Today, we’re going to talk about the worst places to live in the entire country. We might hurt some feelings along the way, and some people will agree with each city. Either way, we used Saturday Night Science, so we know we’re pretty darn close.
How did we determine the worst places to live in the United States? Most people would agree with us that bad places to live have a lot of crime, crummy schools, not a lot of culture, and crappy jobs.
We’re talking about the cities you want to avoid if you’re looking for a fresh start in life. And if you live in the places we’re about to talk about, well, then you are clearly not going to move away if you haven’t left by now. So, good for you!
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Worst Places To Live In The United States For 2026
There might be some surprises on this list, but when you look at the unbiased data, it’s hard to argue against.
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), there are far better options in America for making a place home.
For more reading about America, check out:
- Cheapest States To Live In
- Best Places To Live In America
- Safest States In America
- Cheapest Cities To Live In America
- Most Dangerous Cities
- Worst States In America
- Best States In America
- Best Places By State
The 10 Worst Places To Live In America For 2026
/10
Population: 618,980
Average Home Price: $144,710 (8th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 8.3% (19th worst)
Median Income: $51,736
More on Memphis: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
If you were looking for a match and Memphis came across your screen, you would definitely swipe left. Memphis, my friends, needs some real TLC.
Here in Memphis, crime is the highest in the country, and 1 out of 17.7 residents was robbed here according to the latest FBI numbers. That’s not the first place you think of making home, is it? Additionally, you have a 1 in 54 chance of being the victim of a violent crime, which includes all sorts of bad stuff. That’s really high.
When you look at adult education in Tennessee, the folks in Memphis have the 76th highest dropout rate. And other factors that make Memphis undesirable are the low median incomes and home prices.
The unemployment rate is the 19th highest in the states, at 8.31%
Sadly, Memphis is a really lousy place to live.
Very low cost of housing and no state income taxes are big advantages. Some surrounding communities have low crime and have good public schools, be careful of the local community and who you know. Not too unfriendly but fear new ideas, creativity and mistrust new people and anyone complaining about moving in to leave bad areas because of fear what would say about them. Somewhat luddite and expensive to fly in and out as Delta abandoned their hub in the small airport which is not international is keeping people out along with the reputation of the more dangerous localized areas and they’re relatively mistrusting while liberal in and near the city in a conservative state. The issues are being worked on by the new Governor and big companies such as just opening a new facility in historic but areas in need.
Good is no state income tax and low cost of housing with low property taxes and some nice areas. Bad is high cost of flights, need to be careful about where to live and go.
/10
Population: 198,173
Average Home Price: $135,870 (5th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 5.8% (85th worst)
Median Income: $46,051
More on Birmingham: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
What’s the worst city in America for 2026? The city of Birmingham, Alabama. If you live in Birmingham, you’re either going to tell us we’re idiots because you’re fiercely protective of your city, or you know it’s a tough place to live. The fact remains, Birmingham has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, where 5.84% of the population is out of work. That’s far above the national average, and households only bring in about $46,051 a year on average.
So most people in Birmingham are broke.
And then there’s the crime. Birmingham is one of the more dangerous places you can live in America. You have a 1 in 15 chance of being robbed here every year. And things have been getting worse, lately, too. In many parts of Birmingham, respect for human life has eroded, and some people care very little about their communities anymore.
Job wise, most of the jobs here aren’t great jobs, and are low paying. There’s little you can do to really move up in the world in the greater Birmingham area. Other parts of Alabama aren’t much better, Mobile and Montgomery also have issues with crime and poverty.
This place is very racist and not good at all its like a ghost town.
Its very racist and not a good place to live.
/10
Population: 180,982
Average Home Price: $135,091 (4th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 9.0% (10th worst)
Median Income: $48,699
More on Shreveport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Our next stop is the terrible, terrible city of Shreveport, Louisiana. Actually, Shreveport isn’t the worst place you could possibly live, but on paper, it ranks really high as a bad place to live. Here’s why.
First off, crime is really high. You have a 1 in 16 chance of being robbed and a 1 in 113 chance of being a crime victim here for every year you spend in the city limits of Shreveport. Gang activity probably has something to do with that.
Shreveport is the slowest growing city in America, too. Did you know Shreveport ranks 3rd in the nation for least gender equality? That means the number of men versus women is really low.
No wonder homes are cheap; you can get one yourself for only $139,800. What else makes Shreveport so noxious? It has to be the most boring and stagnant place in Louisiana to live, quite honestly. So it’s not really a shock to anyone when a story comes out that paints Shreveport in a negative light. People don’t get upset and say “that’s not our Shreveport” they usually go “yup, that sounds about right”.
/10
Population: 136,579
Average Home Price: $136,592 (6th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 9.0% (9th worst)
Median Income: $45,247
More on Dayton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Next up is the seriously unimpressive city of Dayton, Ohio. This city also makes sense to me based on firsthand experience. Dayton is quite a depressing place. Whenever I drive through Ohio, I try and always time my trip so I don’t have to stop in Dayton for gas. And it’s not the only Ohio city we’re going to talk about…
If you live in Dayton, this might not be a surprise, but you have the 17th highest crime rate, per capita in the country. Every year you spend here, you have a 1 in 20 chance of being the victim of a property crime like a car break in or home invasion robbery. Plus there were 1,806 violent crimes in the last FBI reporting year. That means if you spent a year there, you’d have a 1 in 100 chance of being a major crime victim.
Finally, the folks who live here earn the 3rd lowest salaries in America’s big cities at ~$30,000 a household — that’s simply not enough to get by for most folks. People in Dayton need money BAD. They’ll take anything they can get their hands on – Christmas lights, Ja Rule Tickets, even your cracked cell phone.
Dayton was listed as the 3rd worst city in the country…. I can’t believe there are 2 cities worse than mine
Junkies, junkies everywhere
/10
Population: 366,097
Average Home Price: $115,536 (2nd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 10.8% (4th worst)
Median Income: $40,801
More on Cleveland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Practically right next door is Cleveland — it ranks as the 5th worst city you can live in America.
What makes Cleveland so abominable? Well, the weather here stinks. It’s a gray, cloudy, dreary and very cold place for a majority of the year. They’ve made an attempt at fixing up the downtown area a bit, but there’s still a bunch of downtown that’s dangerous and very sketchy. And don’t EVER get off the freeway in east Cleveland. I did that once to let my dog out to pee and I seriously thought I was going to get shot. Like a block from the off ramp. And, remember, i grew up in San Bernardino, so I’m tough.
On paper, Cleveland is miserable. Cleveland has a 10.78% unemployment rate, which is the 4th worst in the entire country. It has far below average income levels and the 10th highest crime rate in the country.
If you look up Cleveland on forums, you’ll see headlines like this:
“Cleveland is the most depressing, boring place on earth”
“Why is Cleveland filled with so many negative people?”
“Why do Clevelanders hate Cleveland?”
Some place called the Economic Innovation Group called Cleveland the most distressed place in the country, citing factors such as a lack of educated, successful people. Did you know a quarter of all Cleveland residents doesn’t even have a high school degree? For people in Cleveland, that means 25%. Or, 1 in 4. And, 1 in 5 homes in Cleveland is vacant.
I have lived in Cleveland, OH for five years now and I enjoy the many attractions there are including sporting events, downtown, variety of food places, and the night scene.
Downtown Cleveland, University Circle, and Little Italy are my top 3 favorite places in Cleveland. The things I do not like about Cleveland are the brutal winters due to the lake effect and crime rate in certain areas.
/10
Population: 638,530
Average Home Price: $75,357 (1st worst)
Unemployment Rate: 14.0% (1st worst)
Median Income: $39,938
More on Detroit: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Moving right along on our terrible tour of America brings us to America’s favorite punching bag, Detroit.
Well, good for you, Detroit, you’re not the absolute worst place to live.
Detroit has all sorts of issues. Particularly with its economy. 1 in 5 people in Detroit is out of work, which is the highest rate in America. And, home prices are around $40 or $50,000, which is the lowest rate in the country. You could be an unemployed joker and still afford a house in Detroit.
Remember when the entire city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy? The city was slashing jobs, cutting services and closing parks. They even shut street lights off on many blocks in town. But Detroit is apparently getting better. People talk about a resurgence of jobs, a new attitude, and lower crime rates. While many areas of Detroit ARE improving, overall, the city as a whole is still doing very poorly.
We’re all pulling for you Detroit.
Everyone except Cleveland.
Despite the downfalls the city has/is facing it is still a place full of culture and history. I LOVE the fact that they are so sports orientated. I grew up being a huge fan of sports and there is no bigger sports town than Detroit. Redwings, Pistons, Tigers and Lions are all supported with large amounts of pride!
Joe Louis Arena, Comerica Park, the new football and hockey arenas. The hockeytown cafe all the casinos and the theater. There is so much history and so much pride in the historical places still!
/10
Population: 2,328,253
Average Home Price: $264,336 (55th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.9% (44th worst)
Median Income: $64,813
More on Houston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The area in Houston that I live the crime level is average, not very much but it does exist. Houston has so many exciting things to do and see. You can visit the Houston Museum of Natural Science or the Downtown Aquarium or you can dine at one of our many fine eateries.
Houston is such a huge city, but every community has its charm. I love our Hermann Park and Houston Zoo area. You can visit the Miller Outdoor Theater and catch a free theatrical or musical performance under the stars. There is beautiful diversity of people in Houston, so naturally there are many different cultures and types of food to experience here.
/10
Population: 189,177
Average Home Price: $195,993 (16th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.2% (65th worst)
Median Income: $52,130
More on Brownsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Brownsville Texas really isn’t all that great. And if you move there then you’ll know.
First off, homes here average $195,993 a year. That’s the 16th lowest home price value in the USA. You can judge a city by the cost of the homes there, and when homes cost well under $100K a year, that means, well, no one wants to live there.
What else makes Brownville so lousy? Well, unfortunately, the reality of living in a border town means higher crime. Statistically, border towns are far less desirable when you measure quality of life factors.
Many Brownsvillians will defend Brownsville, saying it’s a diverse place, and it’s affordable. Plus, there are a bunch of places in Brownsville to get Mexican food, which means…are you kidding me? They have a MR. TACO? OMG, we might have to move Brownsville off this list. Guys, seriously. Why is Brownsville on here? They have a Mr. Taco there.
/10
Population: 413,794
Average Home Price: $217,450 (30th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.1% (71st worst)
Median Income: $59,838
More on Tulsa: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Our next stop is the terrible, terrible city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Actually, Tulsa isn’t the worst place you could possibly live, but on paper, it ranks really high as a bad place to live. Here’s why.
First off, crime is really high. You have a 1 in 16 chance of being robbed and a 1 in 113 chance of being a crime victim here for every year you spend in the city limits of Tulsa. Gang activity probably has something to do with that.
Homes are cheap; you can get one yourself for only $217,450. What else makes Tulsa so noxious? It has to be the most boring and stagnant place in America to live, quite honestly. So it’s not really a shock to anyone when a story comes out that paints Tulsa in a negative light. People don’t get upset and say “that’s not our Tulsa” they usually go “yup, that sounds about right”.
Crime is progressively getting worse in the city. The highways are in poor condition, and there are no seasons other than hot hot summer or cold cold winter.
The weather is awful. Two seasons, sweltering summer and bitter winter.
/10
Population: 139,643
Average Home Price: $229,067 (38th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.5% (34th worst)
Median Income: $55,529
More on Columbia: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Columbia is an affordable city to live, but as it is the capital of the state, it does lack in tourist aspects. Columbia has a growing art and and music life, but it is a bit disconnected between different areas of the downtown region. Crime happens in all areas of the city.
Riverbanks Zoo is one of the best zoos in the country, so it is our tourism claim to fame. I am also quite proud of our library system.
Methodology: How do you decide if a place is lousy or not?
To rank the worst places to live in America, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. It’s safe 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:
- Population Density (The lower the worse — meaning there’s less to do for indoor entertainment)
- 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 analyzed the biggest cities in the country. We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the worst places to live in America. This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment — don’t freak out.
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.
What’s the worst place to live in America for 2026? The worst place to live in America is Memphis, TN based on the most recent crime and census data around quality of life.
The best place to live in America? Naperville, IL. More on that later.
Summary: The Worst Big Cities in America
If you’re looking at cities in the US where crime is high, people are broke, and the public schools are lousy, this is an accurate list.
