There’s a common denominator that all bad mid-sized cities have.
They are the places that have bad economies. They are the places where the school systems are in bad shape. They’re the places where people are out of work. They are the places where residents earn low salaries.
And certainly, no one wants to be there if crime is really high.
We defined mid-sized cities using we used Saturday Night Science as having populations between 77,000 and 119,000. The 251st through the 500th biggest cities in the United States to be exact. Many are suburbs of major cities where things aren’t going very well right now, at least according to data.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Worst Places To Live In The United States For 2026
We understand there’s a lot of good in every place. However, according to data (which doesn’t measure things like beauty, ‘friendly people,’ and community involvement), America has far better options for making a place home.
What is the best mid-sized city to live in in the United States? Newton, MA.
For more reading about America, check out:
- Worst States In America
- Most Dangerous States In America
- Best States In America
- Safest States In America
- Cheapest States To Live In
- Most Dangerous Cities
- Best Places By State
- Safest Cities By State
The 10 Worst Mid Sizes Cities In America For 2026
/10
Population: 89,805
Median Home Value: $193,976 (11th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.5% (51st worst)
Median Income: $54,816
More on Fort Smith: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 113,279
Median Home Value: $166,671 (7th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.4% (60th worst)
Median Income: $56,997
More on Beaumont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 90,595
Median Home Value: $139,275 (3rd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 8.1% (17th worst)
Median Income: $54,433
More on Lawton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 114,197
Median Home Value: $290,022 (48th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.0% (37th worst)
Median Income: $55,422
More on Las Cruces: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Beautiful weather, great scenery, low cost of living. Crime rate has increased, though, over the last two years.
Old Mesilla is a place where Billy the Kid was and is full of boutiques and great restaurants. There is bad construction in major streets that will often last over one year.
/10
Population: 85,205
Median Home Value: $246,066 (30th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 10.2% (4th worst)
Median Income: $59,910
More on Baytown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 80,137
Median Home Value: $222,893 (23rd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (63rd worst)
Median Income: $55,424
More on Jonesboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 82,884
Median Home Value: $277,330 (43rd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 5.7% (84th worst)
Median Income: $64,059
More on Gastonia: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 111,038
Median Home Value: $228,947 (24th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.7% (25th worst)
Median Income: $51,464
More on Tuscaloosa: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 90,338
Median Home Value: $345,375 (58th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 10.1% (5th worst)
Median Income: $52,537
More on Trenton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I grew up in Trenton. It was close to everything, malls, food, and shops. You name it! We kept our doors unlocked and everyone knew their neighbor. It wasn’t a very rich city but people were friendly and there was low crime. Fast forward to today, 39 years later, things are a lot different. Shops are closed, crime is high, streets a loaded with trash and everyone is fighting each other. No one goes to Trenton anymore.
I wouldn’t recommend a trip to Trenton unless you are visiting relatives or have an appointment during the day with a business. Bullets are always crossing the streets from gang fights. I’d recommend going else where.
/10
Population: 112,169
Median Home Value: $128,837 (2nd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.5% (27th worst)
Median Income: $59,410
More on Peoria: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Worst Mid-Sized Cities In The US
In order to rank the worst mid-sized cities to live in America, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. It isn’t a stretch to assume that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy.
Using FBI crime data and the most recent 2020-2024 American Community Survey data, this is the criteria we plugged into Saturday Night Science:
- Low Population Density
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Low home prices
- A lot of uninsured individuals
- A high portion of uneducated adults
- High Crime
- High Poverty
We defined “mid-sized” to be the 251st through the 500th biggest cities in the United States.
If you’d like to see the complete list of cities, scroll to the bottom of this post to see a link to the entire data set.
We updated this report for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the worst mid-sized cities to live in America. This report is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment — don’t freak out.
Summary: The Worst Mid-Sized Cities in America
These are the mid-sized cities in the U.S. where crime is high, people are broke, and the public schools are lousy.
