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 76,000 and 117,000. 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 2024
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
- Safest Cities By State
- Worst Places To Live In America
- Best Places To Live In America
- Best Places By State
- Worst Places To Live By State
- Most Dangerous States In America
- Dangerous Places By State
The 10 Worst Mid Sizes Cities In America For 2024
/10
Population: 89,315
Median Home Value: $172,064 (13th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.1% (70th worst)
Median Income: $50,799
More on Fort Smith: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 114,573
Median Home Value: $144,702 (5th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 5.3% (114th worst)
Median Income: $53,745
More on Beaumont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 111,273
Median Home Value: $281,919 (50th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.5% (28th worst)
Median Income: $51,013
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: 91,023
Median Home Value: $121,696 (3rd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.7% (25th worst)
Median Income: $51,561
More on Lawton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 84,449
Median Home Value: $224,259 (31st worst)
Unemployment Rate: 9.2% (8th worst)
Median Income: $61,158
More on Baytown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 78,379
Median Home Value: $211,729 (28th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.7% (48th worst)
Median Income: $51,124
More on Jonesboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 100,964
Median Home Value: $199,290 (22nd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.2% (31st worst)
Median Income: $54,139
More on Edinburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 103,084
Median Home Value: $168,507 (12th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 5.5% (100th worst)
Median Income: $49,056
More on South Bend: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
South Bend, home of Notre Dame, is nothing like Notre Dame. It is an aging city with some seedy area. It does offer parks and theater, plus a great library system. I truly enjoyed the visit.
St. Patrick’s Park along the St Joe River is a great place to explorer. There are multiple trails, with a clean environment. Downtown offers a variety of shops and a theater.
/10
Population: 96,764
Median Home Value: $334,812 (65th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 8.1% (17th worst)
Median Income: $55,734
More on Yakima: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I moved from Yakima to Spokane…went back for a visit, is never happening again.
Spokane at least keeps the druggies, car thefts, crime, and poverty to Felonie Flats” otherwise known as the “West Side”.
When I left yakima, there was “the hole” now the whole city is one.”
/10
Population: 77,390
Median Home Value: $158,375 (7th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (59th worst)
Median Income: $52,368
More on Hammond: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
South Hammond and Northern Hammond/Robertsdale are decent areas to live. Most of the people that talk down on the city are people that don’t live here. I wouldn’t recommend living in Central Hammond, or Hessville but crime happens everywhere. If you’re comparing Hammond to Gary you clearly have never been to either. Hammond is mostly just inconsistent. You can have a few good blocks and then have one or two blocks that are a bit suspect. Stop being ignorant about where people live without actually doing research.
Olympia Lanes, Petros, Peteyville, Festival of the Lakes, College Bound,
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 2018-2022 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 2024. This report is our tenth 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, Las Cruces, NM, Lawton, OK, Baytown, TX, Jonesboro, AR, Edinburg, TX, South Bend, IN, Yakima, WA, and Hammond, IN.
