40. Harlingen, Texas
Harlington, Texas is one of the hottest cities in the U.S. and it experiences very little rainfall, leading to less than ideal conditions. Of the city’s 65,000 residents, only 56% are employed and about 30% are living in poverty.
40. Harlingen, Texas
39. Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield, New Jersey is unfortunately known for its high level of reported violent crimes. Despite the fact that the number of these crimes has decreased over time, it is still far from ideal. 20% of its population is living in poverty and 33% live without any health insurance.
39. Plainfield, New Jersey
38. Bell Gardens, California
Bell Gardens, California heavily depends on just one casino for the majority of its tax revenue. In the year 2002, the casino actually supplied the city with 50% of its tax revenue total. Bell Gardens struggles with overpopulation, while 30% of the people living in the city are impoverished.
38. Bell Gardens, California
37. Warren, Ohio
Warren, Ohio was deeply impacted by a GM plant shutting down, as it led to many job losses and a decline in the city’s success. Since 2010, its population has declined by 7.7%. Sadly, Warren is known for having the second highest number of people who lack sufficient food supply.
37. Warren, Ohio
36. Union City, New Jersey
Union City in New Jersey spans over just 1.28 square miles total, yet has a population of about 68,500 people. This means that it is one of the most densely populated cities in the United States, and on top of that, about 23% of its residents are living in poverty. The average commute time of the city is about 33 minutes.
36. Union City, New Jersey
35. El Monte, California
El Monte was once a lively town, boasting success from its auto dealerships. However, as time went on, the dealerships began to decline and three of the largest ones ended up closing up for good. This led the city to financial decline, driving 22% of its population into poverty.
35. El Monte, California
34. Albany, Georgia
Hurricane Irma as well as a tornado ravaged through Albany, Georgia, leaving a huge amount of devastation, damage, and ruined crops in their wake. Albany’s crime rate is very high, and about 33% of its population is living in poverty.
34. Albany, Georgia
33. Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey’s average household income stands at just $26,105/year, which is the lowest of all of the cities on the list. Camden is thought to be one of the most dangerous cities in the United States, although its rates of crime have been improving slowly. Of its total population, 37% is living in poverty.
33. Camden, New Jersey
32. Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff, Arkansas has seen a sharp decline in its population — since 2010, it has decreased by 14%. In 2016 alone, over 3000 manufacturing jobs were eliminated from the city. To make matters worse, in 2019, the city was flooded by the Arkansas River.
32. Pine Bluff, Arkansas
31. Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield, Ohio was once a bustling city due to the abundance of industrial jobs available. Sadly, as time has gone on, these jobs have disappeared, and in 2010, GM’s factory shuttered, driving even more job losses in tow. Since 2012, Mansfield has seen a sharp rise of crime, 37% to be exact.
31. Mansfield, Ohio
30. Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, Florida’s population consists of 46,000 residents, of which 36% are living in poverty. The city’s main source of income once came from its citrus farming, but due to changes in trade deals, this has no longer been a possibility. The ocean erosion is so bad here that every few years the city actually has to replenish their beaches’ sands.
30. Fort Pierce, Florida
29. Montebello, California
Montebello, California has become a tough place to live in. About 14% of its population is living in poverty, while 19% is getting by without any health insurance. Affordable housing is very hard to come by here, as a home ownership counselor shared with the New York Times. First-time buyers don’t have great prospects here, and it seems like new opportunities continue to decline.
29. Montebello, California
28. Pasadena, Texas
Pasadena, Texas is infamous for being the home of the Ku Klux Klan and is still a hotbed of racial tension. That is reflected by how the city is divided: the southern part of the city is inhabited by white residents, while the north part is inhabited by Latino residents. The divided city is mostly populated by the working class and is located near many petrochemical plants.
28. Pasadena, Texas
27. Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana has seen better times. In 2015, it was greatly affected by huge floods from the Red River. Between 2015 and 2016, the rates for murder doubled, and overall levels of crime remain very high.