The worst mid-sized cities in the United States are Fort Smith, AR, Beaumont, TX, Lawton, OK, Las Cruces, NM, Baytown, TX, Jonesboro, AR, Gastonia, NC, Tuscaloosa, AL, Trenton, NJ, and Peoria, IL.
If you’re also curious enough, here are the best cities in America, according to Saturday Night Science:
- Newton
- San Ramon
- Mission Viejo
For more reading, check out:
Detailed List Of The Worst Mid-Sized Cities To Live In America
| Rank | City | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Smith, AR | 89,805 | 6.5% | $193,976 | $54,816 |
| 2 | Beaumont, TX | 113,279 | 6.4% | $166,671 | $56,997 |
| 3 | Lawton, OK | 90,595 | 8.1% | $139,275 | $54,433 |
| 4 | Las Cruces, NM | 114,197 | 7.0% | $290,022 | $55,422 |
| 5 | Baytown, TX | 85,205 | 10.2% | $246,066 | $59,910 |
| 6 | Jonesboro, AR | 80,137 | 6.3% | $222,893 | $55,424 |
| 7 | Gastonia, NC | 82,884 | 5.7% | $277,330 | $64,059 |
| 8 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 111,038 | 7.7% | $228,947 | $51,464 |
| 9 | Trenton, NJ | 90,338 | 10.1% | $345,375 | $52,537 |
| 10 | Peoria, IL | 112,169 | 7.5% | $128,837 | $59,410 |
| 11 | South Bend, IN | 103,085 | 6.5% | $192,339 | $55,786 |
| 12 | Merced, CA | 91,953 | 11.3% | $397,875 | $63,122 |
| 13 | Lake Charles, LA | 81,143 | 6.6% | $199,011 | $59,235 |
| 14 | Temple, TX | 89,602 | 6.6% | $249,531 | $68,204 |
| 15 | Greenville, NC | 92,857 | 9.0% | $235,821 | $49,748 |
| 16 | North Charleston, SC | 119,913 | 4.3% | $309,521 | $62,956 |
| 17 | Roanoke, VA | 98,355 | 5.6% | $277,113 | $55,378 |
| 18 | Edinburg, TX | 104,550 | 6.1% | $217,344 | $59,466 |
| 19 | Lansing, MI | 113,023 | 8.2% | $163,359 | $54,382 |
| 20 | Waterbury, CT | 114,869 | 9.3% | $276,344 | $51,886 |
| 21 | Flint, MI | 80,175 | 14.8% | $65,071 | $37,646 |
| 22 | Kissimmee, FL | 81,479 | 7.5% | $358,736 | $53,758 |
| 23 | Evansville, IN | 116,116 | 5.1% | $198,977 | $53,387 |
| 24 | Pharr, TX | 80,333 | 7.2% | $164,025 | $52,814 |
| 25 | Portsmouth, VA | 97,190 | 6.6% | $260,461 | $60,491 |
| 26 | Yakima, WA | 96,961 | 8.4% | $359,875 | $62,815 |
| 27 | Warner Robins, GA | 82,990 | 6.4% | $212,129 | $66,970 |
| 28 | Reading, PA | 95,242 | 13.7% | $260,653 | $44,091 |
| 29 | Hesperia, CA | 100,775 | 9.3% | $460,686 | $72,160 |
| 30 | Wichita Falls, TX | 102,581 | 3.8% | $172,050 | $60,177 |
| 31 | Bryan, TX | 87,939 | 5.0% | $274,647 | $59,289 |
| 32 | Greeley, CO | 110,806 | 5.6% | $420,463 | $69,881 |
| 33 | Sioux City, IA | 86,101 | 4.5% | $196,299 | $68,906 |
| 34 | Mission, TX | 87,038 | 7.8% | $220,634 | $60,767 |
| 35 | High Point, NC | 116,245 | 5.2% | $249,820 | $64,561 |
| 36 | Springfield, IL | 113,330 | 6.8% | $163,198 | $66,064 |
| 37 | Pueblo, CO | 111,561 | 5.0% | $283,603 | $56,664 |
| 38 | Yuma, AZ | 100,139 | 6.3% | $301,507 | $65,482 |
| 39 | Compton, CA | 92,698 | 8.0% | $637,960 | $78,465 |
| 40 | Odessa, TX | 115,322 | 5.9% | $251,239 | $73,472 |
| 41 | Waukegan, IL | 89,076 | 6.4% | $235,400 | $71,919 |
| 42 | Springdale, AR | 88,160 | 3.7% | $338,447 | $69,787 |
