The post 10 U.S. Cities Americans Ranked Least Desirable to Live In. Is Yours on the List? first appeared on Crafting Your Home.
Would you believe that Washington, D.C., New York City, and Chicago all landed near the top of a list of America’s least desirable places to live? Even more surprising, one Florida city appeared among both the most and least desirable destinations in the same survey.
A 2025 Clever Offers study surveyed 1,000 American adults between July 3 and July 5, asking about their preferences and perceptions of different places to live. The results revealed some familiar big-city names and a few unexpected entries.
Of course, being ranked undesirable doesn’t mean a city is objectively bad or that its residents are unhappy. These findings reflect survey respondents’ opinions, and some cities appeared on both positive and negative lists.
Here are the 10 cities that received the least favorable rankings.
Washington, D.C.
America’s capital claimed the top spot, making it the least desirable city in Clever Offers’ 2025 ranking. According to the survey, 28% of respondents placed Washington, D.C., among their five worst places to live. The report also identified this as the city’s third consecutive year in the No. 1 position.
D.C. ranked second for perceived resident rudeness and fourth among cities respondents believed were declining in quality.
However, those rankings don’t establish exactly why individual respondents chose the capital. They reflect a national perception that may differ considerably from the experiences of people who actually live there.
New York City, New York
New York City has a reputation that inspires strong opinions, and this survey certainly reflected that divide. The city ranked second among America’s least desirable places to live. Yet it also appeared at No. 10 on the survey’s separate list of most desirable cities.
Another interesting finding: 48% of respondents identified New Yorkers as among the country’s rudest residents, up from 40% in the previous year’s survey. But New York also ranked eighth for prettiest scenery.
Apparently, respondents could admire the city’s appearance while still being less enthusiastic about living there.
Related: New York Is the 11th Loneliest State in America: 6 Reasons Why Dating Feels Harder for Singles
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago ranked third on the least-desirable list, though its overall survey results weren’t entirely negative. The city also ranked No. 22 among America’s most desirable places to live.
When respondents considered other characteristics, Chicago came third for perceived resident rudeness and fifth among cities believed to be declining in quality. Those rankings offer a glimpse into the city’s reputation, but they don’t tell us which concerns influenced every respondent.
It’s a useful reminder that a city’s national image and its residents’ everyday experiences aren’t necessarily the same.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco’s near-top ranking might surprise readers who associate the city with memorable scenery. It ranked fourth least desirable in the Clever Offers survey, while also reaching No. 12 on the most-desirable list.
The sharpest criticism concerned perceived decline. Twenty-seven percent of respondents identified San Francisco as a city they believed was declining, placing it first in that category. However, the same survey ranked San Francisco third for prettiest scenery and first for quirkiest residents.
That’s quite a combination. Respondents recognized the city’s distinctive character even as they expressed reservations about living there.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit appeared fifth among the least desirable cities in the 2025 ranking. Unlike several other entries, it also placed at the bottom of the survey’s separate most-desirable ranking, finishing No. 50.
Respondents ranked Detroit first for perceived unattractive scenery and seventh among cities believed to be declining in quality. Those findings reveal an unfavorable national reputation, but they shouldn’t be mistaken for a comprehensive assessment of modern Detroit.
The survey measured opinions rather than independently evaluating current living conditions, redevelopment, or residents’ experiences.