10 Most Depressing Towns in England

England is both the beauty and bane of Britain. That’s why every list of positives about the UK contains towns or cities in England. The same can be said about negatives. Some places in England bear the heavier weight of melancholy more heavily than others. Some towns struggle with persistent economic decline, current social challenges, or past historical scars. On this list of the 10 most depressing towns in England, you’ll find towns that stand out for their reputation as depressing in the country. One striking fact, however, is that these towns are among the places featured in our videos about the 7 most depressing places in the United Kingdom. Please check and see the reasons for their negative rankings.
10. Widnes, Cheshire
How apt it is to begin this listing in Widnes! This town in Cheshire is the 10th on this list. The town located on the banks of the River Mersey, is somewhat paradoxical. From the surface, you’d believe you could enjoy scenic views here as you walk along the waterfront. However, there’s more about this town than meets the eye. For example, if you’re enticed by all that, you should know that this place is likely to place you on a continuous downward spiral of ill health. Taking the health question as captured by the latest census, you’ll realize that it compares poorly to its neighbouring local authorities. Another index of deprivation that ranks this town poorly is crime. If the available figures are anything to go by, your safety isn’t quite guaranteed in this town.
9. Swindon
Let’s visit southwest England to find the next town on this list. Ordinarily, this town offers a mix of culture, history, and nature, as can be seen in its museum. More about this can be seen or admired at the renowned art collections deposited in the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. Since 2022, however, Swindon has entered the list of the most depressing towns in England for a number of reasons. Apart from being a commuter town, it lacks specialist well-paid employment. The county lines operations and high concern about crime are another cause for concern. Little wonder the town was branded the most average town in Britain by reviewers. Those visiting the town centre feel that its lifeblood has been sucked away by the designer outlet and the Orbital Shopping Park, describing it further as now a boarded-up, post-apocalyptic, wasteland of tramps and drunks.
8. Croydon
If not for the presence of London, Croydon would have been given city status. But the large town in South London is truly depressing, making it unfit to be regarded as a city. Located 15 kilometres south of Charing Cross, it’s part of the London Borough of Croydon which is a local government district of Greater London. Of course, Croydon is one of Greater London’s largest commercial districts. While London is definitely a great city competing for the slot of the best city in Europe, travellers and investors don’t often see it that way because not everywhere in the capital is great. Even those living in the town aren’t happy to find themselves there and will go to any length to be out of the dungeon. No wonder it’s named one of the UK’s most depressing.
7. Luton
This town and unitary authority that enjoys borough status in Bedfordshire is certainly not the right place to live. The phenomenon is not exactly new. For the past two decades, Luton has been labelled negatively. The softest expressions used to describe Luton by the majority of reviewers are “ugly,” “grey,” and “depressing.” It has also been a regular feature on different lists discussing Britain’s ‘worst’ or ‘most depressing’ areas.
6. Crawley
Let’s also discuss Crawley, a town and borough in West Sussex. It’s as close as just 45 kilometres south of London, and 29 kilometres north of Brighton and Hove.

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This video contains images that were used under a Creative Commons License.

[GL]

Blackburn? Middlesbrough? Most of the "new" towns. All of the places listed have pleasant areas outside, it is the town centres across the land which are or becoming dumps.

[navid.S]

I have been to all those places. The most depressing towns in England are all located in Lancashire. Blackburn, Accrington, Preston! Nothing compared to the north ! Grim, windy, grey, poverty, crimes, segregated society, asylum seekers...the list goes on and on !

[robertbuckley]

How did I guess that Swindon was 9th in the 10 Most Depressing Towns in England? I've been wishing Swindon would have been less depressing in future years to come than it is now.

[Bingo-zdgp]

You said that tiverton in Devon is depressing I am sorry it not depressing it is the most beautiful place I have ever been to West Bromwich is depressing and rough 🙁

[Flippant-jd]

It would be easier to do the "3 Towns in England that aren't totally depressing"

[MrStargazer]

Hmmm - "Paignton" in Devon you claim - so how come at 4:33 in this video you display some footage of a black taxi cab on George IV Bridge in central Edinburgh? Most peculiar... (wrong country as well??) - ha-ha. 8-)

[ThomasThorogood-pi]

What a shallow, AI-produced bit of slop this video is.

[arjondangcalan]

Was planning to work and live there in Paignton. Well, it won't hurt to try. Haha

[etangdescygnes]

This list is wrong. I suggest (in no particular order): Blackpool, Middlesbrough, Preston, Bootle, Grimsby, Darlington, Hull, Boston, and Wigan. I'm stuck on number 10. Peterborough, maybe? Rotherham? Leicester? Blackburn? Croydon? Penzance? Hmmm.... The competition is so fierce!

[DanteRising]

I'm suprised with the Devon and Cornwall towns. They have a lot of natural beauty which more than makes uo for things. Nuneaton and Bedworth definately belngs on this list. After the mines shut down there is no need to be there unless you are a resident or visiting residents. It's like the 'deep south' of England. Lots of crooked teeth

[jimhardy]

Any such list that doesn't have Oldham prominently displayed has no credibility whatsoever.

[thephoenix]

Gatwick airport and the South Downs are next to Crawley! 🤭

[driving_all_over]

Surely Fraserburgh should be on this list. The spoons I stayed at there was decent though

[garyrigby]

Mansfield and Telford should be on this list

[thephoenix]

This video is really terrible and inaccurate!

[live.co.uk]

Dudley Brierley Hill Lye just a couple from the black Country

[aaronsaunders]

I ain’t heard of most of the towns on this list. Am an avid fan of the uk 🇬🇧

[i.p.jwhiteley]

Preston is far worse than any of these

[AnthonyWilliams-ewwp]

Errr. Wisbech or Wisbekistan as it is known.

[LordFlashheart]

Falmouth!!!! hahahaha Falmouth is fantastic