Revealed: The 30 Worst American Cities To Live In

3 years ago

80. Monroe, Louisiana

(Image Source/ moneyinc.com)Monroe in Louisiana is one of the worst cities in all America in terms of it's crime rate. The chance of being involved in violent crime or property crime here is just 1 in 12. Which, is very high considering the normal crime rate for a city is massively lower.

79. Bellevue, Washington

(Image Source/ crosscut.com)

Bellvue is the wealthiest metro area on the West Coast outside of California. Yet,as we can see in the picture there is poverty despite the wealth that is also present here. In fact, there is a big divide between the inhabitants and the gap between rich and poor.

78. Odessa, Texas

(Image Source/ odessatx.com)Odessa is the most dangerous city in the whole of Texas. Murder and violent crimes were the highest they have ever been and the city is become more and more renowned for its negative connotations. There's a reason this place has earned a spot on the worst cities in the whole of the US.

77. Murfreesboro, Tennessee

(Image Source/ tennesseestar.com)Murfreesboro has very conflicting views. Some call the city quaint and a god place to live. But it can't be denied that the situation in this city is getting worse. The inhabitants are getting poorer, as such as the city. As well as this crime rates are rising rapidly here.

76. Hayward, California

(Image Source/ redoalrealty.com)Considering this is a small city in comparison to many cities,it has a big reputation. It has become known for its scruffy outward appearance and the satisfaction rate of living here is lowering every year. Not only this, but it's become less of a safe place to live.

75. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

(Image Source/ wikipedia.com)Sioux Falls in South Dakota may have an amazing water fall flowing through the middle. But it's reputation goes further that that. Apart from the quality of life of its residents who struggle with poverty and poor conditions, it's crime rates are also steadily climbing higher.

74. West Covina, California

(Image Source/ oxygen.com)Politics here and the frustration of its inhabitants is what seems to be crippling this city in recent times. There is mass frustration amongst those who live here who feel neglected. The homeless population here has increased massively in the last few years.

73. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

(Image Source/ kimt.com)In Cedar Rapids, Iowa the population is increasing every year...but, the wages are decreasing. Around 99% of the city here live in the urban space, rural areas are harder to come by. And so overcrowding and poor air quality are worsening here as well as the quality of life.

72. Mesquite, Texas

(Image Source/ dallasmorningnews.com)

In Mesquite, Texas the satisfaction and happiness rates of living in this city are low. Perhaps for this reason, the population here is decreasing and people are away from the city. Around 12% of the inhabitants live in poverty, which is high despite not being amongst the worst in the US.

71. Fullerton, California

(Image Source/ citydata.com)Fullerton is a city that is located in northern Orange County, California, United States. As you can see from the picture, poverty is rife in this city. And with increasing poverty comes increasing crime rates as the inhabitants feel more and more frustrated.

70. West Palm Beach, Florida

(Image Source/ esta.com)West Palm Beach Florida may sound luxurious and extravagant. Yet it has made the list of worst cities in the US for a reason. From the years 2016 to 2021, murder rose by 110% and maybe that's because of all the money in the area? And so, it is now one of the places to watch out for in terms of its violent crimes.

69. Sacramento, California

(Image Source/ bbc.com)The chances of living in poverty in Sacramento is 1 in 5 - as 1 in 5 of its current habitants do live in poverty, which is a shockingly bad statistic. In particular, unemployment amongst males is rife with only 7% of males living in the city being employed.

68. Fremont, California

(Image Source/ moneyinc.com)California is appearing again on the list. Fremont is a struggling city, it is by no means the worst in terms of crime or even poverty and unemployment. But,it has been rated as one of the worst cities and places to live in America due to its lack of satisfaction rates.

67. Durham, North Carolina

(Image Source/ vanlifewarrior.com)North Carolina is often considered one of the best and safest places to live in the US. But not Durham. Durham crime rates are around 96% higher than what is the national average. And Violent crimes in Durham are 121% higher than the national average.

66. North Charleston, South Carolina

(Image Source/ onlyinyourstate.com)Similarly, South Carolina is usually somewhere that is associated with being fairly wealthy and safe. Yet North Charleston has made the list as one of the worst cities. In 2019 there were 23 murders. Considering the small size of the city this is way higher than the national average.

65. Baton Rouge

(Image Source/ theadvocate.com)Baton Rouge has one of the highest crime rates in the whole of America considering its size and crime rates versus population. So, it has become known as one of the most dangerous places to live. Murder, gang crimes...all kinds of crimes were reported here.