The worst cities in the United States are Memphis, TN, Birmingham, AL, Shreveport, LA, Dayton, OH, Cleveland, OH, Detroit, MI, Houston, TX, Brownsville, TX, Tulsa, OK, and Columbia, SC.
Now, do these cities have any redeeming qualities? Sure. We were being a little hard on most of them while trying to make our point, but there’s some culture in most of these places.
If you live in Memphis or any of the other cities we talked about. Hopefully, you’re working to make your city a better place. If not, you have nothing to complain about yourself.
In case you’re wondering which cities almost made the list: Rockford and San Antonio as well as Pasadena are also terrible places to live.
Here are the best cities in America, according to science:
- Naperville
- Sunnyvale
- Cary
Table: Worst Places To Live In America
| Rank | City | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis, TN | 618,980 | 8.3% | $144,710 | $51,736 |
| 2 | Birmingham, AL | 198,173 | 5.8% | $135,870 | $46,051 |
| 3 | Shreveport, LA | 180,982 | 9.0% | $135,091 | $48,699 |
| 4 | Dayton, OH | 136,579 | 9.0% | $136,592 | $45,247 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | 366,097 | 10.8% | $115,536 | $40,801 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | 638,530 | 14.0% | $75,357 | $39,938 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | 2,328,253 | 6.9% | $264,336 | $64,813 |
| 8 | Brownsville, TX | 189,177 | 6.2% | $195,993 | $52,130 |
| 9 | Tulsa, OK | 413,794 | 6.1% | $217,450 | $59,838 |
| 10 | Columbia, SC | 139,643 | 7.5% | $229,067 | $55,529 |
| 11 | Rockford, IL | 147,521 | 8.5% | $177,225 | $54,752 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | 1,479,835 | 6.2% | $249,809 | $65,056 |
| 13 | Pasadena, TX | 149,433 | 8.6% | $217,448 | $64,927 |
| 14 | Akron, OH | 189,247 | 7.8% | $137,894 | $48,076 |
| 15 | Hartford, CT | 121,127 | 10.7% | $198,964 | $46,411 |
| 16 | Montgomery, AL | 197,494 | 6.4% | $151,228 | $56,811 |
| 17 | Corpus Christi, TX | 317,419 | 5.1% | $223,501 | $67,394 |
| 18 | Chattanooga, TN | 185,783 | 5.4% | $319,578 | $64,523 |
| 19 | Syracuse, NY | 146,384 | 7.7% | $210,251 | $47,819 |
| 20 | Independence, MO | 121,740 | 5.6% | $208,157 | $60,339 |
| 21 | Lubbock, TX | 264,814 | 5.2% | $209,436 | $60,895 |
| 22 | Winston-Salem, NC | 252,037 | 5.7% | $264,332 | $59,268 |
| 23 | Milwaukee, WI | 566,973 | 6.2% | $220,136 | $54,234 |
| 24 | Springfield, MO | 169,954 | 4.3% | $242,870 | $49,311 |
| 25 | Fayetteville, NC | 210,815 | 7.9% | $225,534 | $58,407 |
| 26 | Toledo, OH | 267,463 | 7.7% | $129,626 | $49,724 |
| 27 | Tucson, AZ | 547,073 | 6.2% | $324,023 | $57,073 |
| 28 | Paterson, NJ | 158,735 | 10.7% | $528,882 | $55,997 |
| 29 | Mobile, AL | 203,416 | 5.6% | $194,563 | $53,558 |
| 30 | Lafayette, LA | 121,715 | 5.2% | $224,253 | $61,915 |
| 31 | Victorville, CA | 137,627 | 11.1% | $436,008 | $74,410 |
| 32 | Little Rock, AR | 203,436 | 4.1% | $216,518 | $63,003 |
| 33 | Waco, TX | 143,570 | 4.6% | $194,244 | $54,365 |
| 34 | Cincinnati, OH | 311,224 | 6.8% | $249,567 | $52,909 |
| 35 | Oklahoma City, OK | 697,125 | 4.7% | $206,712 | $68,656 |
| 36 | Baltimore, MD | 573,243 | 6.5% | $188,101 | $62,177 |
| 37 | St. Louis, MO | 288,512 | 5.0% | $181,927 | $56,160 |
| 38 | Newark, NJ | 310,178 | 11.6% | $478,454 | $52,060 |
| 39 | Topeka, KS | 125,786 | 4.9% | $190,096 | $56,956 |
| 40 | Rochester, NY | 208,772 | 7.9% | $235,783 | $47,213 |
