Gloomiest Places In America

As we near the winter months, some areas of the country are affected by the changing seasons more than others. We�ve determined the Gloomiest Places in America, and the Pacific Northwest won�t be happy about it.

Topping our list at #1 and #2 are Seattle and Portland - both famous for their coffee shops and the '90s �grunge� music genre that reflects this oft-oppressive feeling of Gloom.

Of the 50 largest metro areas, the top 10 Gloomiest Places are:

The data team at BestPlaces.net determined each metro area�s Gloom Score by looking at three key environmental factors for the months of November, December, and January:

• Percentage of Cloud Cover
• Average Hours of Daylight
• Days with Precipitation

Also in the top 10 - Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and upstate New York can be bitterly cold and cloudy in the winter. As such, the list of Gloomy Places doesn�t hold too many surprises.

Alaska might come to mind as a gloomy place, and indeed the country�s gloomiest counties are in that state. But those parts of Alaska (e.g. Juneau and Ketchikan) weren�t included in this study because they�re not in the 50 largest metro areas. Furthermore, some smaller metro areas like Fairbanks actually have less cloud cover in these months than one might expect.

The Danish concept of �Hygge� means making the most of these times of year by being cozy and partaking in activities that elevate mood - such as reading books, lighting candles, and playing board games with friends and family. For more on �Hygge� read our list of Top Hygge Cities.

If you live in a Gloomy Place you may be at risk for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), symptoms of which include feeling down, having low energy, and disruption of your sleep patterns. Although the specific cause of SAD remains unknown, reduced levels of sunlight can disrupt your circadian rhythms, reduce serotonin, and affect melatonin levels.

Therefore, it�s important to take active steps to counteract these tendencies.  Exercise, healthy eating, light therapy, and regular social interaction are some of the basics. It�s normal to have �down� days, but if you have extended periods like this you should see your doctor.

Looking at the full ranking below, it�s not surprising to see famously bright places like Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles coming up as the Least Gloomy Places. Oklahoma City and New Orleans are a bit unexpected, but maybe now they�ll find their way onto people�s lists when it�s time to beat the winter blues.

Here�s the full list of the largest 50 metro areas ranked from Most Gloomy to Least Gloomy: