Las Vegas (Special to ZennieReport.com) – The holidays and Las Vegas are both known for overindulging and overspending, which is bad news when over 23% of U.S. adults report binge drinking in the past month and the average household has over $10,000 in credit card debt. But guess where Las Vegas fits in all of this? It’s tops America’s list of most Most Sinful Cities.
To see where these and other vices are most costly, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on the 2023’s Most Sinful Cities in America, which compares more than 180 U.S. cities based on seven sinful behaviors: anger and hatred, jealousy, excesses and vices, greed, lust, vanity, and laziness. Guess which city came out on top? Well, you guessed it: Las Vegas.
But 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.
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. Here’s what WalletHub’s rankings look like.
| Most Sinful Cities | Least Sinful Cities |
| 1. Las Vegas, NV | 173. Laredo, TX |
| 2. Houston, TX | 174. West Valley City, UT |
| 3. Philadelphia, PA | 175. Cape Coral, FL |
| 4. Los Angeles, CA | 176. South Burlington, VT |
| 5. Atlanta, GA | 177. Columbia, MD |
| 6. Denver, CO | 178. Port St. Lucie, FL |
| 7. Dallas, TX | 179. Madison, WI |
| 8. Phoenix, AZ | 180. Bridgeport, CT |
| 9. Miami, FL | 181. Fremont, CA |
| 10. Cleveland, OH | 182. Pearl City, HI |
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 Sinful Cities vs. Least Sinful Cities
But how do the list of most sinful cities compare with those least sinful cities? A look at the data reveals some interesting discoveries.
- Irvine, California, has the lowest violent crime rate, 0.75, which is 32.3 times lower than in Memphis, Tennessee, the city with the highest violent crime rate (24.21).
- Aurora, Illinois, has the fewest thefts per 1,000 residents (2.40), which is 37.0 times fewer than in Tacoma, Washington the city with the most thefts per 1,000 residents (88.80).
- San Francisco, California, has the lowest share of obese adults, 19.10 percent, which is 2.5 times lower than in Akron, Ohio, the city with the highest, at 48.50 percent.
- Fremont, California, has the lowest share of adult smokers, 7.90 percent, which is 3.7 times lower than in Cleveland, the city with the highest, at 29.10 percent.
Oakland, CA Shares Most Thefts Per Capita With Four Other Cities
Think Oakland, California would have the top spot in “Most Thefts Per Capita” considering statistics? Well, yes, but it’s got company: Tacoma, Memphis, St. Louis, and Salt Lake City share that rank with Oakland. And, interestingly, Oakland has among the fewest number of adult entertainment establishments per capita in America. Oakland’s creating a new category of “Most No Fun City To Live In”. Is that the real reason the A’s, Raiders, and Warriors left Oakland over the past five years? Something to consider.