| 41 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,579,706 | 8.1% | $231,814 | $61,953 |
| 42 | San Bernardino, CA | 222,724 | 6.1% | $487,988 | $67,415 |
| 43 | Dallas, TX | 1,307,930 | 4.9% | $309,420 | $70,518 |
| 44 | Kansas City, MO | 510,612 | 4.4% | $250,207 | $69,166 |
| 45 | Laredo, TX | 257,619 | 5.4% | $220,330 | $63,915 |
| 46 | Killeen, TX | 158,159 | 9.7% | $219,956 | $60,977 |
| 47 | Indianapolis, IN | 885,860 | 5.1% | $229,209 | $66,219 |
| 48 | Knoxville, TN | 195,185 | 4.5% | $369,216 | $54,039 |
| 49 | Mcallen, TX | 145,385 | 6.0% | $229,000 | $61,579 |
| 50 | Buffalo, NY | 276,854 | 7.3% | $238,088 | $50,041 |
| 51 | El Paso, TX | 680,130 | 6.0% | $234,774 | $59,745 |
| 52 | Amarillo, TX | 201,885 | 3.4% | $206,786 | $65,912 |
| 53 | New Haven, CT | 134,349 | 8.4% | $326,440 | $56,851 |
| 54 | Wichita, KS | 397,945 | 5.6% | $202,719 | $64,620 |
| 55 | Fresno, CA | 545,970 | 8.9% | $391,328 | $70,991 |
| 56 | Mesquite, TX | 149,299 | 5.4% | $262,121 | $72,537 |
| 57 | Gainesville, FL | 145,702 | 5.5% | $297,055 | $46,195 |
| 58 | Greensboro, NC | 301,198 | 5.1% | $264,427 | $61,515 |
| 59 | Des Moines, IA | 212,421 | 5.6% | $208,165 | $65,932 |
| 60 | Bridgeport, CT | 149,153 | 9.0% | $355,126 | $58,685 |
| 61 | Aurora, CO | 394,432 | 5.9% | $463,080 | $88,368 |
| 62 | Albuquerque, NM | 562,218 | 5.4% | $344,457 | $68,317 |
| 63 | Allentown, PA | 125,976 | 9.0% | $309,698 | $55,494 |
| 64 | West Palm Beach, FL | 122,290 | 5.1% | $399,471 | $73,446 |
| 65 | Bakersfield, CA | 411,986 | 7.0% | $396,047 | $80,540 |
| 66 | Abilene, TX | 128,053 | 3.0% | $210,016 | $62,648 |
| 67 | Palmdale, CA | 164,634 | 8.3% | $501,257 | $81,770 |
| 68 | Stockton, CA | 322,326 | 8.6% | $431,328 | $79,907 |
| 69 | North Las Vegas, NV | 278,595 | 8.5% | $407,047 | $79,542 |
| 70 | Elizabeth, NJ | 137,302 | 7.7% | $534,666 | $66,555 |
| 71 | Fort Worth, TX | 963,194 | 4.8% | $298,050 | $79,507 |
| 72 | Savannah, GA | 147,898 | 7.2% | $326,508 | $57,137 |
| 73 | Chicago, IL | 2,711,226 | 8.0% | $317,282 | $77,902 |
| 74 | Fort Wayne, IN | 268,589 | 5.6% | $242,384 | $61,422 |
| 75 | Arlington, TX | 397,742 | 5.7% | $310,971 | $75,171 |
| 76 | Phoenix, AZ | 1,642,323 | 5.0% | $410,168 | $81,332 |
| 77 | Glendale, AZ | 252,833 | 5.6% | $407,332 | $73,530 |
| 78 | Miami, FL | 459,745 | 5.2% | $579,563 | $62,462 |
| 79 | Lancaster, CA | 169,169 | 7.5% | $465,846 | $81,511 |
| 80 | Columbus, OH | 914,802 | 5.1% | $245,979 | $66,082 |
| 81 | Pomona, CA | 147,943 | 6.6% | $690,985 | $79,479 |
| 82 | Warren, MI | 137,928 | 8.0% | $196,784 | $64,016 |
| 83 | Newport News, VA | 184,216 | 5.8% | $290,659 | $69,634 |
| 84 | Richmond, VA | 229,359 | 5.7% | $369,645 | $64,587 |
| 85 | Norfolk, VA | 233,596 | 5.7% | $306,226 | $66,109 |
| 86 | Wilmington, NC | 120,805 | 4.3% | $416,159 | $66,738 |
| 87 | Salt Lake City, UT | 208,007 | 4.2% | $573,181 | $75,090 |
| 88 | Norman, OK | 129,672 | 5.7% | $262,838 | $67,704 |
| 89 | Grand Rapids, MI | 198,535 | 5.2% | $303,297 | $69,108 |
| 90 | Vallejo, CA | 124,268 | 7.4% | $520,969 | $90,171 |
| 91 | Huntsville, AL | 222,791 | 4.1% | $287,569 | $74,714 |
| 92 | Palm Bay, FL | 130,132 | 6.1% | $302,461 | $72,614 |
| 93 | Denton, TX | 152,866 | 5.1% | $354,135 | $76,019 |
| 94 | Garland, TX | 246,844 | 4.8% | $286,805 | $76,320 |
| 95 | Durham, NC | 291,467 | 3.8% | $396,394 | $81,619 |
| 96 | Salem, OR | 178,865 | 5.8% | $436,317 | $75,487 |
