The 10 Worst Counties In The United States For 2023


The worst counties in the US are Hidalgo County, TX and Robeson County, NC for 2023 based on Saturday Night Science.

worst-counties-map

You might think people across the nation love where they live. After all, you wouldn’t spend your life somewhere you truly didn’t love. Right?

Wrong.

In fact, almost half of Americans would rather live somewhere else than they do now. If you’re in one of the counties we’re about to highlight, we don’t blame you for wanting to move.

After analyzing all 599 counties in the United States using Saturday Night Science, we came up with this set of the ten worst counties in our nation with a population over 100,000. It turns out Hidalgo County, TX is the worst county to live in the country:


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


The purpose of this study is to use science to determine which of our great American counties are the absolute worst. While unbiased, this research does take into account factors that almost all Americans would agree are undesirable.

Unfortunately for the South, things aren’t very charming.

Check out more about America here:

The 10 Worst Counties To Live In The United States For 2023

Mcallen, TX

Source: Public domain

Population: 865,677
Biggest City: McAllen
Median Income: $44,666
Median Home Value: $94,600
Unemployment Rate: 7.8%

Review Of by Arlene Saldana

I live in Mcallen next to RIO GRANDE CITY and Mcallen is so beautiful.Just come here and see for yourself.Mercades may be a bit yuck but it’s really cool.Donna is cool as well.No hate,just telling you.

Review

Lumberton, NC

Source: Public domain

Population: 118,836
Biggest City: Lumberton
Median Income: $36,736
Median Home Value: $77,900
Unemployment Rate: 6.7%

Review Of by Zak Wilkerson

I’m from Lumberton, I work in Lumberton, I live in Fayetteville and I have been in every region of this state.

NC is an incredibly blessed state. We have great weather, beautiful beaches, the mountains, the coastal Plains, the piedmont, and several advanced large cities.

Yes, crime is there, there is no doubt. Sometimes it’s a cycle passed from generation to generation. Sometimes it’s desperation, and sometimes it’s laziness.

I will tell you though, the majority of the people and places in North Carolina are good, proud North Carolinians. Some are born here, some are transplants, but we’re all eventually Tar Heels.

Lumberton is a good place to raise a family. So is Fayetteville. We are blessed to be the home of Fort Bragg and Pope AAF, supporting the greatest military in the world.

Review

Show Low, AZ

Source: Wikipedia User Ixnayonthetimmay | GFDL

Population: 106,609
Biggest City: Show Low
Median Income: $46,126
Median Home Value: $145,700
Unemployment Rate: 10.5%

Brownsville, TX

Source: Public domain

Population: 420,554
Biggest City: Brownsville
Median Income: $43,057
Median Home Value: $94,200
Unemployment Rate: 6.0%

Population: 205,772
Biggest City: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance)
Median Income: $46,237
Median Home Value: $123,400
Unemployment Rate: 9.0%

Adel , GA

Source: Wikipedia User Michael Rivera | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 156,711
Biggest City: Adel
Median Income: $43,862
Median Home Value: $131,400
Unemployment Rate: 7.7%

El Paso, TX

Source: Wikipedia User Dicklyon | CC BY-SA 4.0

Population: 860,485
Biggest City: El Paso
Median Income: $50,919
Median Home Value: $131,500
Unemployment Rate: 6.8%

Review Of by DOMINIC ARENAS

I live in El Paso m8 and I love it here

Review

Jackson, MS

Source: Wikipedia User FlickreviewR | CC BY 2.0

Population: 230,772
Biggest City: Jackson
Median Income: $46,179
Median Home Value: $129,300
Unemployment Rate: 8.7%

Review Of by HomeSnacks User

I love Jackson, MS I was born and raised here. I love how you can’t even walk down the streets because Jamal or Tyrone might have had a bad day and decide he wants to end your life. I also like all of the homeless harassing me for money and urinating in front of my family and I. The city government is also a haram of idiots pretending to be competent leaders who can’t even maintain roads and water lines. I also love how you can’t even go to a decently priced restaurant without hearing Tyrone and Shanequa having a screaming match or just screaming for fun. If you have to move here I advise a trip to a gun store. It’s a great place, everyone should move here.

