn't anything like that happening in Juarez back then.

[PeppyGPhiB]

I have to wonder if the survey took into account that Portland (well, Oregon) has physician-assisted suicide, which I imagine would increase the count of suicides if for only some deaths would be reclassified from what they would otherwise be.

People in Portland and Seattle probably take more anti-depressants just due to the number of cloudy days we have. If you grow up in it (like me), it probably doesn't even bother you. But for many people who move to the PacNW (and we have LOTS of those up here in this corner), it's hard to adjust to and they get Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Those people either take Vitamin D supplements, get a special light, or take anti-depressants in the winter. Our summers are beautiful and I definitely notice a positive change in mood!

Portland is a cute city. Very walkable and bikeable. And some great shopping, with no sales tax too! But the driving down there sucks!

[LucyKKG]

From the original list, hooray for San Jose! I <3 my hometown!

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Wouldn't it be rare, though, that a city would rank last or close to last on each survey? On the same token, I can't think of any cities that would be at the top or close to the top of all of the surveys, either. I feel like all cities win some and lose some, and most (like where I grew up) end up right in the middle all of the time.

True. In other words, many people seem to take surveys more seriously than they should.

[Thetagirl218]

Wow....how did they figure this out?

My city is the 3rd most depressing in the country....its not that bad! lol! Maybe all the Hurricanes and home foreclosures?

[flirt5721]

Originally Posted by epchick

That poll was from 2005, there wasn't anything like that happening in Juarez back then.

Yeah there was just not as bad as is it now.