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 | 89,315 | 6.1% | $172,064 | $50,799 |
| 2 | Beaumont, TX | 114,573 | 5.3% | $144,702 | $53,745 |
| 3 | Las Cruces, NM | 111,273 | 7.5% | $281,919 | $51,013 |
| 4 | Lawton, OK | 91,023 | 7.7% | $121,696 | $51,561 |
| 5 | Baytown, TX | 84,449 | 9.2% | $224,259 | $61,158 |
| 6 | Jonesboro, AR | 78,379 | 6.7% | $211,729 | $51,124 |
| 7 | Edinburg, TX | 100,964 | 7.2% | $199,290 | $54,139 |
| 8 | South Bend, IN | 103,084 | 5.5% | $168,507 | $49,056 |
| 9 | Yakima, WA | 96,764 | 8.1% | $334,812 | $55,734 |
| 10 | Hammond, IN | 77,390 | 6.3% | $158,375 | $52,368 |
| 11 | Pueblo, CO | 111,430 | 6.6% | $286,223 | $52,794 |
| 12 | Mission, TX | 85,755 | 8.8% | $205,501 | $56,421 |
| 13 | Merced, CA | 87,686 | 12.6% | $376,996 | $59,233 |
| 14 | Trenton, NJ | 90,055 | 10.2% | $304,449 | $44,444 |
| 15 | Gastonia, NC | 80,615 | 5.6% | $275,514 | $58,047 |
| 16 | North Charleston, SC | 115,755 | 4.3% | $292,239 | $58,534 |
| 17 | Roanoke, VA | 99,213 | 6.6% | $247,891 | $51,523 |
| 18 | Wichita Falls, TX | 102,482 | 4.4% | $161,556 | $55,584 |
| 19 | Peoria, IL | 113,054 | 8.0% | $116,051 | $58,068 |
| 20 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 105,797 | 6.8% | $207,537 | $47,257 |
| 21 | Yuma, AZ | 96,314 | 7.7% | $284,259 | $59,312 |
| 22 | Evansville, IN | 116,906 | 5.7% | $179,994 | $49,853 |
| 23 | Lansing, MI | 112,986 | 8.3% | $143,798 | $50,747 |
| 24 | Lake Charles, LA | 82,430 | 5.7% | $188,679 | $54,761 |
| 25 | Bryan, TX | 84,820 | 4.9% | $253,635 | $55,234 |
| 26 | High Point, NC | 114,120 | 6.2% | $229,659 | $58,582 |
| 27 | Pompano Beach, FL | 111,790 | 8.7% | $363,916 | $61,155 |
| 28 | Greenville, NC | 87,894 | 8.7% | $229,462 | $47,485 |
| 29 | Waterbury, CT | 114,480 | 9.8% | $232,478 | $51,451 |
| 30 | Flint, MI | 81,863 | 17.6% | $48,574 | $35,451 |
| 31 | Pharr, TX | 79,434 | 6.1% | $159,705 | $45,016 |
| 32 | Portsmouth, VA | 97,384 | 6.6% | $238,266 | $57,154 |
| 33 | Springdale, AR | 86,705 | 4.4% | $300,208 | $59,985 |
| 34 | Warner Robins, GA | 80,374 | 6.5% | $194,094 | $63,678 |
| 35 | Temple, TX | 83,473 | 7.1% | $252,280 | $61,003 |
| 36 | Kissimmee, FL | 78,478 | 6.6% | $367,593 | $45,319 |
| 37 | Hesperia, CA | 99,878 | 9.8% | $428,607 | $67,698 |
| 38 | Odessa, TX | 113,353 | 6.1% | $210,384 | $71,293 |
| 39 | Miami Gardens, FL | 111,618 | 7.9% | $440,066 | $56,071 |
| 40 | Homestead, FL | 79,996 | 4.8% | $423,264 | $57,739 |
| 41 | Longview, TX | 82,176 | 3.5% | $223,046 | $61,003 |
| 42 | Springfield, IL | 114,214 | 6.6% | $147,947 | $62,419 |
| 43 | Greeley, CO | 107,949 | 5.6% | $411,873 | $65,525 |
| 44 | Tyler, TX | 106,440 | 5.3% | $249,005 | $63,056 |
| 45 | Davenport, IA | 101,448 | 5.0% | $166,729 | $59,890 |
| 46 | Hemet, CA | 89,651 | 9.5% | $425,611 | $49,901 |
| 47 | Albany, NY | 99,692 | 8.0% | $281,271 | $54,736 |
| 48 | Sioux City, IA | 85,469 | 4.7% | $179,943 | $64,250 |
| 49 | Erie, PA | 94,826 | 6.8% | $168,333 | $43,135 |
| 50 | Fall River, MA | 93,638 | 8.4% | $390,416 | $52,734 |