My favorite place is when I leave on vacation to somewhere out side of the ghetto

Review

Farmington, NM

Source: Public domain

Population: 122,912
Biggest City: Farmington
Median Income: $47,485
Median Home Value: $155,000
Unemployment Rate: 8.2%

Yuma, AZ

Source: Public domain

Population: 202,944
Biggest City: Yuma
Median Income: $52,563
Median Home Value: $148,900
Unemployment Rate: 8.4%

Review Of by nataliieee.v

actually I live in yuma & it’s not that bad here

Review

How We Determined The Worst Counties In The US

To rank the worst counties in America, we had to determine what criteria is normally associated with a bad place to live. Things like low prices indicate that demand is low and high unemployment rates mean finding a job is hard.

So, we used Saturday Night Science to research Census data. The following is the criteria we used:

  • High Poverty Rates
  • Highest Unemployment Rates
  • Low Median Income
  • Low Housing Costs
  • High Drop Out Rates Among Adults
  • Low Insurance Rates

We limited the analysis to counties with at least 100,000 people and then ranked each of remaining counties on each of the criteria. We then averaged those rankings together to create a “Quality Of Life Index.” The counties with the worst Quality Of Life Index ranked as the worst counties in the United States for 2023.

We updated this report for 2023. This report is our tenth time ranking the worst counties in America. This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment — don’t freak out.

There You Have It — The Worst Counties In The US

About half of Americans consider moving, challenging the assumption of a solid attachment to their current homes. Using Saturday Night Science, we identified the ten worst U.S. counties, including Hidalgo County, TX.

We based the analysis on undesirable factors like high poverty, unemployment, low median income, housing costs, adult dropout rates, and low insurance rates. The study focused on counties with over 100,000 people and utilized census data to create a precise Quality of Life Index.

Here’s a look at the best counties in America according to the data:

  1. Douglas County
  2. Carver County
  3. Williamson County

The Worst Counties To Live In The United States

Rank County Biggest City Population Unemployment Rate Home Value Median Income
1 Hidalgo County, TX Mcallen 865,677 7.8% $94,600 $44,666
2 Robeson County, NC Lumberton 118,836 6.7% $77,900 $36,736
3 Navajo County, AZ Show Low 106,609 10.5% $145,700 $46,126
4 Cameron County, TX Brownsville 420,554 6.0% $94,200 $43,057
5 Richmond County, GA Augusta-Richmond County Consolidated Government (Balance) 205,772 9.0% $123,400 $46,237
6 Bibb County, GA Adel 156,711 7.7% $131,400 $43,862
7 El Paso County, TX El Paso 860,485 6.8% $131,500 $50,919
8 Hinds County, MS Jackson 230,772 8.7% $129,300 $46,179
9 San Juan County, NM Farmington 122,912 8.2% $155,000 $47,485
10 Yuma County, AZ Yuma 202,944 8.4% $148,900 $52,563
11 Wyandotte County, KS Kansas City 168,333 6.0% $116,500 $52,366
12 Highlands County, FL Sebring 101,174 7.4% $131,900 $46,895
13 Clayton County, GA Forest Park 294,335 7.0% $136,600 $51,945
14 Webb County, TX Laredo 266,963 5.8% $143,300 $54,618
15 , NM 218,157 7.4% $162,200 $47,151
16 Calhoun County, AL Oxford 116,425 7.0% $123,200 $50,977
17 Whitfield County, GA Dalton 103,076 6.6% $150,700 $52,439
18 Sumter County, SC Sumter 105,537 8.3% $129,200 $49,040
19 Muscogee County, GA Columbus 204,366 8.0% $146,000 $50,542
20 Jefferson County, TX Beaumont 256,755 5.6% $129,600 $53,613
21 Pitt County, NC Greenville 170,600 7.4% $153,100 $50,422
22 Etowah County, AL Gadsden 103,468 6.1% $129,600 $46,984
23 Caddo Parish, LA Shreveport 239,775 8.6% $152,800 $43,153
24 Harrison County, MS Gulfport 207,382 9.1% $162,400 $51,590
25 Jackson County, MS Pascagoula 142,993 8.9% $146,500 $55,107
26 Rowan County, NC Kannapolis 145,784 7.1% $155,700 $53,600
27 Lowndes County, GA Valdosta 117,437 5.6% $154,200 $48,703
28 St. Louis City, MO St. Louis 302,787 6.0% $153,200 $48,751
29 Nueces County, TX Corpus Christi 353,594 6.0% $155,400 $59,477
30 Montgomery County, AL Montgomery 229,072 6.6% $134,700 $52,511
31 Rapides Parish, LA Alexandria 130,459 6.3% $153,600 $49,639
32 Mobile County, AL Mobile 414,620 5.8% $144,100 $51,169
33 Potter County, TX Amarillo 119,043 3.6% $102,000 $45,096
34 Shelby County, TN Memphis 929,178 7.6% $170,200 $55,015
35 Sebastian County, AR Fort Smith 127,941 5.0% $136,600 $50,226
36 Philadelphia County, PA Philadelphia 1,596,865 8.9% $184,100 $52,649
37 Sullivan County, TN Johnson City 157,843 6.7% $152,000 $49,661
38 Citrus County, FL Homosassa Springs 151,888 7.7% $158,800 $48,664
39 Imperial County, CA El Centro 180,051 13.9% $219,800 $49,078
40 Tangipahoa Parish, LA Hammond 132,492 5.8% $170,600 $50,659
41 Wayne County, NC Goldsboro 117,692 4.4% $131,400 $49,488
42 Cumberland County, NJ Vineland 154,921 8.1% $168,900 $58,397
43 Yakima County, WA Yakima 255,151 7.1% $213,200 $58,380
44 Ouachita Parish, LA Monroe 160,227 5.9% $156,700 $46,021
45 Comanche County, OK Lawton 121,502 6.7% $133,300 $54,483
46 Carroll County, GA Carrollton 118,402 6.1% $162,300 $62,498
47 Ector County, TX Odessa 161,258 6.1% $155,100 $64,975
48 Vigo County, IN Terre Haute 106,523 6.6% $114,000 $48,552
49 Wichita County, TX Wichita Falls 129,419 4.7% $109,600 $53,272
50 Marion County, FL The Villages 370,372 6.9% $160,300 $50,808
51 Houston County, AL Dothan 106,355 5.2% $146,300 $50,222
52 Mohave County, AZ Lake Havasu City 211,274 7.4% $192,300 $49,738
53 Randolph County, NC High Point 143,735 4.6% $134,800 $51,598
54 Terrebonne Parish, LA Houma 110,100 6.7% $160,600 $57,940
55 Wayne County, MI Detroit 1,789,781 9.2% $136,200 $52,830
56 Davidson County, NC High Point 168,002 5.4% $157,300 $53,083
57 Orleans Parish, LA New Orleans 383,974 8.4% $255,500 $45,594
58 Cumberland County, NC Fayetteville 333,582 8.0% $145,200 $50,746
59 Lucas County, OH Toledo 431,212 7.3% $127,900 $53,176
60 Delaware County, IN Muncie 112,480 6.4% $103,300 $49,321
61 Clarke County, GA Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (Balance) 128,195 5.6% $199,400 $44,070
