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The U.S. Cities With the Highest Prevalence of Depression

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States. Anxiety and depression disorders affect 40 million adults in the country. While these disorders are treatable, they can significantly impact the way people think, feel, and act.

The CEUfast.com research team looked at numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify the most depressed cities in the United States. The data is based on the number of residents who have been told that they have a form of depression.

 

American Cities With the Highest Rates of Depression

These are the U.S. metro areas that have the highest rates of depression:
 Rank  Metropolitan Area Percentage 
1Billings, MT31.00
2Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA30.60
3Knoxville, TN30.20
4Charleston, WV29.00
5Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY27.30
6Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA27.20
7Madison, WI26.90
8Salem, OR25.90
9Chattanooga, TN25.80
9Duluth, MN25.80
11Lafayette, LA25.60
12Ogden-Clearfield, UT25.40
13Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR25.00
14Boise City, ID24.90
15Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR24.80
16Springfield, MA24.70
17Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA24.50
18Baton Rouge, LA24.40
18Toledo, OH24.40
20Logan, UT24.10
20Salt Lake City, UT24.10
22Tulsa, OK24.00
23Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN23.90
24Tuscaloosa, AL23.60
25Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV23.50
26Corpus Christi, TX23.30
27Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA23.10
28Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI22.90
28Idaho Falls, ID22.90
28Louisville-Jefferson County, KY22.90
28Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC22.90
32Portland-South Portland, ME22.70
33Lansing-East Lansing, MI22.60
33Philadelphia, PA22.60
35St. Louis, MO22.50
36Fargo, ND22.30
37Colorado Springs, CO22.20
38Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY22.00
38Dayton-Kettering, OH22.00
38Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH22.00
41Columbus, OH21.90
41Lebanon, NH21.90
41Oklahoma City, OK21.90
44Topeka, KS21.80
44Wichita, KS21.80
46Birmingham-Hoover, AL21.70
47Burlington-South Burlington, VT21.60
47Kansas City, MO-KS21.60
47Mobile, AL21.60
50Heber, UT21.30
50St. Cloud, MN21.30

 

What are the most depressed cities in the U.S.? The city that tops the list is Billings, MT. Out of a metro area population of 181,000, 31% of residents have been told by a professional that they have depression. In close second is the Kingsport, TN, metro area. This area also includes Bristol, VA, and has about 305,000 residents. They have a depression rate of 30.60%. Based on their depression rates, they may be the most depressing cities in America.

Signs of Depression

The National Institute of Mental Health has many resources about depression and mental health. According to the organization, these are some common signs of depression:

  • Consistent anxious, sad, or empty feelings
  • Hopeless feelings
  • Feelings of helplessness or guilt
  • Lower energy than usual
  • Irritability
  • Low interest in favorite hobbies or activities
  • Restlessness
  • Thoughts of suicide

Anyone who is feeling symptoms of depression should contact their primary care provider, therapist, or psychiatrist to discuss treatment options. People who are feeling suicidal should contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 to get immediate help.

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