| 97 | Providence, RI | 191,767 | 8.2% | $426,006 | $68,119 |
| 98 | Long Beach, CA | 455,548 | 6.5% | $857,860 | $87,430 |
| 99 | Grand Prairie, TX | 201,883 | 5.2% | $316,526 | $81,619 |
| 100 | Spokane, WA | 230,293 | 5.7% | $395,324 | $70,064 |
Worst Places By State
Worst Places To Live In Alaska
Worst Places To Live In Alabama
Worst Places To Live In Arkansas
Worst Places To Live In Arizona
Worst Places To Live In California
Worst Places To Live In Colorado
Worst Places To Live In Connecticut
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Worst Places To Live In Maryland
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Worst Places To Live In Minnesota
Worst Places To Live In Missouri
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Worst Places To Live In North Carolina
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Worst Places To Live In New York State
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Worst Places To Live In Oregon
Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
Worst Places To Live In Rhode Island
Worst Places To Live In South Carolina
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Worst Cities In Virginia For 2017
Worst Places To Live In Vermont
Worst Places To Live In Washington
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Over and over again they say that science doesn’t measure things like how nice people are, that it measures fact. Listen, science measures people’s feeling and attitudes all the time. The author’s clearly don’t understand “science”. Also, using median income as a happyness measure in a college town ia just flat out an errror. Why is the tone of this so snotty??
I left Macon over 35 years ago. Best decision I ever made. I’m so much better for it. My lite was going no where. I couldn’t find a job that paid well. The people I left behind wish they had gone with me. I have a BSW degree and retired with Over 20 years in the military. I am happy where I am located now. When I visit Macon I see it worse. The house I sold several years ago 30K is still standing could have gotten much more for it here. Sorry but I am so blessed to have seen that leaving would be beneficial to me in 1979. It was the circumstances that forced me to leave. Now I can say thanks to the Crisis. It made me better.
This is comical. The “science” of this article has holes in it that can be seen by even those of us who do not put all our thought into scientific criteria. It does not seem that making an assumption that using the criteria for coming up with best cities in reverse would be accurate. Things don’t work that way. To use criteria such as low home prices…mmm? Is this saying cities with high home prices are the best to live in? There is some reversal logic not making sense already. I know I have never used high home prices as a positive for moving to a city.
This article and the statistics are crap. I would think Detroit would be number one, but none of the other cities shouldn’t even be on the list. Not enough variables built in to this study.
Savannah is a crappy place to live because of the stupid southern local people that grew up here. Women like to visit, but very very few decent white ones live here. Black people are very racist, and red necks are as stupid as can be. Jobs? If you’re a queer lawyer you’re good, but not so good for the rest of the folks. Crime is bad, and income is low. So come and visit, but don’t settle down here.
