- 1,182
- 2,272
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2018
10. Milwaukee
More than one in every four MIlwaukee residents live in poverty, more than double the 11.8% state poverty rate. Poor cities often have higher crime rates than more affluent cities, and Milwaukee is no exception. There were 1,546 violent crimes for every 100,000 Milwaukee residents, more than five times the statewide violent crime rate of 306 per 100,000.
As is the case with nearly every Midwestern city on this list, Milwaukee's population is shrinking. In the last five years, the city's population count fell by 0.5%, even as the U.S. population grew by 3.7%.
9. Baltimore
Baltimore's median annual household income of $47,350 is the lowest of any city in Maryland. The city's poor households face additional strain because of the high cost of living. Goods and services are about 12% more expensive in Baltimore than they are nationwide on average.
Long commutes cut into personal time and can diminish overall quality of life. In Baltimore, a city with some of the most congested roadways in the country, the average commute time is over half an hour, longer than in the vast majority of American cities.
8. Springfield, Mo.
Along with St. Louis, Springfield is one of two Missouri cities to rank among the worst cities to live in. As is also the case in St. Louis, crime detracts considerably from overall quality of life in Springfield. There were 1,345 violent crimes for every 100,000 city residents in 2016, more than triple the U.S. violent crime rate. Additionally, there were 8,518 property crimes in the city for every 100,000 people in 2016, the third highest property crime rate in the United States.
A large share of Springfield residents struggle financially. About one in every four city residents live below the poverty line, the largest share of any large city in the state.
7. Albany, Ga.
The populations of several cities on this list are shrinking, but few are losing residents as fast as Albany, Georgia. In the last five years, Albany's population declined by 4.8%, even as the U.S. population expanded by 3.7%. The falling population is likely attributable in part to bleak economic conditions. Some 32.5% of city residents live in poverty, more than double the state poverty rate of 16.0% and the U.S. rate of 14.0%. More jobs in the city would likely go a long way to ease serious financial hardship. Some 7.0% of workers in Albany are out of job, the highest unemployment rate of any Georgia city.
6. Wilmington, Del.
Low incomes and a high cost of living likely detract from overall quality of life for many in Wilmington, Delaware. The typical household in the city earns just $36,435 a year -- well below the median income of $57,617 nationwide -- and 27.7% of the city's population lives below the poverty line, nearly double the U.S. poverty rate. Meanwhile, goods and services in Wilmington are about 17% more expensive than they are on average nationwide.
Wilmington also ranks as one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. There were 1,798 violent crimes in Wilmington for every 100,000 residents in 2016, more than all but four other cities and more than quadruple the national violent crime rate.
5. Cleveland
One of the poorest cities in the country, Cleveland's 35% poverty rate is more than double the U.S. poverty rate and higher than that of all but one other city in the state. Cleveland's 6.9% jobless rate is also the second highest of any city in the state. The city is also dangerous. There were 1,633 violent crimes in the city for every 100,000 residents in 2016, more than in all but eight other U.S. cities and quadruple the national violent crime rate.
Widespread poverty, a high crime rate, and a bleak jobs picture likely partially explain the declining population. In the last decade, Cleveland's population fell by 2.4% even as the country's population as a whole grew by 7.1%.
4. Memphis
In Memphis, serious financial hardship and high crime rate detract from the overall quality of life of many residents. Some 26.9% of area residents live in poverty, the largest share of any city in the state and well above the 14.0% U.S. poverty rate. Poorer cities often struggle more with crime, and Memphis is no exception. There were 1,830 violent crimes in the city for every 100,000 residents in 2016, a higher violent crime rate than in all but three other U.S. cities and nearly five times the comparable U.S. violent crime rate.
3. St. Louis
St. Louis is the worst city to live in in Missouri and third worst nationwide. A concentration of violence in parts of the city makes St. Louis a particularly difficult place to live. There were 1,932 violent crimes for every 100,000 city residents in 2016, the third highest violent crime rate of any U.S. city and five times the comparable U.S. rate. Crime rates are often higher in economically depressed areas, and St. Louis is a relatively poor city. Some 23.8% of residents live below the poverty line, a higher poverty rate than in the majority of U.S. cities and nearly 10 percentage points above both the U.S. and statewide poverty rates of 14.0%.
