There's no single "unhappiest city" globally, as happiness is subjective, but recent studies often point to cities like Cleveland, Ohio, Detroit, Michigan, or Houston, Texas as being among the unhappiest in the U.S. based on metrics like mental health, income, and community factors, with specific studies naming cities like Damascus, Syria as least livable globally. Different reports use varied criteria, but lower-ranked cities frequently show issues with depression rates, economic hardship, or poor community environments.
ON A BREAK In a world where hustle often overshadows well-being, Hong Kong has been consistently ranked as the world's unhappiest city. The relentless pursuit of success or sustenance can lead to burnout, reminding us all of the importance of taking a break to recharge and rejuvenate.
Ranking of the least happy countries worldwide 2024, by score. Afghanistan was ranked the least happy country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report from 2025. The country scored only 1.36 on a scale from 0 to 10.
The data set ranges from depression rate, to income-growth rate, to average leisure time spent per day. Cleveland will hold the title this year as the least happy city in America, finishing last out of all 182 cities surveyed. A closer examination of the numbers shows how Cleveland ranked in several key categories: No.
Global Liveability Index
Copenhagen was ranked the most liveable city in 2025, while Damascus was ranked the least liveable.
West Virginia ranked as the least happy state in the country, with the study finding residents struggle with high rates of depression and inadequate sleep.
Epidemiological data shows higher rates of depression in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and the United States than in other regions and countries. For most countries among the 10 studied, the number of people who experience depression during their lifetimes falls within an 8–12% range.
Hawaii is the happiest state in America for the second year in a row. Hawaii landed the top spot on WalletHub's list with an overall score of 65.50. It ranked third for emotional and physical well-being, 16th for work environment and 13th for community and environment.
New evidence shows that people who maintain a range of healthy habits, from good sleep to physical activity to strong social connections, are significantly less likely to experience depression.
The most common are anxiety disorders major depression and bipolar disorder. Below is more information on these disorders and how ACCESS can help.
Afghanistan. Afghanistan is ranked the saddest country in the world with a life evaluation score of 1.364. Years of conflict, economic collapse, and a lack of social support worsen living conditions. Women and minorities face severe restrictions on education and healthcare.
Norilsk – an ex-USSR town deep in north Siberia – has been given this unenviable title by multiple sources over the years. And it's not hard to see why. The city sits within the Arctic Circle, with year-round snow and temperatures that peak at 9°C in summer yet drop to an excruciating -50°C in January.
Our round-up of countries with the best mental healthcare in the world
Regular exercise may improve depression or anxiety symptoms enough to make a big difference. That big difference can help kick-start further improvements. The mental health benefits of exercise and physical activity may last only if you stick with them over the long term.
Countries with the least depression include several smaller, lower-income countries in South Asia such as Brunei, Myanmar, Timor-Leste and Mali, where less than 2.5% of the population is reported to have a depressive disorder.
The Finnish people have a close connection with nature, enjoying clean air, pure water and walking in the woods. These simple pleasures create a peaceful type of happiness, and an appreciation for the little things in life. All of these things are linked to lower stress levels and increased well-being.
2021 World Happiness Report
Finland holds the rank of the happiest country in the world for the fourth consecutive year. It is followed by Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland and Netherlands.
In a region fraught with conflict, Israel consistently ranks as one of the happiest nations on Earth. Bound by family, united through community, and strengthened by a shared resilience, Israelis embrace life amid adversity.
These states are America's worst for quality of life in 2025:
Colorado topped the list, suggesting its relationships are as unsteady as its terrain. The state logged roughly 12,000 searches a month—about 204 per 100,000 residents—according to data from the interactive research platform Spin the Wheel Generator. New Jersey followed closely behind.
“America's subjective well-being is being systematically undermined by three interrelated epidemic diseases, notably obesity, substance abuse (especially opioid addiction) and depression. America's declining happiness is a social crisis, not an economic crisis.