| 43 | Longview, TX | 82,923 | 3.1% | $230,972 | $63,340 |
| 44 | Fall River, MA | 94,082 | 6.5% | $445,781 | $56,673 |
| 45 | Albany, NY | 100,492 | 7.8% | $320,505 | $61,986 |
| 46 | Miami Gardens, FL | 113,177 | 9.0% | $469,434 | $63,627 |
| 47 | Davenport, IA | 100,913 | 4.6% | $187,412 | $66,200 |
| 48 | Santa Fe, NM | 89,019 | 5.1% | $580,021 | $73,482 |
| 49 | Asheville, NC | 94,535 | 5.1% | $460,993 | $71,102 |
| 50 | Santa Maria, CA | 110,462 | 7.3% | $658,010 | $84,746 |
| 51 | Hemet, CA | 91,326 | 8.0% | $444,333 | $57,719 |
| 52 | Tyler, TX | 109,215 | 4.5% | $251,562 | $67,486 |
| 53 | Erie, PA | 93,850 | 7.1% | $198,492 | $46,113 |
| 54 | Inglewood, CA | 104,569 | 8.3% | $763,567 | $72,750 |
| 55 | South Gate, CA | 91,483 | 7.4% | $700,783 | $74,571 |
| 56 | Richmond, CA | 115,505 | 8.3% | $606,426 | $95,391 |
| 57 | Rapid City, SD | 77,946 | 2.6% | $361,495 | $70,870 |
| 58 | San Angelo, TX | 99,674 | 3.9% | $220,605 | $65,864 |
| 59 | Pasco, WA | 79,575 | 5.3% | $418,088 | $85,586 |
| 60 | Perris, CA | 80,511 | 7.9% | $543,988 | $88,911 |
| 61 | Fayetteville, AR | 99,319 | 4.0% | $377,910 | $62,695 |
| 62 | Rialto, CA | 104,143 | 7.7% | $588,566 | $88,857 |
| 63 | Dearborn, MI | 107,423 | 6.6% | $245,068 | $65,324 |
| 64 | Chico, CA | 102,188 | 6.8% | $466,203 | $66,977 |
| 65 | Lynchburg, VA | 79,497 | 5.3% | $262,101 | $57,947 |
| 66 | Kennewick, WA | 85,295 | 5.1% | $430,870 | $73,576 |
| 67 | Hawthorne, CA | 85,191 | 7.9% | $883,585 | $75,848 |
| 68 | Boynton Beach, FL | 81,435 | 5.4% | $401,877 | $70,074 |
| 69 | New Bedford, MA | 100,998 | 8.3% | $434,261 | $56,981 |
| 70 | El Monte, CA | 106,109 | 6.3% | $765,444 | $68,030 |
| 71 | Ogden, UT | 87,413 | 4.1% | $400,513 | $72,575 |
| 72 | Conroe, TX | 102,360 | 3.9% | $313,986 | $76,206 |
| 73 | Danbury, CT | 87,263 | 6.5% | $478,978 | $83,393 |
| 74 | Antioch, CA | 116,477 | 7.4% | $598,211 | $97,465 |
| 75 | Redding, CA | 93,409 | 5.3% | $388,869 | $70,466 |
| 76 | Avondale, AZ | 92,477 | 3.6% | $398,567 | $86,123 |
| 77 | Racine, WI | 77,633 | 6.1% | $208,908 | $57,740 |
| 78 | Champaign, IL | 89,996 | 4.8% | $231,273 | $56,118 |
| 79 | Federal Way, WA | 99,493 | 5.4% | $601,744 | $86,909 |
| 80 | Auburn, WA | 85,676 | 6.0% | $614,182 | $97,884 |
| 81 | Lawrence, KS | 96,051 | 4.4% | $331,112 | $65,009 |
| 82 | Medford, OR | 86,315 | 5.3% | $406,688 | $73,230 |
| 83 | Cicero, IL | 82,797 | 5.0% | $264,526 | $70,842 |
| 84 | Westland, MI | 83,633 | 6.0% | $211,889 | $62,076 |
| 85 | El Cajon, CA | 104,449 | 9.6% | $816,316 | $67,511 |
| 86 | Green Bay, WI | 106,253 | 3.7% | $278,023 | $66,206 |
| 87 | Jurupa Valley, CA | 107,011 | 5.7% | $672,514 | $97,550 |
| 88 | Sparks, NV | 110,024 | 5.2% | $529,282 | $89,056 |
| 89 | Brockton, MA | 105,386 | 8.6% | $503,832 | $80,115 |
| 90 | Gresham, OR | 112,378 | 5.6% | $471,181 | $77,795 |
| 91 | Rancho Cordova, CA | 81,849 | 7.3% | $535,996 | $89,585 |
| 92 | Everett, WA | 111,845 | 5.8% | $662,785 | $83,512 |
