What's the most depressing U.S. town you've ever visited?

[Anonymous]

Easton, PA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole state of NV

So true. I lived in Las Vegas for a year for work once, and I have never been so lonely or depressed. It's so awful.

What is awful about it? I have been for vacation and loved it! Thought it would be a good retirement destination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wasn't as enamored by Denver as I expected to be, because I otherwise LOVE Colorado, but I found Denver kinda bland and boring. That said, to list it as "depressing", alongside places like Gary or Youngstown is silly IMO.

Is Denver more bland and boring than Charlotte?

LOL no. The only place on the planet more bland than Charlotte is Northern Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Denver. So boring and ugly

Really?! I’m from CO so I’ll admit I have a soft spot for Denver but, while it may not be the best city I’ve ever visited, I can’t see it being truly the most depressing town someone has ever visited.

A friend had to spend several months there for work, and she said it was dirty. I was surprised because I think of CO as progressive and environmentally sound. I guess I was wrong.

Portland? Seattle? LA? San Francisco? These are all "progressive" places that I also found to be incredibly dirty. I found Dallas and Charlotte to be extremely clean.

I live in Seattle and can confirm that Denver is dirty in the same way Seattle is. Not necessarily depressing to me, but definitely dirty in a way that doesn’t seem to bother people, which makes it especially unnerving.

I don’t think Denver is dirty (grew up there and visit often) but it is dusty in a way that the East Coast isn’t. Denver is also a big city and I suspect people who don’t like it spent most of their time downtown which is not Denver’s best showing. The neighborhood around the major parks (excluding civic center) are lovely with great food, museums, bars.

I also grew up in Denver and still go back. I find it depressing in the way you realize your hometown is just that...a town. I was so eager to get back to DC and was relieved when got we got home. Denver has declined and the homeless situation is appalling. Friends were telling me about coworkers getting attacked by crowbars in broad daylight and other horrific stories. DC has its own issues for sure, but something felt sad about Denver.

[Anonymous]

Cumberland, MD

[Anonymous]

Denver is just bland and anonymous. If doesn’t have any character. I love Pittsburgh because it has so many distinct neighborhoods that haven’t been completely turned into chain restaurant box store hell. It isn’t a major city or capital, but it’s a city that has retained character and history. I can’t tell you one thing memorable about downtown Denver. Atrocious food scene as well. Had much better options out in other parts of Colorado.

[Anonymous]

^ which is to say I get Denver slander BUT it’s not the most depressing city in this country in any way at all

[Anonymous]

I find Logan Circle as depressing as any part of the country because you can tell it was once a nice solid neighborhood full of normal people and then it turned into a hellhole with a bunch of frivolous nobodies walking their dogs and acting like the lame overpriced restaurants nearby are worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me, it would have to be a tie between Utica, New York, and Torrington, CT -- with the NY side of Niagara Falls being hot on both of their heels.

You?

My cousins lived in Utica - all of them left as soon as they graduated HS. Their HS had been taken over by the state of NY it was so academically terrible. Utica is interesting though depressed and dangerous are two words many would use to describe it if they weren’t from there. They have some decent restaurants, good arts scene, and huge vibrant immigrant population. It’s also CHEAP to live there. Anywhere is what you make of it I guess.

I have met several people whose families came from Utica. None live there anymore, but I wonder why Utica was such a destination 100 years ago?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gave a paper at Ole miss and found oxford Mississippi to be pretty depressing. Found out that a lot of the faculty and administrators actually live over the border in Tennessee and commute into Mississippi because the schools are so awful, etc. The campus was so pretty but there were unbelievable poverty right outside the gates o the school. It was also just so darned hot! Not a breeze anywhere and in July!
Wow!

Was it hotter, more humid, and buggier than the DMV in July?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find Logan Circle as depressing as any part of the country because you can tell it was once a nice solid neighborhood full of normal people and then it turned into a hellhole with a bunch of frivolous nobodies walking their dogs and acting like the lame overpriced restaurants nearby are worth it.

Nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pueblo, CO
Rochester, NY —It is just so quiet.
Grand Rapids, MI
Hamilton, NY

Really? When were you last in Grand Rapids? I grew up there and it wasn't anything to write home about when I was a kid (born in 1978) but so much has happened in the past decade or so! Lots of development...very much a revival. Some great restaurants, very good economy, not some super exciting place but overall it's rated very very high on QOL measures. I read it's one of the hottest housing markets in the US.

Different poster, but some of these make me raise my eyebrows. I guess every person is depressed by different things...

I would never put Denver, Baltimore, Grand Rapids, Anchorage, or even Albany NY on this list.

Agree- if these are truly the most depressing places they've ever visited, they should count themselves lucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cumberland, MD Just gives off a Stephen King vibe to me. Not sure why.

On the other hand, as a native Midwesterner, I like some of the above named towns, like Zanesville, Ohio (with its Zane Grey museum) and Grand Rapids (which feels like my hometown suburb in its familiarity in a good way).

Agree - it's not JUST depressing, it gives off a vibe of just being "off" or "wrong" in some way. I wonder if Stephen King would go there and feel the same way.

[Anonymous]

Sterling

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sterling

It's not that bad, except the fact that it is too much airport noise. But then again, so is most of these towns in Loudoun like Ashburn and Aldie.