3 Most Depressing Cities to Live in the UK
The United Kingdom is one the best countries in the world anyone can live in at this time. But it’s not all of the UK cities that are great for living. While speaking with residents of some cities in the country, you’ll discover that it can be depressing in some of the most miserable cities to live in the UK. At a glance, those depressing cities aren’t bad in themselves. But when you consider the living condition of those cities in the light of statistics, you would respect those living there. This video will spotlight the 3 most depressing cities to live in the UK. It’ll interest you to note that all of those cities are in England.
- Birmingham
About Birmingham
I guess you know enough about Birmingham to be quick to agree that it can be a depressing city in the United Kingdom. You do know that it is the one of the largest city in the UK. Another thing not often mentioned about Birmingham is that about 40% of its population are under 25 years of age making it one of the youngest metropolises and cities in Europe. The natives and residents of the city are called Brummies. It is a multicultural city by nature with its distinctive accent, history, traditions.
The good side of Birmingham
One thing people would quickly remember about Birmingham is its canals and their lengths. They have canals longer canals than Venice which are so intricate. They date back to the Industrial Revolution. Additionally, the industrial steam engine was invented in this city. This steam engine is perhaps the most important invention in British history. One more good side of Birmingham is its many parks. Having over 500 of them, Birmingham has more parks than many European cities. Then comes the food. Foods such as bird’s Custard, Bournville drinking chocolate, Cadbury chocolate, HP Sauce, and Typhoo tea all have their home in Birmingham.
Why Birmingham is depressing
Birmingham is added to this list of the most depressing cities to live in the UK because it lives far below expectations as a home. Well, I will not tell you much about this city beyond what Brummies say about their city. About two-thirds of residents in the city believe that living in Birmingham makes them miserable. About half of them describe their home as “bleak”, “boring”, or “miserable.” In another poll, it was voted “the most boring city”. Nearly one in three drivers on many roads in the city don’t have an insurance policy. If you’re a commuter who drives, this is the worst city for you. What about homelessness? As many as 20,000 people in Birmingham are homeless, sleeping outside during the dead cold night. They are either jobless, unprofitably employed, or bankrupt.
Now, what do you conclude about Birmingham? I guess I can hear you saying, it’s certainly one of the most depressing cities to live in the UK. If that is the case, you will be given the privilege of ranking it, if you think it shouldn’t be among the 3 most depressing cities.
- Kingston upon Hull
About Kingston Upon Hull
Our second of the 3 most depressing cities to live in in the UK is none other than Kingston upon Hull, usually abbreviated as Hull. It is a city in Yorkshire. This unitary authority in the East Riding of Yorkshire is 25 miles inland from the North Sea, 34 miles southeast of York, 50 miles east of Leeds, and 54 miles northeast of Sheffield. In the entire region of Yorkshire and Humber, it is the fourth-largest city and also the most miserable city to live in. But that is not all there is to know about the city of Hull.
The good side of Kingston Upon Hull
Even if it is one of the worst places to live, there are some good reasons to visit Hull and the residents in the city have something to live for. At least, the average rent in Hull appears to be the lowest of any town or city in the UK, according to some recent research. And there are some good areas to live in Hull. If you must live in the city, at least, you can choose your residents from streets like Ashcombe Road and areas around Elvaston Park and Chevening Park. These are the least miserable areas to live in Hull. But generally speaking, the city as a whole is one of the most depressing cities to live in the UK.
Why Kingston upon Hull is depressing
Why won’t rent be cheap in a city that no one would choose to live in if there was another choice? Stats are not kind to Kingston upon Hull because the figures show that the city offers the worst quality of life. In a study of 138 cities, Hull was in 137th city to live in in the United Kingdom. As far as crime is concerned, Hull is not safe. In the East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull is the most dangerous city. Among the 172 cities, towns, and villages in the area, it is the 5th worst dangerous place to live in. The most recent crime rate in Hull was 115 crimes per 1,000 people. This is a lot more than the United Kingdom’s national average. It is therefore not too difficult to understand why Hull finds its way up on the list of most depressing cities to live in the UK.
- Bradford
About Bradford
Bradford is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the core of the City of Bradford metropolitan borough. This borough is made up of other towns such as Keighley, Shipley, Bingley, and Ilkley together with and borders the City of Leeds to the east and Calderdale to the south. It also includes the counties of Lancashire and North Yorkshire. Bradford which is the second-largest city in West Yorkshire was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It was one of the boomtowns during the Industrial Revolution because it was prominent for textile manufacture which gives it the nicknames Wool City, Woolopolis, or the Wool Capital of the World. There are positive things about this one of the most depressing cities in the UK.
The good sides of Bradford
If everything is bad about Bradford, I am not sure it would ever be mentioned as a potential winner of the 2025 City of Culture that it is currently bidding for. And the city appears to have a good chance of winning the prize. Also, it is planning to establish a new entertainment venue after opening the 4,000-capacity Bradford Live, a former music and entertainment venue inside the former Odeon building.
Bradford is making serious efforts, leaving no stone unturned to improve the health of children in the city. Of course, this is indicative of the fact it has gone so bad in this aspect. In fact, among the UK cities, Bradford was at the forefront of that move. It’s using its education system as a stepping stone to reach out. For instance, before government legislation, Bradford has introduced free school meals and medical checks. Still, all these haven’t taken Bradford out of the list of the 3 most depressing cities to live in the UK.
Why Bradford is depressing
In a city where about 35% are unemployed, you can’t rank it anything less than depressing. That’s why it was recently ranked as the second-worst place to live in England. That’s a very big factor in ranking Bradford as one of the most depressing cities to live in. The 65% employed people must bear the brunt of the economy that is unable to employ the remainder of the people. The majority of those working are earning very low income as the average weekly gross income in Bradford is about £450. But the cost of living is not low; it’s rather higher than what obtains in other areas with a higher wage. Isn’t this grievous enough to cause depression in a city?
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Why are these 3 most depressing cities to live in the UK suffering this lot? This is in part due to the economic challenges of the mid-20th century. If you have an idea of a city more depressing to live in in the UK than these 4 cities, please do not hesitate to share with us in the comment section below.