When you think about it this is really a review of these cities from the bottom up. So yeah if you are unfortunate to be poor or even lower middle class in any of these places it really can be depressing. However, if you are fortunate enough to be reasonably affluent in these same locations that money can go a long way and make life pretty good. You know, the kind of lifestyle that people like to read about it Garden & Gun. The public schools in the upscale suburbs outside these cities can actually be pretty good (and if you have money to burn there are always the established private schools). There are no hour plus commutes to and from work in bumper to bumper traffic. Also with the cost of living so low in these places a lot of folks have the means to actually travel somewhere nice for family vacations. It all depends on whether your glass is half-full or half-empty.
Suggesting dollars spent for education is the only criteria and validation for ‘good education’ is flawed, unscientific logic. It could be just as likely that cities that throw dollars at the education issues they have, have those issues because of inefficiency. More money doesn’t necessarily guarantee better results.
Also saying: “you can’t argue with the data” in no less that two places in the article points to weak research. If anything, it calls it more into question.
Lastly, with no northeast cities in the ‘worst’ list (Detroit being the Midwest) it suggests a bias from the writer; especially with the chronic and rampant opiate abuse that is so prevalent there. Heroin addiction and the crime it brings wasn’t a metric? Low population density IS a negative metric? What is the writer smoking? It’s a very thin justification to suggest more people crammed into an area is a ‘good’ thing. That’s a real stretch and so is the suggestion that affordable housing is a sign of negative circumstances. Lower household income balanced with lower cost of housing is a positive (or at least a neutral) factor. Bubble gum writing to draw clicks. Nothing more.
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Funky, feisty, festive. Or historic, hip and happening. Colorful, cool and cultured. You can call this coastal town a lot of things when you have a vibrant 300 year history with lots of stories to tell and long-standing traditions celebrated on a regular basis. Once called the Paris of the South, Mobile has long been the cultural center of the Gulf Coast and you’ll find an authentic experience found nowhere else in the southern United States.
Home to America’s original Mardi Gras that rolls through the streets of our historic downtown; dozens of festivals, art shows, or culinary cook-offs nearly every weekend, Mobile takes having fun pretty seriously. If you’re looking for a bit more leisurely experience, nearby historic neighborhoods lined with giant live oaks trees or a paddle in one of the most significant river delta systems in the country are just minutes from downtown.
I lived in Springfield for 18 years and was never robbed once. It’s not even close to dangerous, it’s factored in because of the lower population ratio.
I know several people who live in Springfield, MO. None have ever had any issues with crime. It’s also one of the lowest cost of living cities in the country. People there are extremely friendly and there are tons of things to do in close proximity. This so called “data” is laughable.
Wow….I live in Knoxville, TN. Why do I feel stupid reading this?
Low population density is a negative? To each his own.
I’m pretty sure all this site is about is bashing the South.
Very bad science at that.
I would even be willing to bet they haven’t been to any of the cities they trash. Just some moron a thousand miles away sitting in a cubicle staring at his phone all day.
But hey, a Southern Man don’t need them around anyhow.
Knoxville is awesome……the south is great.
The cities in central California are less bad than midwest cities?
I have lived and worked in both areas and can tell you first hand Central California is a hot dusty drug infested crime ridden war zone, oh then there are the Tule fogs when make winter driving really interesting: 50 car pile ups any one?
Stockton had to downgrade its ER status because it was overwhelmed by the number of trauma cases being dumped at its door way. Bakersfield is almost as bad, Modesto is boring and dangerous, Fresno is turning into a free fire zone. As for SF, it is OK if you are gay, have absurd amounts of money, and do not mind stepping over the piles of human excrement on the side walk and panhandlers who verge on being strong arm robber.
Most of these cities are predominantly black! Hence high crime, poverty, low property values.
As they say,
“There are lies; then there are damn lies; and then there are statistics.”
It should surprise no one that more detailed and definitive rankings show that some of the cities in your worst half are considered the very best places to raise a family, or the very smartest places, in the United States of America.
This list was obviously prepared by lazy bigots looking for a convenient outcome.
