Reading This Wont Make You Any Happier:

[Death To Johnstown]

Which towns stand in the face of depression

By: Sara Vigneri

Maybe it was all those years of futility for the Phillies. Or the shadows cast by New York City to the north and Washington, D.C., to the south. Whatever the reasons, Philadelphia has earned the melancholy distinction of being America's most depressed city, followed closely by Detroit and St. Petersburg, Florida. Men's Health compiled this list based on antidepressant sales, courtesy of NDC Health; suicide rates, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and the number of days inhabitants reported being depressed, based on the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, accessed through bestplaces.net.

Where can you find happiness? Texas, that's where. Three of its cities placed in the top four: number one, Laredo; number two, El Paso; and number four, Corpus Christi.

The 20 Happiest Cities

1. Laredo, TX: A+

2. El Paso, TX: A+

3. Jersey City, NJ: A+

4. Corpus Christi, TX: A+

5. Baton Rouge, LA: A

6. Honolulu, HI: A-

7. Fresno, CA: A-

8. San Jose, CA: A-

9. Lincoln, NE: B+

10. Bakersfield, CA: B+

11. Buffalo, NY: B+

12. Anchorage, AK: B+

13. Stockton, CA: B+

14. Shreveport, LA: B+

15. (3-way tie) Madison, WI: B, Montgomery, AL: B, and Des Moines, IA: B

18. Wichita, KS: B

19. (tie) Sacramento, CA: B and Omaha, NE: B

The 20 Most Depressed Cities

1. Philadelphia, PA: F

2. Detroit, MI: F

3. St. Petersburg, FL: F

4. St. Louis, MO: F

5. Tampa, FL: F

6. Indianapolis, IN: F

7. (3-way tie) Mesa, AZ: F, Phoenix, AZ: F, and Scottsdale, AZ: F

10. Cleveland, OH: F

11. New York, NY: D-

12. Salt Lake City, UT: D-

13. Atlanta, GA: D

14. (3-way tie) Yonkers, NY: D, Pittsburgh, PA: D, and Kansas City, MO: D

17. (3-way tie) Long Beach, CA: D, Los Angeles, CA: D, Nashville, TN" D

20. Portland, OR: D

[urbanophile]

Its another stupid non-scientific ranking put out by the same people who brought out the "fattest city" rankings. Considering that Jersey City is among the "happiest" and Portland, Oregon is among the "most depressed", it doesn't seem that their happiness rankings coincide much with liveability and that's really what many of us care about.

[Death To Johnstown]

Hell, Joe Kita once had Pittsburgh ranked #7 in a "Best Kept Secret Fun Cities" poll...

It's all relative.

[PghUSA]

Again I think this is another continuation of the "creative class" BS. If your idea of a "happening" place is looking at guys in chaps and girls with 28 nose rings, hair that is considered a weapon and spiked a foot high in neon pink then Austin and Silicon Valley and Southbeach is for you, give me Pittsburgh, give me Philly, if you want to be a freak hey its a free country just don't pretend that its the "creative class" that is what makes this country great, its the guys that put everything on the line building tanks and landing craft 24 hour days and 7 day weeks on christmas day and eve, its the gals working in aircraft factories to save democracy and the American way for the world. That gene pool is still seen in Pittsburgh, Philly and Cleveland, those are the familes that while less then perfect pray hard in the cities with the most churches, play hard in the cities with the Rock'n'Roll HOF and the most rocking city, and work hard in the old rust belt. They know whats sacred and they know what they're duty is in life and how precious it is. No freak with nose rings and hair that looks like a tropical plant that can build websites and get to the 8th level of DOOM is going to make this nation what it is or save the world from the evil that could have befallen it like the greatest generation that cut their hair, went to church and raised a family, which by the way the "rustbelt" of Philly and Pittsburgh was to that ideal as silicon valley and 6th street is to the nosering and punk hair crowd. Give me Pittsburgh and greatness rather then DOOM games and spiked hair in the silicon valley, anyday. Just my two cents.