As is the case in nearly every other Midwestern city on this list, St. Louis is losing residents. The city's population fell by 11.2% over the past decade, even as the U.S. population expanded by 7.1%.
2. Flint, Mich.
Flint is second-worst city to live in in both Michigan and the United States as a whole. Some 44.5% of Flint's population lives below the poverty line, the highest poverty rate of any city in the country. Financial hardship in the city is precipitated in part by a lagging job market. The city's 9.8% unemployment rate is double the annual U.S. unemployment rate of 4.9%. The city may be an unattractive place for many employers and small business owners to operate in, both because of high crime rates and the relatively small college-educated population. Flint's violent crime rate of 1,587 incidents per 100,000 people is more than triple the state violent crime rate. Also, only 10.5% of city residents have a bachelor's degree, about a third of the 31.3% share of American adults.
1. Detroit
The poster child of American post-industrial urban decline, Detroit, Michigan, ranks as the worst city in the country to live in. Once home to 1.8 million residents at the peak of U.S. auto manufacturing in the 1950s, the city is now home to fewer than 700,000 after decades of decline.
A poor, economically depressed city, more than one in every three Detroit residents live below the poverty line. The city also has one of the highest unemployment rates in the United States, with 10.9% of the workforce out of a job. Detroit is also dangerous. There were over 2,000 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2016.
More: Which town in your state is the poorest? Here is the list
Detailed findings
Problems like poverty, high unemployment rates, and high crime rates can have far-reaching effects -- and rarely does one exist without the others.
- Population: 595,070
- Median home value: $114,700
- Poverty rate: 26.7%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:23.3%
More than one in every four MIlwaukee residents live in poverty, more than double the 11.8% state poverty rate. Poor cities often have higher crime rates than more affluent cities, and Milwaukee is no exception. There were 1,546 violent crimes for every 100,000 Milwaukee residents, more than five times the statewide violent crime rate of 306 per 100,000.
As is the case with nearly every Midwestern city on this list, Milwaukee's population is shrinking. In the last five years, the city's population count fell by 0.5%, even as the U.S. population grew by 3.7%.
9. Baltimore
- Population: 614,664
- Median home value: $153,500
- Poverty rate: 21.9%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:30.8%
Baltimore's median annual household income of $47,350 is the lowest of any city in Maryland. The city's poor households face additional strain because of the high cost of living. Goods and services are about 12% more expensive in Baltimore than they are nationwide on average.
Long commutes cut into personal time and can diminish overall quality of life. In Baltimore, a city with some of the most congested roadways in the country, the average commute time is over half an hour, longer than in the vast majority of American cities.
8. Springfield, Mo.
- Population: 167,313
- Median home value: $115,900
- Poverty rate: 24.6%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:25.7%
Along with St. Louis, Springfield is one of two Missouri cities to rank among the worst cities to live in. As is also the case in St. Louis, crime detracts considerably from overall quality of life in Springfield. There were 1,345 violent crimes for every 100,000 city residents in 2016, more than triple the U.S. violent crime rate. Additionally, there were 8,518 property crimes in the city for every 100,000 people in 2016, the third highest property crime rate in the United States.
A large share of Springfield residents struggle financially. About one in every four city residents live below the poverty line, the largest share of any large city in the state.
7. Albany, Ga.
- Population: 74,904
- Median home value: $88,800
- Poverty rate: 32.5%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:20.1%
The populations of several cities on this list are shrinking, but few are losing residents as fast as Albany, Georgia. In the last five years, Albany's population declined by 4.8%, even as the U.S. population expanded by 3.7%. The falling population is likely attributable in part to bleak economic conditions. Some 32.5% of city residents live in poverty, more than double the state poverty rate of 16.0% and the U.S. rate of 14.0%. More jobs in the city would likely go a long way to ease serious financial hardship. Some 7.0% of workers in Albany are out of job, the highest unemployment rate of any Georgia city.