27. Shreveport, Louisiana
26. Hallandale, Florida
Hallandale Beach, Florida was dubbed by The Wall Street Journal a “once scruffy beach town,” while locals refer to it as “Hound-ale Beach,” referring to the fact that there are many strip clubs located here. 20% of Hallandale’s population is living in poverty, while 29% are living without any health insurance.
26. Hallandale, Florida
25. Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio was once the third highest producer of steel in the U.S., but since 1977, its steel factory has greatly downsized. This lead to a continual decline in jobs ever since. Meanwhile, in 2017, Youngstown had the worst air pollution in the whole state.
25. Youngstown, Ohio
24. North Miami Beach, Florida
About 20% of the residents of North Miami Beach, Florida are living in poverty, and 32% of the population is surviving without health insurance. Additionally, two of North Miami Beach’s mayors have been in hot water and faced criminal charges for their spending.
24. North Miami Beach, Florida
23. Reading, Pennsylvania
Over the years, many factories that provided a lot of jobs in Reading, Pennsylvania have shuttered, and in 2011, The New York Times dubbed the city as one of the poorest in the United States. Of its total population, 36% is living in poverty, while 44% of its households rely on food stamps.
23. Reading, Pennsylvania
22. Danville, Virginia
Danville, Virginia, was once a bustling and wealthy town thanks to the tobacco and textile industries. However, as years went by, these industries have declined and led Danville’s population to decrease by 5.5% over the last 8 years. In order to try to revive its economy, Danville has turned to solar farming and revamping abandoned warehouses.
22. Danville, Virginia
21. Hemet, California
Although Hemet, California’s population has actually increase since 2010, this may not be a good sign after all, since 23% of the population is living in poverty, while its crime ate has increased as well. In 2016 alone, 398 aggravated assaults were recorded, 623 cars were stolen, and 170 robberies were reported — the most in the country.
21. Hemet, California
20. Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, Texas is right on the border of Mexico, and so it sees many attempts at illegal immigrant crossings, making it one of the most highly patrolled cities in the U.S. This makes selling property quite difficult for its residents. Additionally, 31% of Brownsville’s residents are living in poverty.
20. Brownsville, Texas
19. Lynwood, California
Although Lynwood, California was once considered “the best place to live,” it has since fallen into decline. The change came when Interstate 105 was constructed right through the city, causing many residents to leave. Additionally, during construction, many homes and businesses were completely demolished.
19. Lynwood, California
18. West New York, New Jersey
West New York, New Jersey is a tough area to live in, due to many factors. For example, the city is struggling with parking and trash issues as well. 22% of its population is living in poverty, while the average commute is 37 minutes.
18. West New York, New Jersey
17. Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan saw 30 shootings in just the year 2018, leading many to refer to the city by the nickname “sag-nasty.” GM’s factory closing down took 25,000 jobs along with it, and since 2010, the overall population has shrunk by 6%.
17. Saginaw, Michigan
16. Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi has certainly seen brighter days. Recently, the city of Jackson had to threaten 20,000 of its residents with cutting off the water supply since $45 million worth of bills were not paid. Since 2010, the city’s population has decreased by 5% and nearly 29% of the city’s remaining residents are living in poverty.
16. Jackson, Mississippi
15. Anderson, Indiana
Anderson, Indiana was once a booming town, boasting 24 active GM factories that provided a large portion of the population’s jobs. As these factories have shuttered, 24,000 jobs have been eliminated and the city fell into disrepair. In 2015, the city was allotted $2.8 million in order to bulldoze 100 abandoned households.
15. Anderson, Indiana
14. Macon Bibb County, Georgia
The total population of Macon Bibb Country’s population has declined by 2% over the past near-decade. Only 56% of the population is employed, and 26% of the population is impoverished. One of its main issues is the fact that the city has 3700 vacant buildings.
