Las Vegas isn’t the only “Sin City” in America. In other cities, bad things happen and stay there, too. From beer-loving Milwaukee to decadent New Orleans, the U.S. is filled with people behaving illicitly. No place is innocent - we all have flaws, and at some point, we all have to pay for our vices. Gambling addiction, for instance, leads to over $100 billion in losses for U.S. consumers every year, while smoking burns an over $600 billion hole in Uncle Sam’s wallet annually.
Luckily for the saints among us, all American sins are not created or distributed equally. To identify the darkest corners of America, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 37 key indicators of vices and illicit behavior. Our data set ranges from violent crimes per capita to excessive drinking and adult entertainment establishments per capita.
Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Most Sinful Cities in America
Overall Rank* | City | WalletHub Vice Index | Anger & Hatred Rank | Jealousy Rank | Excesses & Vices Rank | Greed Rank | Lust Rank | Vanity Rank | Laziness Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Las Vegas, NV | 63.03 | 31 | 12 | 84 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
2 | Houston, TX | 57.21 | 35 | 8 | 115 | 63 | 1 | 6 | 101 |
3 | Philadelphia, PA | 56.83 | 2 | 2 | 44 | 57 | 11 | 23 | 37 |
4 | Los Angeles, CA | 55.12 | 14 | 51 | 168 | 98 | 3 | 1 | 85 |
5 | Atlanta, GA | 55.11 | 17 | 4 | 111 | 170 | 2 | 10 | 58 |
6 | Denver, CO | 53.86 | 8 | 29 | 47 | 58 | 8 | 15 | 74 |
7 | Dallas, TX | 53.12 | 29 | 16 | 88 | 120 | 5 | 9 | 102 |
8 | Phoenix, AZ | 53.01 | 56 | 74 | 66 | 87 | 6 | 3 | 59 |
9 | Miami, FL | 53.01 | 114 | 10 | 157 | 78 | 7 | 8 | 13 |
10 | Cleveland, OH | 52.05 | 3 | 24 | 5 | 139 | 23 | 29 | 19 |
11 | St. Louis, MO | 51.56 | 5 | 14 | 3 | 79 | 38 | 54 | 26 |
12 | Orlando, FL | 51.24 | 7 | 7 | 104 | 162 | 17 | 14 | 86 |
13 | Baton Rouge, LA | 50.51 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 140 | 116 | 41 | 14 |
14 | New York, NY | 50.19 | 33 | 89 | 178 | 116 | 9 | 4 | 18 |
15 | North Las Vegas, NV | 49.71 | 140 | 25 | 57 | 1 | 99 | 21 | 2 |
16 | Chicago, IL | 49.67 | 47 | 52 | 133 | 99 | 15 | 7 | 56 |
17 | Memphis, TN | 49.15 | 6 | 1 | 23 | 149 | 32 | 125 | 57 |
18 | Baltimore, MD | 48.45 | 9 | 30 | 21 | 100 | 14 | 76 | 53 |
19 | New Orleans, LA | 48.20 | 19 | 11 | 11 | 73 | 29 | 101 | 55 |
20 | Birmingham, AL | 47.79 | 1 | 19 | 9 | 143 | 81 | 82 | 39 |
21 | Washington, DC | 47.47 | 4 | 33 | 74 | 5 | 25 | 57 | 161 |
22 | Detroit, MI | 46.69 | 10 | 38 | 7 | 150 | 20 | 146 | 9 |
23 | Pittsburgh, PA | 46.58 | 13 | 79 | 31 | 84 | 119 | 11 | 160 |
24 | Henderson, NV | 46.26 | 158 | 23 | 114 | 1 | 70 | 59 | 15 |
25 | Portland, OR | 45.73 | 53 | 50 | 98 | 27 | 12 | 33 | 176 |