6. Wilmington, Del.
- Population: 71,455
- Median home value: $145,600
- Poverty rate: 27.7%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:25.6%
Low incomes and a high cost of living likely detract from overall quality of life for many in Wilmington, Delaware. The typical household in the city earns just $36,435 a year -- well below the median income of $57,617 nationwide -- and 27.7% of the city's population lives below the poverty line, nearly double the U.S. poverty rate. Meanwhile, goods and services in Wilmington are about 17% more expensive than they are on average nationwide.
Wilmington also ranks as one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. There were 1,798 violent crimes in Wilmington for every 100,000 residents in 2016, more than all but four other cities and more than quadruple the national violent crime rate.
5. Cleveland
- Population: 385,81
- Median home value: $66,800
- Poverty rate: 35.0%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:16.3%
One of the poorest cities in the country, Cleveland's 35% poverty rate is more than double the U.S. poverty rate and higher than that of all but one other city in the state. Cleveland's 6.9% jobless rate is also the second highest of any city in the state. The city is also dangerous. There were 1,633 violent crimes in the city for every 100,000 residents in 2016, more than in all but eight other U.S. cities and quadruple the national violent crime rate.
Widespread poverty, a high crime rate, and a bleak jobs picture likely partially explain the declining population. In the last decade, Cleveland's population fell by 2.4% even as the country's population as a whole grew by 7.1%.
4. Memphis
- Population: 652,752
- Median home value: $96,800
- Poverty rate: 26.9%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:25.6%
In Memphis, serious financial hardship and high crime rate detract from the overall quality of life of many residents. Some 26.9% of area residents live in poverty, the largest share of any city in the state and well above the 14.0% U.S. poverty rate. Poorer cities often struggle more with crime, and Memphis is no exception. There were 1,830 violent crimes in the city for every 100,000 residents in 2016, a higher violent crime rate than in all but three other U.S. cities and nearly five times the comparable U.S. violent crime rate.
3. St. Louis
- Population: 311,404
- Median home value: $125,800
- Poverty rate: 23.8%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:34.1%
St. Louis is the worst city to live in in Missouri and third worst nationwide. A concentration of violence in parts of the city makes St. Louis a particularly difficult place to live. There were 1,932 violent crimes for every 100,000 city residents in 2016, the third highest violent crime rate of any U.S. city and five times the comparable U.S. rate. Crime rates are often higher in economically depressed areas, and St. Louis is a relatively poor city. Some 23.8% of residents live below the poverty line, a higher poverty rate than in the majority of U.S. cities and nearly 10 percentage points above both the U.S. and statewide poverty rates of 14.0%.
As is the case in nearly every other Midwestern city on this list, St. Louis is losing residents. The city's population fell by 11.2% over the past decade, even as the U.S. population expanded by 7.1%.
2. Flint, Mich.
- Population: 97,379
- Median home value: $28,200
- Poverty rate: 44.5%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:10.5%
Flint is second-worst city to live in in both Michigan and the United States as a whole. Some 44.5% of Flint's population lives below the poverty line, the highest poverty rate of any city in the country. Financial hardship in the city is precipitated in part by a lagging job market. The city's 9.8% unemployment rate is double the annual U.S. unemployment rate of 4.9%. The city may be an unattractive place for many employers and small business owners to operate in, both because of high crime rates and the relatively small college-educated population. Flint's violent crime rate of 1,587 incidents per 100,000 people is more than triple the state violent crime rate. Also, only 10.5% of city residents have a bachelor's degree, about a third of the 31.3% share of American adults.
1. Detroit
- Population: 672,829
- Median home value: $43,500
- Poverty rate: 35.7%
- Pct. with at least a bachelor's degree:14.9%
The poster child of American post-industrial urban decline, Detroit, Michigan, ranks as the worst city in the country to live in. Once home to 1.8 million residents at the peak of U.S. auto manufacturing in the 1950s, the city is now home to fewer than 700,000 after decades of decline.
A poor, economically depressed city, more than one in every three Detroit residents live below the poverty line. The city also has one of the highest unemployment rates in the United States, with 10.9% of the workforce out of a job. Detroit is also dangerous. There were over 2,000 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2016.
More: Which town in your state is the poorest? Here is the list
Detailed findings
Problems like poverty, high unemployment rates, and high crime rates can have far-reaching effects -- and rarely does one exist without the others.
