Do You Live in One of America's 'Most Sinful' Cities or One of the 'Saintly Cities?

Think fast -- which cities come to mind when you're asked to name the 'most sinful' cities in America?

Most people would instantly say; Las Vegas, New York, or San Francisco. However, based on the latest list rating the "10 Most Sinful Cities in America," only one of those would be right...Las Vegas.

Image: Shutterstock

The gambling mecca of America is on the list, but just barely, coming in at #10. So, the question must be asked, if New York City, and San Francisco are not on the sinful cities list, and "Vegas" is all the way down at #10, which cities could be more decadent and sinful than those three? We think you'll be surprised.

Image: Shutterstock

The bloggers at Movoto.com, a light-hearted blog that looks at real estate, rated 95 American cities for "saintliness" and "sinfulness." They used the Seven Deadly Sins for their baseline criteria. For those not familiar with the biblical no-nos, we list them and explain how Movoto connected the sins to the characteristics of a municipality:

• Lust - The number of strip clubs per capita
• Pride - How many cosmetic surgeons per capita
• Wrath- Violent crime stats
• Envy - Robbery and theft stats
• Greed - Charitable donations as a percentage of income
• Gluttony - Obesity numbers
• Sloth - Percentage of inactive residents - how many folks are happy to just "ride the couch?"

After applying the Seven Deadly Sins factors to America's cities, Movoto created lists of the Most Saintly and Most Sinful metropolitan areas.

Counting down the top three in the Most Sinful category:

#3. Minneapolis - Big scores in Lust and Pride helped push Minneapolis up the list, but a 30% inactivity (Sloth) rating from the CDC helped earn the Minnesota city earn 3rd place.

Image: City of Minneapolis website

#2. Orlando - Even Disneyworld's presence couldn't help Orlando. They tied Minneapolis for Sloth, but were way ahead in Envy and Pride. It all adds up to a silver medal in sin for Orlando.

Image: City of Orlando

And sitting at the top of the list, a city with the word saint in its name, St. Louis.

Image: City of St Louis

#1. St. Louis - Violent crime and property crime (Wrath and Envy) lead the Gateway Arch city's charge to the top of the Sinful list. Despite having a very low score for Lust (strip joints are not allowed to operate inside the city limits), St. Louis grabbed the top spot based one some high scores in Sloth, Pride, and Gluttony.

If those three cities are the "Most Sinful" - which cities could be at the top of the "Most Saintly?"

Make your list. Don't think too hard about it. Using the exact same criteria, which cities in America would rank as the "Most Saintly?" (Around TheBlaze newsroom, places like Salt Lake City, South Bend, Indiana, and even New Orleans were mentioned -- and they were all incorrect.)

The Top Three Most Saintly Cities:

#3. Freemont, CA - This town earned top 10 rankings on the good side of five of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Image: Freemont, CA website

#2. Gilbert, AZ - A Phoenix bedroom community, scored big on kindness, charity, and chastity.

Image: City of Gilbert AZ

And the surprising winner of America's Most Saintly City (as determined by Movoto.com)

#1. New York City

Image: Shutterstock

Before you file a protest with the commissioner, NYC won this title by scoring #1 in Temperance (Gluttony). Because of all the walking that is done by NYers, the city scores much lower on the CDC's obesity charts. Diligence, Generosity and Charity all helped push NYC to the #1 spot. In fact, the only one of the sins threatened to keep New York from winning this title -- Lust. The Big Apple's "Chastity" score was way down at #40. Could it be that former Mayor Giuliani's late 1990's Times Square clean up has paid off?

To see all of the cities in both the Most Sinful and Most Saintly categories, visit Movoto.com.

Follow Mike Opelka on Twitter - @stuntbrain.

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