62 Winnebago County, IL Rockford 285,471 7.9% $125,900 $57,779
63 Baltimore City, MD Baltimore 592,211 7.4% $175,300 $54,124
64 Marion County, IN Indianapolis 969,542 5.6% $156,000 $54,601
65 Tulare County, CA Visalia 470,999 10.2% $240,600 $57,394
66 Norfolk City, VA Norfolk 238,556 7.1% $223,300 $56,244
67 Clark County, OH Springfield 136,032 7.1% $127,400 $54,869
68 Florence County, SC Florence 137,276 4.6% $139,900 $51,902
69 Harris County, TX Houston 4,697,957 6.5% $201,200 $65,788
70 Jasper County, MO Joplin 122,059 4.1% $129,600 $51,876
71 Mclennan County, TX Waco 258,031 4.7% $165,400 $53,723
72 Kern County, CA Bakersfield 905,644 8.9% $241,400 $58,824
73 Bronx County, NY New York 1,468,262 11.2% $445,900 $43,726
74 Bell County, TX Killeen 364,703 7.7% $164,200 $57,932
75 Harnett County, NC Dunn 133,074 6.1% $165,800 $59,676
76 Cochise County, AZ Sierra Vista 125,092 7.1% $159,500 $55,077
77 Bexar County, TX San Antonio 1,990,522 5.6% $187,300 $62,169
78 Merced County, CA Merced 279,150 11.1% $288,400 $58,861
79 Catawba County, NC Hickory 159,852 5.8% $163,100 $57,840
80 St. Lawrence County, NY Massena 108,836 6.3% $99,300 $54,351
81 Gregg County, TX Longview 123,744 3.7% $150,900 $56,566
82 Anderson County, SC Anderson 202,223 5.4% $160,700 $56,796
83 Craighead County, AR Jonesboro 109,875 5.7% $157,100 $51,788
84 Richmond City, VA Richmond 225,676 6.0% $263,000 $54,795
85 Bradley County, TN Cleveland 107,845 5.7% $179,700 $55,426
86 Morgan County, AL Decatur 122,608 4.7% $152,400 $56,128
87 Madison County, IN Anderson 130,037 5.8% $111,600 $54,491
88 Lubbock County, TX Lubbock 308,580 4.4% $158,700 $56,529
89 Hernando County, FL Spring Hill 192,128 6.3% $173,700 $53,301
90 Escambia County, FL Pensacola 318,828 6.3% $171,900 $56,605
91 Aiken County, SC Aiken 168,045 6.7% $159,600 $57,572
92 Jefferson Parish, LA Metairie 439,402 6.0% $201,800 $58,638
93 Horry County, SC Myrtle Beach 344,865 6.1% $199,100 $54,688
94 Polk County, FL Lakeland 713,148 4.9% $177,900 $55,099
95 Fayette County, PA Uniontown 129,443 7.2% $109,400 $51,321
96 Tulsa County, OK Tulsa 664,084 5.6% $168,800 $60,382
97 Fresno County, CA Fresno 1,003,150 8.8% $288,100 $61,276
98 Forsyth County, NC Winston-Salem 380,583 5.3% $171,300 $56,830
99 Peoria County, IL Peoria 182,439 7.3% $133,000 $58,426
100 Kings County, CA Hanford 151,887 9.1% $243,300 $63,267

Worst Counties Places By State

About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

3 thoughts on “The 10 Worst Counties In The United States For 2023

  1. Oh good, Tillman County is worse off than Jackson County, Oklahoma….whew! Nick James, you sure did produce a polished gem of journalism. Obviously you have a beef with my home state. Where are you from anyway? You must be one of the lucky ones.

  2. You might want to rethink the criteria for evaluating worst counties. Anne Arundel County in Maryland is absolutely lousy, especially relative to the outrageous cost-of-living, taxes which are ever increasing and are wasted on idiocies, senseless over-development, and an absolute lack of any law enforcement relative to traffic laws, i.e. speeding, tail-gating, and the new hideous phenomenon of souped-up cars which make a din day and night. Repeated e-mails and phone calls to state senators and delegates as well as county officials are of absolutely no avail. If you want to pay a lot of taxes and have a very LOW quality of life, then come to Maryland in general and Anne Arundel County in particular. It is “Dukes of Hazard” country with near New York prices, but none of the cute girls in Daisy Duke shorts. Be sure to bring your noise-making grocery-runner vehicle so that you can fit in with the many knuckle draggers here. You, too, can experience the nightmare! Halloween very day! You’ll only get a run-around from the so-called government here, it is hapless and hopeless. Both political parties suck!

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