64. Jackson

(Image Source/ areavibes.com)Jackson is a city that has recently become prevalent in the news for its crime problem which is caused because of its deep rooted poverty problem. With the poverty rates only getting worse here, Jackson's violent reputation is also getting worse and worse.

63. Rochester, New York

(Image Source/ hispanonews.com)Overcrowding, low satisfaction and decreasing salaries and wages...that is what is happening now in Rochester New York. New York is a state of polar opposites in terms of its extreme wealth and extreme deprivation. Rochester is one of those places struggling with poverty.

62. Clovis, California

(Image Source/ cmph.com)As we can see in the picture, crime rates are terrible in Clovis, California. With property crimes and violent crimes being central to these statistics. The happiness and satisfaction rates of living here was fairly low in comparison with other states.

61. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

(Image Source/ vanlifewanderer.com)Again, Florida has made the list because it is one of the worst states for its separation of wealth. The wealth here is extreme, but the poverty is also rife. And so, as poverty worsens so naturally do the crime rates. Deprivation is high in this city.

60. Lancaster, California

(Image Source/blogspot)Lancaster is a desert town in California. It has around 160,000 inhabitants as of right now. But, over half of its population live in poverty, with around 51% of people living below the poverty live. And, amongst its many crime problems - meth addiction and Neo-Nazi related crimes are particularly prevalent here.

59. St. Louis

(Image Source/ Blogspot)St Louis is the largest city in Missouri, yet it is certainly not one of the best or the wealthiest. It suffers from poor infrastructure as well as increasing poverty rates. And, as well as all this, the crime rates have definitely increased in the last few years.

58. Pasadena, Texas

(Image Source/ citydana)Pasedena is rife with poverty, most of its inhabitants live in poverty and live in terrible conditions. The average income is low and people do not have health insurance. When the cities in America were ranked on happiness in a city, Pasadena was very far down on the list.

57. Macon-Bib County, Georgia

(Image Source/ maconbibbudda)Macon-Bib County is in Georgia and was once named the heart of Georgia. But in recent years there has been a steady decline in the city with poverty rising and standards falling and an increase in crime rates. Now, it is in need of some serious repair to get back to what it once was.

56. Danville, Virginia

(Image Source/ skyscraper.com)Danville Virginia used to be a wealthy city, it used to have a mass of successful textile and tobacco industries. But, over recent years they have shut down and Danville is slowly falling into ruin and disrepair. Around 21% of its people live in poverty.

55. Shreveport, Louisiana

(Image Source/ siteselection)Shreveport's population has been shrinking over the last few years. The city is definitely in decline and this has not been helped with the floods over recent years which have caused a lot of destruction. And, the murder rate in the last few years has also doubled, making this one of the worst cities in America.

54. Hemet, California

(Image Source/ roadsnacks.net)

Hemet has a population of 85,000 people, and ever since the recession back in 2008 this city has struggled massively with an increase of poverty and crime rates rising. Thankfully, people are still moving to the city and its population has not declined despite of the struggles.

53. Montebello, California

(Image Source/ abc7)Montebello is by no means THE worst city in America, its living conditions are better than many on this list but it is in no way one of the best cities to live in. Affordable housing is a major issue because of the poverty rate, even though most of the inhabitants are working.

52. Harlingen, Texas

(Image Source/ pinterest)Harlingen, Texas is a city that rarely has any rain. But, of recent years due to the climate emergency this city has been struggling with flooding which of course causes mass problems for the city. Only around half of its inhabitants actually work and 30% of the city are living in poverty.

51. Hallandale Beach Florida

(Image Source/ ABCnews)

Florida has certain connotations of glamourous living, but Hallandale beach does not fit this image at all. Hallandale Beach has about 40,000 people that live there. Around 60% of these are working people and around 20% of the people are living in poverty.

50. Palmdale, California

(Image Source/ WTVD)Welcome to Palmdale California. It's actually one of the worst places to live despite being in California which is often considered one of the best states to live. Palmdale also has one of the highest commute times on the list, with it taking just under 50 minutes to get to work.

49. Anderson, Indiana

(Image Source/ flickr)Anderson has 55,000 residents but lost 2% from 2010 to 2018. Fifty-six percent of people are employed, and one-quarter live in poverty. It used to be a thriving city with many factories. But the factories have been shutting down one by one and it's left fairly run down.

48. Fort Pierce, Florida

(Image Source/ flickr)Here is another Florida city making the list for the worst cities. The city of Fort Pierce in Florida has around 46,000 people living there and it grew by almost 10% from the years 2010 to 2018. But just over half of people there are employed, and around 36% of the people live in poverty.