26 | Tampa, FL | 45.62 | 99 | 62 | 69 | 117 | 10 | 20 | 71 |
27 | Reno, NV | 45.55 | 52 | 139 | 63 | 11 | 37 | 46 | 29 |
28 | Richmond, VA | 45.54 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 101 | 57 | 44 | 45 |
29 | San Antonio, TX | 45.53 | 84 | 46 | 83 | 68 | 19 | 25 | 65 |
30 | Austin, TX | 45.31 | 64 | 64 | 135 | 72 | 16 | 13 | 169 |
31 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 44.96 | 54 | 3 | 116 | 93 | 102 | 52 | 44 |
32 | Sacramento, CA | 44.52 | 18 | 80 | 94 | 42 | 91 | 32 | 92 |
33 | Wichita, KS | 44.32 | 71 | 117 | 29 | 16 | 47 | 34 | 52 |
34 | Seattle, WA | 44.27 | 26 | 48 | 164 | 67 | 24 | 19 | 178 |
35 | Cincinnati, OH | 44.26 | 62 | 107 | 1 | 118 | 90 | 26 | 40 |
36 | Columbia, SC | 44.02 | 68 | 18 | 24 | 86 | 122 | 79 | 8 |
37 | Nashville, TN | 43.99 | 51 | 58 | 14 | 112 | 34 | 37 | 131 |
38 | Charlotte, NC | 43.95 | 113 | 22 | 92 | 121 | 28 | 22 | 80 |
39 | Columbus, OH | 43.89 | 36 | 59 | 22 | 155 | 50 | 28 | 72 |
40 | Mobile, AL | 43.56 | 38 | 71 | 40 | 82 | 74 | 63 | 11 |
41 | San Diego, CA | 43.52 | 141 | 136 | 165 | 77 | 26 | 2 | 146 |
42 | Jacksonville, FL | 43.32 | 92 | 39 | 15 | 167 | 30 | 35 | 47 |
43 | Akron, OH | 43.29 | 24 | 91 | 8 | 161 | 54 | 64 | 20 |
44 | Toledo, OH | 43.23 | 40 | 126 | 2 | 146 | 39 | 102 | 6 |
45 | Knoxville, TN | 43.08 | 69 | 114 | 4 | 102 | 127 | 17 | 141 |
46 | Billings, MT | 42.94 | 57 | 115 | 49 | 8 | 43 | 78 | 181 |
47 | Montgomery, AL | 42.92 | 73 | 6 | 78 | 178 | 31 | 133 | 21 |
48 | Minneapolis, MN | 42.83 | 93 | 73 | 134 | 26 | 41 | 24 | 165 |
49 | Little Rock, AR | 42.76 | 21 | 31 | 30 | 168 | 82 | 85 | 33 |
50 | Kansas City, MO | 42.65 | 12 | 70 | 51 | 97 | 48 | 73 | 150 |
51 | San Francisco, CA | 42.33 | 63 | 40 | 156 | 107 | 33 | 18 | 170 |
52 | Wilmington, DE | 42.21 | 67 | 9 | 50 | 61 | 178 | 137 | 50 |
53 | Indianapolis, IN | 42.02 | 37 | 84 | 13 | 180 | 22 | 40 | 120 |
54 | Shreveport, LA | 42.01 | 60 | 49 | 19 | 142 | 82 | 92 | 24 |
55 | Scottsdale, AZ | 41.93 | 112 | 105 | 163 | 35 | 89 | 12 | 157 |
56 | Charleston, WV | 41.90 | 16 | 118 | 43 | 74 | 72 | 99 | 25 |
57 | Tempe, AZ | 41.77 | 46 | 42 | 108 | 138 | 115 | 31 | 49 |
58 | San Bernardino, CA | 41.58 | 23 | 90 | 42 | 38 | 130 | 140 | 23 |
59 | Rapid City, SD | 41.53 | 25 | 157 | 131 | 25 | 13 | 136 | 73 |
60 | Dover, DE | 41.34 | 79 | 20 | 80 | 106 | 170 | 111 | 17 |
61 | Springfield, MO | 41.20 | 49 | 97 | 39 | 95 | 78 | 47 | 91 |
62 | Tucson, AZ | 40.97 | 75 | 103 | 38 | 137 | 53 | 51 | 27 |
63 | Gulfport, MS | 40.74 | 125 | 87 | 72 | 14 | 27 | 143 | 100 |
64 | Jackson, MS | 40.74 | 64 | 34 | 61 | 20 | 140 | 160 | 32 |
65 | Fayetteville, NC | 40.72 | 58 | 28 | 27 | 122 | 71 | 118 | 138 |
66 | Fort Smith, AR | 40.71 | 66 | 129 | 32 | 69 | 21 | 116 | 34 |