14. Macon Bibb County, Georgia
13. Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California could be described as a desert town, which makes it an undesirable place to live for most people. Of its population of 160,000 only 51% are employed and 23% are living in poverty. Lancaster struggles with a huge a meth addiction problem, as well as a high percentage of neo-Nazis. However, the city’s mayor, Rex Parris, is doing all in his power to help improve the city.
13. Lancaster, California
12. San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino, California, is the home of the very first McDonald’s restaurant as well as the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang. However, the city is in a tough recession with a steadily declining employment rate.
12. San Bernardino, California
11. Cicero, Illinois
Back in the 1920’s, Cicero, Illinois was referred to as Al Capone’s private playground,” and this reputation has lingered ever since. Due to its high level of gang related activity, Cicero has struggled for years. In 1999, the city voted to have gang members leave within 60 days or else face a $500 fine every single day.
11. Cicero, Illinois
10. Port Arthur, Texas
Port Arthur, Texas has seen significant damage after it was hit hard by not one or two but three hurricanes. In 2017, just Hurricane Harvey alone caused $1.3 billion in damage. The city’s official worry that as the population continues to decline, it may fall below 50,000 residents, which is the minimum population size in order to qualify for federal grants.
10. Port Arthur, Texas
9. Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan has been on the decline since the 1950’s and 60’s, when its manufacturing industry began to fall apart, leading 600,000 residents to move away. The population has decreased by 6% since 2010. Now, there are 43,000 abandoned buildings in Detroit, as well as the reputation of being one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S.
9. Detroit, Michigan
8. St. Louis, Missouri
Between the years of 2010 and 2018, St. Louis, Missouri saw a decrease of 5% in its total population. The city is rife with crime and gun violence and in 2015, there was a 33% increase in killings from 2014. The city’s mayor, Francis Slay, said that reducing crime is the city’s first priority.
8. St. Louis, Missouri
7. Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia’s population has dropped 6% since 2010. This doesn’t come as a surprise, as it has seen better days. In the early 1900’s Huntington was a successful coal town, but it is now known to be the country’s overdose capital due to its huge opioid crisis. In 2008, it was considered to be America’s most unhealthy city.
7. Huntington, West Virginia
6. North Miami, Florida
North Miami, Florida has faced many issues caused by flooding that is due to high tides. Steadily rising sea levels mean that the 2780 will soon stop functioning, leading waste water will end up in places where it should not go.
6. North Miami, Florida
5. Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey saw a streak of bad luck in 2011 that has impacted it to this day. The Great Falls, which once powered the city’s factories, flooded Paterson in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. After the flooding, Paterson was left with 1250 abandoned households. Between the years of 2009 and 2016, the city’s tax revenue dropped 38%.
5. Paterson, New Jersey
4. Huntington Park, California
Huntington Park, California, which is home to 97% Latino residents, is referred to as an entry point for immigrants, many of which ended up there illegally. This means that political engagement is very low. The poverty rate is very high and leads to difficulty in buying and selling property in the area.
4. Huntington Park, California
3. New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey has a population of 56,000 of which only 54% are employed, while 34% are living in poverty. New Brunswick is dealing with very high levels of crime, and in 2017, the number of assault with guns increased by 64%.
3. New Brunswick, New Jersey
2. Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan has made headlines due to the water crisis that the city’s residents have been struggling with. Flint is the most impoverished city on this list, with 41% of its residents living in poverty. Flint also struggles with a high violence rate, an opioid crisis, and also 20,000 abandoned buildings.
2. Flint, Michigan
1. Gary, Indiana
In 2017, when describing Gary, Indiana, a drug enforcement agent said this: “We used to be the murder capital of the US, but there is hardly anybody left to kill. We used to be the drug capital of the US, but for that you need money, and there aren’t jobs or things to steal here.”
1. Gary, Indiana