| 51 | Fayetteville, AR | 95,022 | 5.3% | $342,122 | $56,881 |
| 52 | Compton, CA | 94,822 | 7.9% | $584,418 | $69,728 |
| 53 | Santa Fe, NM | 87,617 | 5.3% | $571,512 | $67,663 |
| 54 | Fort Myers, FL | 88,699 | 4.1% | $373,425 | $57,403 |
| 55 | Pasco, WA | 77,274 | 5.8% | $402,116 | $75,316 |
| 56 | Melbourne, FL | 84,982 | 4.6% | $374,800 | $60,917 |
| 57 | Wilmington, NC | 116,933 | 4.9% | $390,034 | $58,908 |
| 58 | South Gate, CA | 92,381 | 7.9% | $635,980 | $67,188 |
| 59 | Perris, CA | 78,881 | 7.1% | $510,724 | $78,352 |
| 60 | Deerfield Beach, FL | 86,455 | 6.3% | $300,832 | $53,741 |
| 61 | Rialto, CA | 103,873 | 9.3% | $539,398 | $80,750 |
| 62 | Santa Maria, CA | 109,543 | 6.3% | $595,082 | $81,237 |
| 63 | Lakeland, FL | 114,404 | 5.4% | $292,407 | $58,290 |
| 64 | Inglewood, CA | 106,806 | 8.2% | $724,865 | $67,563 |
| 65 | Lynchburg, VA | 79,166 | 5.4% | $242,735 | $56,243 |
| 66 | San Angelo, TX | 99,422 | 3.2% | $203,897 | $65,040 |
| 67 | Avondale, AZ | 89,214 | 4.8% | $401,338 | $76,496 |
| 68 | Asheville, NC | 93,695 | 4.1% | $451,444 | $63,810 |
| 69 | New Bedford, MA | 100,620 | 7.2% | $380,670 | $54,604 |
| 70 | Richmond, CA | 115,619 | 6.9% | $633,759 | $86,618 |
| 71 | Kennewick, WA | 83,823 | 4.5% | $408,524 | $70,429 |
| 72 | Redding, CA | 93,327 | 5.9% | $383,089 | $67,323 |
| 73 | Ogden, UT | 86,754 | 4.3% | $374,519 | $66,226 |
| 74 | Conroe, TX | 92,475 | 3.4% | $322,197 | $71,630 |
| 75 | Racine, WI | 77,453 | 6.0% | $174,516 | $52,766 |
| 76 | Jurupa Valley, CA | 105,672 | 6.8% | $617,207 | $91,562 |
| 77 | Indio, CA | 89,616 | 7.3% | $507,258 | $68,436 |
| 78 | Waukegan, IL | 89,435 | 5.3% | $198,968 | $66,077 |
| 79 | Dearborn, MI | 108,414 | 6.8% | $213,451 | $64,600 |
| 80 | Green Bay, WI | 106,846 | 4.1% | $233,414 | $59,174 |
| 81 | Hawthorne, CA | 86,978 | 7.5% | $845,860 | $72,298 |
| 82 | El Monte, CA | 108,682 | 7.0% | $705,480 | $59,929 |
| 83 | Lawrence, KS | 95,103 | 5.2% | $292,989 | $59,834 |
| 84 | Bellflower, CA | 78,352 | 8.4% | $736,258 | $75,379 |
| 85 | Boynton Beach, FL | 80,068 | 5.5% | $421,925 | $68,875 |
| 86 | Miami Beach, FL | 82,400 | 4.0% | $525,643 | $65,116 |
| 87 | Gresham, OR | 113,525 | 5.8% | $451,470 | $69,437 |
| 88 | Champaign, IL | 88,628 | 4.8% | $200,186 | $58,273 |
| 89 | Chico, CA | 102,790 | 6.9% | $453,459 | $65,932 |
| 90 | Everett, WA | 110,847 | 5.8% | $618,504 | $77,806 |
| 91 | Clearwater, FL | 116,984 | 4.7% | $370,771 | $59,358 |
| 92 | Medford, OR | 85,539 | 5.0% | $392,181 | $65,647 |
| 93 | Brockton, MA | 104,713 | 8.2% | $455,030 | $74,016 |
| 94 | Federal Way, WA | 99,614 | 5.5% | $558,348 | $80,360 |
| 95 | Spokane Valley, WA | 103,761 | 5.8% | $390,629 | $66,483 |
| 96 | Largo, FL | 82,541 | 5.0% | $357,692 | $56,266 |
| 97 | Duluth, MN | 86,772 | 4.9% | $257,413 | $63,545 |
| 98 | Sparks, NV | 108,025 | 6.1% | $489,899 | $82,938 |
| 99 | Suffolk, VA | 94,856 | 6.3% | $346,835 | $87,758 |
| 100 | El Cajon, CA | 105,721 | 8.1% | $773,026 | $64,128 |
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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.