67 | Oklahoma City, OK | 40.68 | 44 | 133 | 81 | 157 | 36 | 43 | 22 |
68 | Charleston, SC | 40.60 | 59 | 88 | 56 | 88 | 112 | 30 | 140 |
69 | Buffalo, NY | 40.57 | 27 | 127 | 46 | 128 | 106 | 98 | 10 |
70 | Fort Worth, TX | 40.55 | 123 | 37 | 89 | 145 | 65 | 27 | 95 |
71 | Milwaukee, WI | 40.36 | 20 | 92 | 20 | 158 | 61 | 94 | 135 |
72 | Aurora, CO | 40.19 | 77 | 66 | 60 | 12 | 145 | 128 | 70 |
73 | Louisville, KY | 40.15 | 83 | 113 | 16 | 174 | 60 | 38 | 48 |
74 | Salt Lake City, UT | 39.88 | 39 | 53 | 151 | 159 | 51 | 36 | 134 |
75 | Tacoma, WA | 39.85 | 15 | 47 | 77 | 129 | 134 | 105 | 139 |
76 | Salem, OR | 39.79 | 32 | 150 | 103 | 22 | 147 | 68 | 46 |
77 | Riverside, CA | 39.74 | 105 | 85 | 55 | 125 | 52 | 50 | 69 |
78 | Vancouver, WA | 39.71 | 41 | 57 | 123 | 83 | 114 | 48 | 172 |
79 | Glendale, AZ | 39.45 | 97 | 69 | 18 | 124 | 94 | 109 | 51 |
80 | Albuquerque, NM | 39.39 | 78 | 76 | 36 | 153 | 85 | 75 | 42 |
81 | Huntington, WV | 39.34 | 76 | 169 | 26 | 55 | 103 | 87 | 3 |
82 | Colorado Springs, CO | 39.23 | 61 | 93 | 87 | 110 | 84 | 65 | 87 |
82 | Chattanooga, TN | 39.23 | 28 | 72 | 33 | 156 | 126 | 93 | 147 |
84 | Long Beach, CA | 39.23 | 127 | 56 | 149 | 28 | 93 | 77 | 89 |
85 | Norfolk, VA | 38.89 | 98 | 21 | 41 | 47 | 95 | 141 | 174 |
86 | Fresno, CA | 38.60 | 74 | 98 | 76 | 103 | 68 | 70 | 128 |
87 | Tulsa, OK | 38.51 | 94 | 106 | 45 | 151 | 63 | 66 | 35 |
88 | Bakersfield, CA | 38.18 | 110 | 110 | 58 | 132 | 58 | 39 | 145 |
89 | Rochester, NY | 38.07 | 86 | 104 | 12 | 160 | 148 | 42 | 88 |
90 | Augusta, GA | 37.97 | 119 | 36 | 28 | 175 | 64 | 127 | 31 |
91 | Huntington Beach, CA | 37.89 | 160 | 65 | 177 | 28 | 151 | 16 | 164 |
92 | Missoula, MT | 37.66 | 85 | 146 | 68 | 4 | 156 | 126 | 179 |
93 | Corpus Christi, TX | 37.62 | 48 | 155 | 48 | 96 | 42 | 145 | 79 |
94 | Stockton, CA | 37.56 | 43 | 123 | 102 | 23 | 105 | 149 | 68 |
95 | Boston, MA | 37.49 | 55 | 154 | 120 | 45 | 88 | 49 | 162 |
96 | Hialeah, FL | 37.43 | 176 | 13 | 138 | 123 | 96 | 142 | 4 |
97 | Newark, NJ | 37.37 | 142 | 100 | 90 | 6 | 146 | 176 | 7 |
98 | Anaheim, CA | 37.31 | 104 | 55 | 148 | 28 | 104 | 134 | 114 |
99 | Mesa, AZ | 37.30 | 121 | 109 | 70 | 54 | 110 | 86 | 64 |
100 | Anchorage, AK | 37.22 | 34 | 151 | 93 | 90 | 98 | 96 | 113 |
101 | Modesto, CA | 37.22 | 42 | 160 | 97 | 43 | 62 | 106 | 144 |
102 | Columbus, GA | 37.02 | 90 | 27 | 62 | 182 | 46 | 130 | 81 |
103 | St. Petersburg, FL | 36.97 | 132 | 35 | 65 | 169 | 113 | 84 | 67 |
104 | Arlington, TX | 36.91 | 134 | 45 | 100 | 52 | 136 | 129 | 110 |
105 | Omaha, NE | 36.84 | 103 | 145 | 71 | 126 | 73 | 55 | 96 |
106 | Spokane, WA | 36.73 | 111 | 63 | 73 | 130 | 100 | 95 | 152 |
107 | Tallahassee, FL | 36.53 | 124 | 17 | 54 | 164 | 168 | 83 | 118 |
