Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Ohio?
Only a third of Ohioans say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Ohio don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which Ohio cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.
After analyzing the 255 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Buckeye State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Ohio
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, Athens is the happiest place in Ohio.
For more Ohio reading, check out:
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Ohio For 2023
/10
Population: 5,561
Poverty Level: 22.2%
Median Home Price $99,500
Married Households 31.0%
Households With Kids 40.12%
More on New Carlisle: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 9,605
Poverty Level: 25.3%
Median Home Price $90,600
Married Households 22.0%
Households With Kids 42.96%
More on North College Hill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 10,051
Poverty Level: 29.0%
Median Home Price $59,600
Married Households 29.0%
Households With Kids 32.48%
More on East Liverpool: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 14,212
Poverty Level: 39.0%
Median Home Price $59,800
Married Households 11.0%
Households With Kids 26.37%
More on East Cleveland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 12,973
Poverty Level: 4.4%
Median Home Price $147,200
Married Households 40.0%
Households With Kids 47.07%
More on Trenton: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 13,694
Poverty Level: 20.9%
Median Home Price $87,000
Married Households 17.0%
Households With Kids 30.18%
More on Warrensville Heights: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 20,004
Poverty Level: 21.3%
Median Home Price $105,300
Married Households 18.0%
Households With Kids 36.29%
More on Whitehall: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,257
Poverty Level: 7.7%
Median Home Price $156,000
Married Households 19.0%
Households With Kids 31.58%
More on Grafton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,370
Poverty Level: 21.5%
Median Home Price $80,600
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 32.03%
More on Martins Ferry: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 29,585
Poverty Level: 21.3%
Median Home Price $78,900
Married Households 24.0%
Households With Kids 30.04%
More on Garfield Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Buckeye State
To rank the unhappiest places in Ohio, we had to determine what criteria make 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 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.
Like magic.
Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 255 places in Ohio with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 255 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 Ohio.”
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.
We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Ohio.
There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Ohio
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Ohio 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 Ohio, according to science:
- Athens
- Grandview Heights
- Northwood
For more Ohio reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Ohio
- Cheapest Places To Live In Ohio
- Most Dangerous Cities In Ohio
- Richest Cities In Ohio
- Safest Places In Ohio
- Worst Places To Live In Ohio