47. Saginaw, Michigan

(Image Source/ lovemoney)Saginaw in Michigan was once very famous for manufacturing and its income as a city was heavily based on manufacturing. But, since the reduction in manufacturing over the last few years this city has really suffered. Many jobs were lost and poverty has risen.

46. West New York, New Jersey

(Image Source/ jalopnik)New Jersey is a city that is featuring a lot on this list in terms of having the the worst cities to live in. West New York in New Jersey has a massive problem with cleanliness as well as parking within the city. Like many of the cities on the list, West New York struggles with its wealth.

45. Huntington, West Virginia

(Image Source/ theamericanconservative)Huntington in West Virginia was once a thriving coal town. But its poverty has risen. In 2008 it was described as the unhealthiest in America. One of the main reasons for this is that poverty has made families make cheaper and more unhealthy choices when it comes to consuming food and drink.

44. Hammond, Indiana

(Image Source/ businessinsider)Hammond is one of the worst cities to live in. one of the main reasons for this is that it is very industrial. So, there are major problems with air and water pollution in the city. So, living conditions are not healthy. Plus, poverty throughout the city is rising.

43. El Monte, California

(Image Source/ KTLA)El Monte relies heavily on car dealerships because it is located right next to two freeways. El Monte has around 115,000 residents and around one quarter of its population live in poverty. The city really struggled during the recession and the three of the car dealerships closed down.

42. Lynwood, California

(Image Source/ piximusnet)Lynwood in California has faced a real decline. It was once called "the best place to live best". Yet, unfortunately now it has made the list for the worst cities to live. And, many businesses and homes were knocked down when Interstate 105 was built right through the centre of the city.

41. Paterson, New Jersey

(Image Source/ thetribune)Paterson used to produce silk in the 19th century, at this time the city was doing very well. Now, this is not the case. And, in 2011 the power factories ended up flooding the whole of the city as a result of Hurricane Irene. The city has never managed to fully recover from these major blows.

40. Trenton, New Jersey

(Image Source/ nj.com)Trenton in New Jersey, was once a booming industrial city. Yet, harder times recently have seen it struggling and facing a decline. The city also has some problems with gangs which are known to fight with one another. Thankfully, the violent crime has not increased.

39. Cicero, Illinois

(Image Source/ onlyinyourtown)Cicero in Illinois has around 81,500 residents. But that fell by 3% from the years of 2010 to 2018. Back in the 1920s Cicero was known for being the playground of Al Capone. The city has tried to fight the nickname ever since and fight the crime in the city.

38. Union City, New Jersey

(Image Source/ RTV6)Union City has been listed as one of the worst cities to live in America. One of these reasons is because of the poverty rate, as well as the fact that it is so densely populated. The city is only 1.28 square miles but has 68,500 residents, meaning that space is hard to come by.

37. Bell Gardens, California

(Image Source/ pinterest)Bell Gardens may sound glamorous, but it has made the list of the worst cities. One of the main problems (similar to the last point) is that it has too many residents. So, there is not much space. And, the city depends on a casino for most of its tax revenue.

36. Hialeah, Florida

(Image Source/ blogspot)Hialeah in Florida has a very high rating on the most miserable cities list as well as the worst places to live in America. It also has been rated ad THE worst city in the US for having an active lifestyle. Most of its residents have a very sedentary lifestyle.

35. Brownsville, Texas

(Image Source/ Time)Brownsville in Texas is not a large city, it is on the border of Mexico and it is often used as a crossing for immigrants illegally trying to get in the country. So, it is continuously patrolled more than any other city in America, which is a fraught environment to live in. Around 30% of its inhabitants are also living in poverty.

34. New Brunswick

(Image Source/ dailymail)New Brunswick is definitely on the worst cities list. This is because it has major problems with crime. In the most recent years crime rates have risen - and especially gun crime. Gun crime has risen by 64%. As well as the inhabitants having to deal with poverty, they also live fearful of the crime that has overridden the city.

33. Huntington Park, California

(Image Source/ wheretraveler)Huntington Park in California was described by The Los Angeles Time as a working-class heaven. This is because most of the residents who live here are working-class. The city overall does not have a great deal of wealth. And so, the city then attracts more working-class people to live there.

32. Flint, Michigan

(Image Source/ forbes)Flint in Michigan has struggled in recent years because of the decline in manufacturing, from which it has greatly suffered. Many people were left without jobs as companies started to close down, which of course meant that living conditions and poverty increased as a result if this.