108 | Newport News, VA | 36.52 | 80 | 78 | 82 | 47 | 107 | 159 | 155 |
109 | St. Paul, MN | 36.50 | 137 | 95 | 140 | 36 | 132 | 80 | 159 |
110 | Greensboro, NC | 36.48 | 95 | 54 | 67 | 154 | 138 | 91 | 129 |
111 | Sioux Falls, SD | 36.40 | 82 | 167 | 117 | 21 | 128 | 107 | 122 |
112 | Santa Clarita, CA | 36.29 | 138 | 96 | 160 | 28 | 117 | 67 | 127 |
113 | Garland, TX | 36.26 | 107 | 43 | 121 | 134 | 67 | 169 | 82 |
114 | Juneau, AK | 36.26 | 70 | 181 | 124 | 34 | 45 | 123 | 83 |
115 | Ontario, CA | 36.20 | 106 | 119 | 53 | 38 | 120 | 167 | 43 |
116 | Oakland, CA | 36.17 | 22 | 40 | 170 | 109 | 175 | 147 | 109 |
117 | Grand Prairie, TX | 36.16 | 165 | 61 | 110 | 52 | 56 | 165 | 75 |
118 | Manchester, NH | 35.96 | 72 | 152 | 85 | 59 | 167 | 108 | 84 |
119 | Raleigh, NC | 35.77 | 96 | 81 | 145 | 113 | 141 | 53 | 158 |
120 | El Paso, TX | 35.65 | 100 | 173 | 118 | 85 | 18 | 121 | 117 |
120 | Santa Ana, CA | 35.65 | 115 | 68 | 105 | 28 | 166 | 152 | 77 |
122 | Cheyenne, WY | 35.61 | 45 | 140 | 129 | 141 | 86 | 110 | 93 |
123 | Gilbert, AZ | 35.57 | 117 | 132 | 125 | 144 | 69 | 56 | 112 |
124 | Lewiston, ME | 35.47 | 130 | 177 | 91 | 19 | 165 | 163 | 1 |
125 | Des Moines, IA | 35.40 | 101 | 144 | 35 | 91 | 97 | 104 | 143 |
126 | Huntsville, AL | 35.39 | 102 | 112 | 86 | 104 | 111 | 119 | 76 |
127 | Providence, RI | 35.22 | 178 | 141 | 106 | 9 | 77 | 166 | 16 |
128 | Irving, TX | 34.97 | 166 | 44 | 137 | 135 | 80 | 150 | 62 |
129 | Lubbock, TX | 34.84 | 109 | 125 | 17 | 152 | 79 | 122 | 171 |
130 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 34.75 | 139 | 124 | 158 | 38 | 76 | 115 | 105 |
131 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 34.57 | 179 | 15 | 166 | 93 | 131 | 161 | 38 |
132 | Chandler, AZ | 34.45 | 155 | 108 | 126 | 105 | 129 | 69 | 116 |
133 | Fontana, CA | 34.44 | 154 | 149 | 59 | 38 | 135 | 144 | 54 |
134 | Fort Wayne, IN | 34.39 | 131 | 147 | 37 | 179 | 75 | 60 | 106 |
135 | Amarillo, TX | 34.37 | 107 | 148 | 25 | 165 | 40 | 138 | 154 |
136 | Oceanside, CA | 34.04 | 136 | 130 | 147 | 92 | 123 | 88 | 126 |
137 | Grand Rapids, MI | 33.90 | 50 | 158 | 64 | 181 | 101 | 58 | 60 |
138 | Jersey City, NJ | 33.82 | 129 | 116 | 172 | 6 | 150 | 162 | 61 |
139 | Nampa, ID | 33.70 | 89 | 178 | 141 | 62 | 108 | 114 | 63 |
140 | Winston-Salem, NC | 33.50 | 87 | 83 | 79 | 163 | 143 | 157 | 115 |
141 | Bismarck, ND | 33.36 | 91 | 166 | 162 | 147 | 44 | 90 | 108 |
142 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 33.35 | 144 | 159 | 10 | 173 | 87 | 97 | 136 |
143 | Las Cruces, NM | 33.33 | 133 | 77 | 132 | 127 | 54 | 177 | 90 |
144 | New Haven, CT | 33.23 | 145 | 102 | 75 | 65 | 173 | 171 | 30 |
145 | Overland Park, KS | 32.99 | 88 | 143 | 167 | 15 | 169 | 103 | 180 |
146 | Glendale, CA | 32.97 | 168 | 75 | 179 | 89 | 124 | 113 | 103 |