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Ohio
Miserable Cities In Ohio For 2023
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Carlisle, OH | 5,561 | 22.2% | $99,500 | 31.0% | 40.12% |
| 2 | North College Hill, OH | 9,605 | 25.3% | $90,600 | 22.0% | 42.96% |
| 3 | East Liverpool, OH | 10,051 | 29.0% | $59,600 | 29.0% | 32.48% |
| 4 | East Cleveland, OH | 14,212 | 39.0% | $59,800 | 11.0% | 26.37% |
| 5 | Trenton, OH | 12,973 | 4.4% | $147,200 | 40.0% | 47.07% |
| 6 | Warrensville Heights, OH | 13,694 | 20.9% | $87,000 | 17.0% | 30.18% |
| 7 | Whitehall, OH | 20,004 | 21.3% | $105,300 | 18.0% | 36.29% |
| 8 | Grafton, OH | 6,257 | 7.7% | $156,000 | 19.0% | 31.58% |
| 9 | Martins Ferry, OH | 6,370 | 21.5% | $80,600 | 15.0% | 32.03% |
| 10 | Garfield Heights, OH | 29,585 | 21.3% | $78,900 | 24.0% | 30.04% |
| 11 | Galion, OH | 10,402 | 20.2% | $80,100 | 37.0% | 32.54% |
| 12 | South Lebanon, OH | 6,157 | 4.0% | $177,500 | 34.0% | 55.11% |
| 13 | Cheviot, OH | 8,683 | 20.3% | $109,600 | 25.0% | 34.79% |
| 14 | Mount Healthy, OH | 6,976 | 19.6% | $96,000 | 20.0% | 28.91% |
| 15 | Willard, OH | 6,204 | 17.2% | $91,100 | 27.0% | 36.45% |
| 16 | Hamilton, OH | 63,127 | 16.4% | $113,500 | 27.0% | 32.28% |
| 17 | Wellston, OH | 5,408 | 26.9% | $91,700 | 34.0% | 34.1% |
| 18 | Campbell, OH | 7,831 | 30.7% | $67,100 | 21.0% | 34.42% |
| 19 | Lima, OH | 36,352 | 24.9% | $71,900 | 22.0% | 34.04% |
| 20 | Forest Park, OH | 19,940 | 8.4% | $125,400 | 16.0% | 30.4% |
| 21 | Maple Heights, OH | 23,511 | 22.9% | $75,000 | 24.0% | 27.96% |
| 22 | Warren, OH | 39,334 | 34.6% | $68,900 | 20.0% | 24.4% |
| 23 | Lorain, OH | 65,051 | 26.3% | $97,000 | 25.0% | 28.7% |
| 24 | Bedford Heights, OH | 10,942 | 11.1% | $110,100 | 14.0% | 15.63% |
| 25 | Kenton, OH | 8,032 | 22.5% | $80,800 | 34.0% | 30.13% |
| 26 | Geneva, OH | 5,948 | 20.5% | $109,000 | 23.0% | 25.72% |
| 27 | Marion, OH | 36,053 | 22.0% | $83,400 | 27.0% | 28.69% |
| 28 | Youngstown, OH | 61,274 | 35.3% | $48,600 | 16.0% | 26.81% |
| 29 | Trotwood, OH | 23,157 | 25.5% | $78,600 | 19.0% | 24.37% |
| 30 | Canton, OH | 71,097 | 30.3% | $76,800 | 22.0% | 29.24% |
| 31 | Euclid, OH | 49,382 | 20.6% | $87,400 | 19.0% | 24.21% |
| 32 | Obetz, OH | 5,351 | 8.7% | $147,400 | 35.0% | 38.75% |
| 33 | Conneaut, OH | 12,276 | 21.7% | $97,800 | 28.0% | 29.78% |
| 34 | Fostoria, OH | 12,785 | 24.6% | $69,600 | 31.0% | 33.59% |
| 35 | Uhrichsville, OH | 5,275 | 20.1% | $70,500 | 37.0% | 31.98% |
| 36 | Springfield, OH | 58,992 | 22.0% | $86,900 | 27.0% | 31.15% |
| 37 | Huber Heights, OH | 42,650 | 7.9% | $127,900 | 29.0% | 33.21% |
| 38 | Cleveland, OH | 374,861 | 31.4% | $74,700 | 14.0% | 24.13% |
| 39 | Xenia, OH | 25,411 | 18.5% | $116,700 | 29.0% | 28.98% |
| 40 | Painesville, OH | 20,311 | 21.4% | $114,900 | 22.0% | 34.54% |
| 41 | Middletown, OH | 50,114 | 20.4% | $111,800 | 27.0% | 27.71% |
| 42 | Zanesville, OH | 24,809 | 26.7% | $85,300 | 25.0% | 28.19% |
| 43 | Dayton, OH | 138,416 | 28.6% | $73,300 | 15.0% | 26.01% |
| 44 | Reynoldsburg, OH | 39,803 | 9.9% | $182,100 | 25.0% | 34.19% |
| 45 | Washington Court House, OH | 14,440 | 21.2% | $114,300 | 35.0% | 33.07% |
| 46 | Ashtabula, OH | 18,091 | 31.3% | $76,300 | 25.0% | 27.05% |
| 47 | Fairfield, OH | 44,550 | 7.1% | $170,900 | 27.0% | 30.0% |
| 48 | Barberton, OH | 25,309 | 17.5% | $91,200 | 31.0% | 26.79% |
| 49 | Portsmouth, OH | 18,369 | 34.7% | $79,300 | 24.0% | 28.34% |