| 93 | Elgin, IL | 114,934 | 6.1% | $329,682 | $90,282 |
| 94 | Billings, MT | 119,434 | 3.5% | $392,208 | $73,712 |
| 95 | Wyoming, MI | 77,353 | 4.1% | $286,890 | $73,677 |
| 96 | Spokane Valley, WA | 106,365 | 5.2% | $408,887 | $74,042 |
| 97 | Bellingham, WA | 93,438 | 5.6% | $668,589 | $66,755 |
| 98 | Provo, UT | 114,766 | 5.1% | $484,203 | $64,171 |
| 99 | Suffolk, VA | 98,796 | 5.0% | $384,300 | $92,666 |
| 100 | Bethlehem, PA | 77,956 | 6.6% | $351,352 | $68,879 |
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I like Spring Hill. When I first came here, I asked folks where do the professionals and creative folks get together to meet one another. Was told there are no places to meet people.
Let me tell you, the houses are cheap. I would like to add, this place is called Sink Hill after all the sink holes. It is also called Sh*t Hill because the people are so unfriendly, narrow minded, suspicious, and stupid.
We can’t include every armpit town in the U.S. My nominee for one of the worst medium sized cities is Springdale, Arkansas. This town of about 74000 in Northwest Arkansas, otherwise not a bad place at all is pure hardcore right wing redneck on one side of town, the west, and is a slum full of very very bad people on the east.
Property values here have plummeted 60% in the last 10 to15 years, gang crime is rampant, there is no sense of community, only hate back and forth and against the other cities that are much much better, including Fayetteville, one of the highest ranking good cities in the country.
The downtown is deserted, there is no interest in historical buildings, reviving downtown, or anything to make Springdale anything more than a flat, ugly city with strip malls and fast food joints.
Plus, Tyson, Cargill and George’s poultry operations are the prominent employers, and the town smells absolutely terrible.
But it’s the people I had to work with and be around for over thirty two years that make this dump hideous. I do not live there, and wouldn’t for any amount of money because too many of its residents are just plain mean and poorly educated.
One of the most unfriendly cities you’ll ever encounter.
Fort Pierce, FL is on here for one of the top ten worst cities to live because there is nothing in Fort Pierce besides the hospital and the jail. The healthcare is horrible, but no need to worry they do have two cemeteries most likely where you end up after a hospital stay at there county hospital. The police were caught robbing people that they pulled over.
The only thing it has going for it is the water which is the Indian River, that is, of course, if they fixed its pollution problem.
They use to grow citrus until some citrus canker closed that industry down and good luck finding work here. If you buy in this city its most likely going to be yours forever unless you want to give it away. I can see why it made the worst place to live.
The bright side is that you can find some affordable rent in Fort Pierce.