147 | Fargo, ND | 32.97 | 150 | 142 | 139 | 44 | 153 | 124 | 148 |
148 | Warwick, RI | 32.74 | 182 | 164 | 112 | 9 | 180 | 89 | 99 |
149 | Chesapeake, VA | 32.74 | 161 | 86 | 107 | 47 | 157 | 135 | 151 |
150 | Plano, TX | 32.63 | 116 | 60 | 176 | 136 | 163 | 117 | 156 |
151 | Moreno Valley, CA | 32.63 | 157 | 121 | 52 | 119 | 109 | 179 | 78 |
152 | Casper, WY | 32.58 | 81 | 180 | 95 | 111 | 59 | 148 | 97 |
153 | Burlington, VT | 32.36 | 120 | 101 | 159 | 50 | 155 | 173 | 125 |
154 | Peoria, AZ | 32.29 | 151 | 120 | 96 | 114 | 137 | 153 | 119 |
155 | Santa Rosa, CA | 32.22 | 126 | 176 | 154 | 18 | 171 | 62 | 142 |
156 | Garden Grove, CA | 32.05 | 162 | 67 | 152 | 108 | 159 | 175 | 94 |
157 | Irvine, CA | 32.01 | 167 | 82 | 182 | 28 | 144 | 81 | 166 |
158 | Lincoln, NE | 31.94 | 118 | 168 | 109 | 76 | 133 | 100 | 133 |
159 | Virginia Beach, VA | 31.91 | 177 | 99 | 119 | 133 | 142 | 61 | 168 |
160 | Durham, NC | 31.79 | 147 | 94 | 143 | 46 | 172 | 154 | 130 |
161 | Honolulu, HI | 31.75 | 171 | 163 | 169 | 56 | 66 | 120 | 153 |
162 | Aurora, IL | 31.72 | 163 | 137 | 142 | 75 | 160 | 180 | 36 |
163 | Brownsville, TX | 31.57 | 169 | 174 | 144 | 60 | 49 | 178 | 12 |
164 | Chula Vista, CA | 31.57 | 153 | 153 | 161 | 80 | 125 | 156 | 107 |
165 | Oxnard, CA | 31.53 | 156 | 156 | 122 | 81 | 152 | 131 | 123 |
166 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 31.38 | 146 | 165 | 113 | 66 | 139 | 72 | 173 |
167 | San Jose, CA | 31.22 | 122 | 134 | 174 | 171 | 118 | 45 | 167 |
168 | Boise, ID | 31.15 | 128 | 179 | 136 | 148 | 121 | 74 | 132 |
169 | Nashua, NH | 30.95 | 152 | 175 | 128 | 24 | 179 | 151 | 98 |
170 | Worcester, MA | 30.77 | 164 | 172 | 99 | 17 | 161 | 132 | 149 |
171 | Portland, ME | 30.69 | 149 | 170 | 153 | 71 | 149 | 139 | 111 |
172 | Yonkers, NY | 30.50 | 175 | 128 | 175 | 131 | 177 | 71 | 28 |
173 | Laredo, TX | 29.87 | 173 | 182 | 127 | 70 | 35 | 174 | 66 |
174 | West Valley City, UT | 29.30 | 135 | 131 | 150 | 172 | 162 | 168 | 121 |
175 | Cape Coral, FL | 29.21 | 172 | 135 | 130 | 176 | 91 | 155 | 104 |
176 | South Burlington, VT | 28.78 | 143 | 138 | 171 | 50 | 158 | 182 | 182 |
177 | Columbia, MD | 28.73 | 180 | 26 | 181 | 37 | 182 | 158 | 177 |
178 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 28.57 | 174 | 111 | 101 | 177 | 154 | 164 | 124 |
179 | Madison, WI | 28.41 | 148 | 161 | 146 | 166 | 164 | 112 | 163 |
180 | Bridgeport, CT | 27.67 | 170 | 162 | 155 | 64 | 181 | 172 | 41 |
181 | Fremont, CA | 27.32 | 159 | 122 | 180 | 115 | 176 | 170 | 137 |
182 | Pearl City, HI | 26.05 | 181 | 171 | 173 | 13 | 174 | 181 | 175 |
Note: *No. 1 = Most Sinful
With the exception of “WalletHub Vice Index,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the worst conditions for that metric category.