| 50 | Pataskala, OH | 17,598 | 6.7% | $208,300 | 34.0% | 39.43% |
| 51 | Franklin, OH | 11,650 | 19.0% | $120,900 | 32.0% | 30.11% |
| 52 | Mansfield, OH | 47,437 | 25.4% | $86,700 | 22.0% | 22.97% |
| 53 | Rittman, OH | 6,153 | 11.5% | $129,900 | 38.0% | 29.98% |
| 54 | Elyria, OH | 52,853 | 20.3% | $112,200 | 27.0% | 26.7% |
| 55 | Jackson, OH | 6,225 | 23.0% | $100,600 | 33.0% | 29.81% |
| 56 | Akron, OH | 191,483 | 23.0% | $87,100 | 22.0% | 26.01% |
| 57 | West Carrollton, OH | 13,051 | 14.6% | $112,500 | 28.0% | 28.56% |
| 58 | Brooklyn, OH | 11,291 | 12.2% | $119,700 | 23.0% | 22.74% |
| 59 | Toledo, OH | 271,454 | 24.5% | $87,400 | 23.0% | 27.94% |
| 60 | South Euclid, OH | 21,882 | 13.3% | $110,200 | 26.0% | 30.44% |
| 61 | Sandusky, OH | 25,066 | 22.6% | $85,200 | 25.0% | 28.04% |
| 62 | Fremont, OH | 15,954 | 17.3% | $97,300 | 30.0% | 30.63% |
| 63 | Union, OH | 6,832 | 5.1% | $113,200 | 42.0% | 34.86% |
| 64 | Lancaster, OH | 40,360 | 15.1% | $141,300 | 33.0% | 30.07% |
| 65 | Clyde, OH | 6,322 | 10.6% | $106,600 | 36.0% | 33.66% |
| 66 | Bucyrus, OH | 11,690 | 18.2% | $91,000 | 37.0% | 29.45% |
| 67 | Englewood, OH | 13,441 | 4.8% | $137,300 | 31.0% | 24.64% |
| 68 | Richmond Heights, OH | 10,748 | 10.0% | $145,000 | 18.0% | 18.49% |
| 69 | Urbana, OH | 11,166 | 16.6% | $118,900 | 37.0% | 30.73% |
| 70 | Bedford, OH | 13,073 | 11.2% | $94,800 | 28.0% | 23.17% |
| 71 | Aurora, OH | 17,108 | 1.6% | $312,000 | 35.0% | 35.21% |
| 72 | Logan, OH | 7,010 | 25.1% | $117,500 | 38.0% | 40.71% |
| 73 | Eastlake, OH | 17,743 | 6.7% | $137,100 | 34.0% | 22.34% |
| 74 | Struthers, OH | 10,058 | 18.6% | $73,900 | 33.0% | 28.3% |
| 75 | Brook Park, OH | 18,592 | 9.7% | $126,700 | 33.0% | 25.75% |
| 76 | Parma, OH | 80,880 | 9.9% | $126,100 | 30.0% | 23.36% |
| 77 | Belpre, OH | 6,676 | 14.3% | $132,100 | 12.0% | 24.68% |
| 78 | Germantown, OH | 5,748 | 13.8% | $143,400 | 42.0% | 37.24% |
| 79 | Bellefontaine, OH | 13,792 | 12.2% | $117,900 | 39.0% | 36.29% |
| 80 | Newark, OH | 49,703 | 16.8% | $139,900 | 30.0% | 30.6% |
| 81 | Pickerington, OH | 22,682 | 3.7% | $245,100 | 36.0% | 48.46% |
| 82 | Ravenna, OH | 11,369 | 22.2% | $108,900 | 28.0% | 20.05% |
| 83 | Sheffield Lake, OH | 8,985 | 8.6% | $111,400 | 34.0% | 22.33% |
| 84 | Niles, OH | 18,319 | 11.0% | $88,300 | 30.0% | 21.44% |
| 85 | Moraine, OH | 6,413 | 21.7% | $105,800 | 31.0% | 32.89% |
| 86 | Delphos, OH | 7,165 | 11.6% | $95,600 | 44.0% | 30.71% |
| 87 | Ironton, OH | 10,647 | 25.8% | $90,100 | 24.0% | 28.44% |
| 88 | Riverside, OH | 24,472 | 15.8% | $103,300 | 23.0% | 28.08% |
| 89 | Circleville, OH | 13,933 | 25.4% | $137,900 | 32.0% | 27.98% |
| 90 | Delaware, OH | 41,004 | 7.1% | $216,700 | 34.0% | 35.91% |
| 91 | Marysville, OH | 24,922 | 6.9% | $214,400 | 32.0% | 34.1% |
| 92 | Mason, OH | 34,337 | 3.3% | $320,800 | 26.0% | 39.44% |
| 93 | Bellevue, OH | 8,201 | 13.5% | $101,300 | 38.0% | 32.3% |
| 94 | Medina, OH | 26,011 | 8.3% | $188,100 | 37.0% | 34.88% |
| 95 | Springdale, OH | 11,024 | 11.4% | $144,300 | 23.0% | 27.35% |
| 96 | Miamisburg, OH | 19,878 | 12.7% | $161,100 | 37.0% | 35.62% |
| 97 | Hillsboro, OH | 6,471 | 26.5% | $109,600 | 31.0% | 27.27% |
| 98 | Wauseon, OH | 7,277 | 5.1% | $131,400 | 38.0% | 38.19% |
| 99 | Shaker Heights, OH | 29,197 | 8.0% | $252,100 | 23.0% | 29.19% |
| 100 | Monroe, OH | 15,560 | 3.4% | $201,800 | 40.0% | 37.38% |
how does this gov. of ohio justify this?