31. Pine Bluff, Arkansas

(Image Source/ blogspot)In a similar vein, this is the same fate that Pine Bluff in Arkansas has suffered from. The area lost around 3,000 manufacturing jobs in one year - 2016-2017. Therefore, 14% of its population also left the city which is the biggest loss on the entire list.

30. Fort Smith, Ark.

Image Source / dirtamericanaFort Smith is one of the worst places to live in based on a variety of factors including economic opportunities, education, crime, and public health. Only 20% of adults in the city hold a bachelor's degree, lower than the national average of 31.3% and the smallest percentage of any large Arkansas city.

29. Salt Lake City

Image Source / The SaltLake TribuneThe area's high violent crime rate is one element that detracts from Salt Lake City's (what should be good) quality of life. In 2016, 937 violent crimes were recorded per 100,000 city residents, about four times the state average of 243 per 100,000 Utah residents.

28. Springfield, Mass.

Image Source / Skyscraper PageSpringfield is the only city in Massachusetts to be ranked among the worst places to live in, and one of just three in the whole New England area. Springfield has the highest unemployment rate of any Massachusetts city, at 6.9%, and is significantly above the national average of 4.9%.

27. Oakland

Image Source / RedditOakland has the highest median household income of any city on this list, at $68,060 per year, which is greater even than the national median income of $57,617. The city's high salaries, however, are mainly countered by a high cost of living, with goods and services costing around 27% more than average.

26. Merced, Calif.

Image Source / TimeJonesMerced is one of numerous California cities on our list where unemployment is high. About one out of every ten employees in the city is unemployed, making it the sixth most unemployed city in the United States. The city's high poverty rate may be due to the high unemployment rate.

25. Miami Beach, Fla.

Image Source / Daily MailMiami Beach, one of three cities in Miami-Dade County on this list, is one of the most expensive cities in the country. The typical property value in the city is little under half a million dollars, or roughly nine times the $53,685 median household income.

24. Stockton, Calif.

Image Source / HuffPostStockton has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the United States. 8.7% of the city's workforce is unemployed, significantly higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.9 %. The city's low median income is due to its high unemployment rate.

23. Daytona Beach, Fla.

Image Source / TheDriveWith a typical yearly family income of about $31,273, Daytona Beach is one of the poorest communities in the country. The city's low median income is most likely owing to a labour shortage. 6.3% of the workforce in Daytona Beach is unemployed, far higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.9%.

22. Charleston, W.Va.

Image Source / Charleston DailyDespite the fact that Charleston's median household income of $46,720 is much lower than the national median of $57,617, a dollar goes further in West Virginia's capital city. In Charleston, goods and services are 17% less expensive than they are on a national level.

21. Shreveport, La.

Image Source / Shreveport BossierLouisiana has the sixth highest violent crime rate in the US, with 566 occurrences per 100,000 of the population. Violence is significantly more widespread in Shreveport. In 2016, there were 959 violent offences per 100,000 population, about twice the state average.

20. Compton, Calif.

Image Source / Official GhettosMore than one out of every four Compton inhabitants lives in poverty, much above the national poverty rate of 14.0%. The city's poor job market contributes to the high poverty rate. In Compton, 8.2% of employees are jobless, compared to 4.9% of all workers in the United States.

19. Little Rock, Ark.

Image Source / NBC newsLittle Rock, Arkansas' capital, is the worst city in the state and one of the worst in the country to live in. Little Rock's violent crime rate of 1,533 events per 100,000 citizens is about triple the national violent crime rate of 386 incidents per 100,000, making it one of the most hazardous cities in the country.

18. Gary, Ind.

Image Source / The GuardianGary, Indiana, is one of the country's most economically devastated cities. One out of every three city dwellers is poor, which is more than double the national poverty rate of 14.0%. Gary is also one of just a few cities in the country where the majority of households earn less than $30,000.

17. Pueblo, Colo.

Image Source / PinterestPueblo is the only city in Colorado to make the list of the worst places to live. The average household makes about $38,380 per year, far and by the lowest median income in the state. Many inhabitants in Pueblo are also facing financial difficulties. The city has the highest poverty rate in Colorado.

16. Rockford, Ill.

Image Source / FlickrThe unemployment rate in Rockford, Illinois, is 7.7%, the highest in the state and much higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.9%. With a violent crime rate of 1,658 occurrences per 100,000 people in 2016, the city is also the most dangerous in the state, more than four times the national violent crime average.