In-Depth Look at the Most Sinful Cities in 2023
Las Vegas
Las Vegas tops the list of the most sinful cities this year. The city has a ‘round-the-clock nightlife as well as an abundance of casinos that make you forget what time it is and how much you can afford to wager. Plus, there’s no shortage of adult entertainment options in Sin City – not to mention a plethora of buffets to pig out on, spas in which to channel your inner sloth and more.
Houston
The Bayou City is the second-most sinful place this year, featuring a high concentration of adult entertainment establishments and a concerning prevalence of violence compared to other cities in the study. While Houston residents may indulge their lust and anger more often, they seem less likely to partake in excessive behaviors and have fewer vices – such as marijuana, caffeine, or nicotine use – than residents of other cities, placing them a little closer to virtue than the residents of Sin City.
Philadelphia
The third-most sinful city is Philadelphia, where vanity is in vogue, based on residents’ web search habits. More people in this city consulted the internet about various types of plastic surgery than others in the study, which shows a strong interest in maintaining or improving their appearance. Residents in Philly also have a reputation for being a little hot-headed at times, earning them the second-place spot when it comes to anger and hatred this year.
- Most
- T-1. Memphis, TN
- T-1. Detroit, MI
- T-1. Little Rock, AR
- T-1. Birmingham, AL
- T-1. Baltimore, MD
- Fewest
- 175. Port St. Lucie, FL
- 176. Gilbert, AZ
- 177. Virginia Beach, VA
- 178. Warwick, RI
- 179. Irvine, CA
- Most
- T-1. Tacoma, WA
- T-1. Memphis, TN
- T-1. St. Louis
- T-1. Oakland, CA
- T-1. Salt Lake City, UT
- Fewest
- 175. Cape Coral, FL
- 176. Gilbert, AZ
- 177. Yonkers, NY
- 178. Port St. Lucie, FL
- 179. Aurora, IL
- Most
- 1. Madison, WI
- 2. Milwaukee, WI
- 3. Missoula, MT
- 4. Lincoln, NE
- 5. Des Moines, IA
- Least
- T-177. Salt Lake City, UT
- T-177. West Valley City, UT
- 179. Montgomery, AL
- 180. Columbia, MD
- 181. Huntington, WV
- 182. Charleston, WV
- Lowest
- 1. Worcester, MA
- T-2. Manchester, NH
- T-2. Nashua, NH
- T-4. Providence, RI
- T-4. Warwick, RI
- Highest
- 178. Montgomery, AL
- 179. Birmingham, AL
- 180. Memphis, TN
- 181. Chattanooga, TN
- 182. Columbus, GA
- Most
- T-1. Las Vegas, NV
- T-1. Portland, OR
- T-1. Atlanta, GA
- T-1. Tampa, FL
- 5. Houston, TX
- Fewest
- 141. Chandler, AZ
- 142. Cincinnati, OH
- 143. St. Paul, MN
- 144. Arlington, TX
- 145. Oakland, CA
- Most
- T-1. Las Vegas, NV
- T-1. Phoenix, AZ
- T-1. Scottsdale, AZ
- 4. San Diego, CA
- 5. Pittsburgh, PA
- Fewest
- 177. Newark, NJ
- 178. Pearl City, HI
- 179. Detroit, MI
- 180. Aurora, IL
- 181. Moreno Valley, CA
- Highest
- 1. Hialeah, FL
- 2. Laredo, TX
- T-3. Detroit, MI
- T-3. Brownsville, TX
- 5. Newark, NJ
- Lowest
- 178. Scottsdale, AZ
- 179. Huntington Beach, WV
- 180. Seattle, WA
- 181. Irvine, CA
- 182. South Burlington, VT
Ask the Experts
What leads many of us to partake in sinful behavior may seem like a mystery, especially when those behaviors become common in our daily lives. We asked a panel of experts for their insight on this topic as well as how to combat these bad habits. Below, you can read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- To what extent is sinful behavior innate versus influenced by your surroundings?
