America’s sin problem isn’t confined to Las Vegas, according to a new study.
While the Nevada gambling and tourist destination remains true to its reputation as “Sin City,” it turns out America has no shortage of cities promoting vice and illicit behavior.
A WalletHub study released Nov. 17 collected data from several sources on 182 cities nationwide and assessed 37 vices and criminal activity, ranging from excessive drinking to violent crime and the number of adult entertainment establishments per capita, to determine which cities are the most “sinful” in the nation.
The study's title, "Most Sinful Cities in America," isn’t necessarily synonymous with “least religious,” according to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
“Regardless of any particular religious tenets, certain activities are considered ‘sinful’ by society as a whole,” said Lupo in a statement provided with the study's results. “Sometimes, these activities are always bad, like violent crimes or identity theft. In other cases, they may be relatively harmless in moderation but incredibly destructive when not kept under control, such as alcohol use or gambling. The most sinful cities are those where illicit activities and vices alike are the most widespread.”
Data collected on Oct. 20 for the study came from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, County Health Rankings, TransUnion, National Council on Problem Gambling, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Google Ads and Tinder, among others.
Here are America’s top five most “sinful cities” according to Wallet Hub, which also assessed cities with the highest rates of anger and hatred, jealousy, greed, lust, vanity and laziness.