15. Youngstown, Ohio

Image Source / WKBNYoungstown, Ohio, is one of the most impoverished cities in the country. The city has the third highest poverty rate in the United States, with 38% of the people living in poverty. In addition, Youngstown is the only city in the United States where more than half of all households earn less than $25,000 each year.

14. San Bernardino, Calif.

Image Source / The San Bernadino SunSan Bernardino is California's second-worst city to live in, and one of the worst in the nation. The poverty rate of San Bernardino is 29.4%, which is the third highest in the state and more than double the national poverty rate. The dearth of suitable work in the city is most likely to blame for widespread financial difficulty.

13. Florence-Graham, Calif.

Image Source / AlchetronThe median household income in Florence-Graham is $34,738 per year, less than half of the average California family income of $67,739 per year. The high cost of living in the city puts additional financial hardship on the city's lower-income people.

12. Homestead, Fla.

Image Source / Windsor StarHomestead is the worst city in Florida and the 14th worst in the country. It is one of three cities in Miami-Dade County that rank among the worst places to live in the country. Homestead's average household makes $32,001 per year, compared to the national median income of $57,617.

11. Hartford, Conn.

Image Source / FlickrIn both Connecticut and the greater New England region, Hartford is the worst city to live in. The average Hartford household makes $36,637 per year, less than half of Connecticut's median income of $73,433. Low-income residents in the city face additional financial hardship since products and services are 17.3% more costly than they are on the national average.

10. Milwaukee

Image Source / Milwaukee Neighbourhood NewsMore than one out of every four Milwaukee residents lives in poverty, which is more than double the state's poverty average of 11.8%. Milwaukee is no exception to the rule that poor cities have greater crime rates than more prosperous cities. For every 100,000 Milwaukee inhabitants, there were 1,546 violent offences. The median home value in Milwaukee is $114,700.

9. Baltimore

Image Source/ BlogspotBaltimore has the lowest median yearly household income in Maryland, at $47,350. The high expense of living in the city puts additional hardship on the city's disadvantaged households. The cost of goods and services in Baltimore is around 12% more than the national average.

8. Springfield, Mo.

Image Source / SquattheplanetSpringfield is one of two Missouri cities to make the list of the worst places to live, along with St. Louis. In Springfield, as in St. Louis, crime has a significant negative impact on general quality of life. In 2016, there were 1,345 violent crimes per 100,000 city residents, more than three times the national violent crime rate.

7. Albany, Ga.

Image Source / LeadpointUSASeveral of the communities on this list are losing citizens, but none are losing them as quickly as Albany, Georgia. Albany's population has decreased by 4.8% in the previous five years, despite a 3.7% increase in the US population. The population decline is presumably due in part to the current economic climate.

6. Wilmington, Del.

Image Source / Delaware OnlineMany people in Wilmington, Delaware, have low salaries and a high cost of living, which lowers their overall quality of life. The median family income in the city is $36,435 per year, significantly below the national median of $57,617, and 27.7% of the city's population lives in poverty.

5. Cleveland

Image Source / IdeastreamCleveland, one of the poorest cities in the country, has a poverty rate of 35%, which is more than double the national average and greater than all but one other city in the state. Cleveland also has the second highest unemployment rate in the state, at 6.9%. The city is also risky due to violent crimes.

4. Memphis

Image Source / RedditMany individuals in Memphis suffer from severe financial difficulties and a high crime rate, which lowers their overall quality of life. The poverty rate in the area is 26.9%, the worst in the state and far higher than the national poverty rate of 14%. Memphis has a higher crime rate.

3. St. Louis

Image Source / St Louis Post DispatchSt. Louis is Missouri's worst city to live in, and the third worst in the US. The city of St. Louis is particularly tough to live in due to a concentration of violence in some areas. In 2016, there were 1,932 violent crimes per 100,000 city residents, the third highest rate of any U.S. city and five times the national average.

2. Flint, Mich.

Image Source / MLiveFlint is both Michigan's and the United States' second-worst city to live in. Flint has the greatest poverty rate of any city in the US, with 44.5% of the population living in poverty. A sluggish job market in the city contributes to the city's financial distress.

1. Detroit

Image Source / The GuardianDetroit, Michigan, the poster child of American post-industrial urban decline, is the country's worst city to live in. After decades of decline, the city today has fewer than 700,000 people, down from 1.8 million during the zenith of U.S. car manufacture in the 1950s. The percentage of people that have at least a bachelor’s degree in Detroit is 14.9%.