- Is cheating within marriage becoming more or less common over time?
- Should the government play a role in trying to reduce greed and consumerism?
- What are some effective strategies for combating addiction? Domestic violence?
- Recent data suggests that Americans are doubling down on their worst habits (e.g., unnecessary spending, excessive drinking and eating, binge-watching, etc.). What are some strategies that might help people steer clear of temptations and maintain their health?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
To determine the most sinful cities in America, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across seven key dimensions: 1) Anger & Hatred, 2) Jealousy, 3) Excesses & Vices, 4) Greed, 5) Lust, 6) Vanity and 7) Laziness.
We examined those dimensions using 37 relevant metrics listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest level of sinfulness. Please note that data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the state level only. For metrics marked with two asterisks (**), the square root of the population was used to calculate the population size to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.
Finally, we calculated each city’s weighted average across all metrics to determine its overall score, or WalletHub Vice Index, and used the resulting scores to rank-order the cities.
Anger & Hatred – Total Points: 14.3
- Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Sex Offenders per Capita: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Aggravated Assault Offenses Known to Law Enforcement per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Bullying Rate*: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Hate-Crime Incidents per Capita: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Hate Groups per Capita: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Deaths due to Firearms per Capita: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Number of Mass Shootings: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Presence of Terrorist Attacks: Full Weight (~1.59 Points)
Note: This is a binary metric:
1 – There was a terrorist attack or related incident in the city.
0 – There wasn’t a terrorist attack or related incident in the city.
Jealousy – Total Points: 14.3
- Thefts per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~4.77 Points)
- Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~4.77 Points)
- Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~4.77 Points)
Excesses & Vices – Total Points: 14.3
- Share of Obese Adults: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
- Fast-Food Establishments per Capita**: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
- Excessive Drinking: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric measures the age-adjusted prevalence of binge and heavy drinking among the adult population. - DUI-Related Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
- Share of Adult Smokers: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
- Share of Adult Coffee Drinkers: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of adults who drank ready-to-drink coffee in the past six months. - Share of Population Using Marijuana: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of residents aged 12 and older who used marijuana in the past month. - Retail Opioid Prescriptions Dispensed per 100 Persons: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
- Drug Overdose Deaths: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of deaths due to drug poisoning per 100,000 residents. - Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Greed – Total Points: 14.3
- Casinos per Capita**: Full Weight (~4.77 Points)
- Charitable Donations as Share of Income: Full Weight (~4.77 Points)
- Share of Adults with Gambling Disorders*: Full Weight (~4.77 Points)
Lust – Total Points: 14.3
- Adult Entertainment Establishments per Capita**: Full Weight (~3.58 Points)
- Google Search Interest Index for “XXX Entertainment”: Full Weight (~3.58 Points)
Note: This metric measures search interest for online adult entertainment. - Google Search Traffic for the Term “Tinder”: Full Weight (~3.58 Points)
Note: This metric was used as a proxy for the cities that search Tinder the most. - Teen Birth Rate: Full Weight (~3.58 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of births per 1,000 female residents aged 15 to 19.
Vanity – Total Points: 14.3
- Tanning Salons per Capita**: Full Weight (~7.15 Points)
- Google Search Interest Index for “Top 5 Plastic Surgeries”: Full Weight (~7.15 Points)
Note: This metric measures search interest for the five most common plastic surgery procedures (rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, facelift, liposuction, and silicone implants) as a share of the national average.
Laziness – Total Points: 14.3
- Share of Adults Not Exercising: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
- Average Weekly Hours Worked: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
- Volunteer Rate: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
- Average Daily Time Spent Watching TV*: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
- High School Dropout Rate: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted by the poverty rate. - Disconnected Youth (16-24) Rate: Full Weight (~2.38 Points)
Note: Disconnected youth are teenagers and young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor working.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Advameg, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Trade Commission, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, County Health Rankings, TransUnion, Yelp, National Council on Problem Gambling, Corporation for National and Community Service, Esri's Updated Demographics (2022 estimates), The Southern Poverty Law Center, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Wm. Robert Johnston, Gun Violence Archive, Google Ads and Tinder.
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