The robbery comment for Springfield, MO makes no sense. For 2013, the robbery rate was 242.2 per 100,000 residents. That’s 24.2 per 10,000 and 2.42 per 1,000. One-eleventh of 100,000 is 9,091 then adjusted for Springfield’s population, that would be more than 14,000 robberies per year when in fact there were 390. Maybe the writer was referring to theft. However if the writer doesn’t know the difference between theft and robbery they shouldn’t be analyzing statistics.
“A high portion of uneduted adults.”
Is that an eduted guess?
Jackson, MO? Population isn’t even close to correct. Or, did you mean Jackson, MS? Missouri or Mississippi?
Yes -the cities that are walk white greg has your white collar criminals, mortgage, money laundering oh and methamphetamines, pill poppers – to say least -prefer my children to go off to college drug free!! Believe me that is what these statistics DONT SHOW!!
Cancel my comment no sense talking morons
Corrupt Malfeasant New Jersey Cities and Entire Counties including Bergen County and Camden County are the worst in the US to Live in – People aren’t Safe In their Homes when Corrupt New Jersey DCF/DCPP/DYFS Child Predatory Services will come by to Steal Their Children Followed by Court-Ordered Forced Injectible Psychotropics for the Parents Who Object – a Terrifying Criminal State and Cities to Live in, Read About Englewood NJ Apartheid Schools with City Terror and Just Ranked Singular Worst City Newark New Jersey for Children – Read about the daily terror New Jersey Residents Live Under Every Day and Even The Terror Caused Throughout The World, Add Englewood, Hackensack and Cherry Hill New Jersey. –
How can Stockton, Modesto, Oakland, which are gang ridden war zones with over inflated home values be placed in the middle of your list? These are places where the predators come hunting for you and have no compunction about hurting you, in many of the cities that you rate as being less desirable, if you keep your nose clean you will be left alone. Redo your metrics, if an area has a high percentage of blacks, unemployed Central Americans, or a disproportionate number of male Muslim “refugees” from war zone hell holes, it will be a high crime murder ridden no go zone. Areas with a lot of poor whites may have a high rate of property crime, but violent crime rates are lower than in “diverse” areas, and outsiders or visitors are relatively safe.
Whole-heartedly agree
Well, I CHALLENGE this – You haven’t lived in Port Allegany, PA yet! THE WORST PLACE TO LIVE ON PLANET EARTH.
The worse city to ever exist is stockton california. Full of illegals, crime, murders. If you go there and spend the night, be prepared to get robbed. They steel moving trucks, cars, name it and they will steal it.
Where in the heck did you get your stats – they’re wrong!
You list Memphis at a 11 percent unemployment rate.
In December of 2018 it was at 4.1 percent
You haven’t seen how bad Covington KY is, it has a really high crime rate, and there is like 38% chance of a person to be homeless, also I see news about Covington every day and 99% of the time, it is bad news.
Dang It. WHY MOBILE?!?!!
I am thankful the method of determining livability was mentioned at the beginning of this article. Please change the method. Getting the most for your dollar should have a high priority. That includes your tax dollars. Also it is insulting to assume a city is bad place to live because of the small percentage of College educated people. Many honorable individuals make a living with out a college education. They are skilled in trades and services. Thanks for considering my suggestion. I will look for cities that have a cheap cost of living and a government that is effective some where else.
This is actually existent in Every County that allows frick-en sanctuary!
Hi Nick,
Although data is a factor to consider when ranking cities, it really is a shame that your same standards are not used with your analysis. Using “data” to back up your own assumptions of the area and inferences is not only bad “science” but also assumes your opinions are those of an expert. You’re not an expert, and unless you or your co-founder has gone into these areas, I would refrain from speaking so ill of them. Given that your website was founded by a Pomona College alumnus, I would expect much, much more by way of analysis.
Rather than have people rely on your data and VERY bad analysis of the data, I hope people go into these communities and appreciate them for their richness in history and diversity. Finally, racism exists. And underinvestment in communities of color (I believe all of those listed on this list of WORST places in America are heavily communities of color) so how about you think more critically next time before posting yet another list that is void of any critical thought.
Disgusted,
Claremont College alumna
Columbia Law graduate
Former San Bernardino resident
You do realize all this doesn’t take into account the volatile times we live in. Overnite, the best places can become the worst places, and vice versa.
Waco and the surrounding areas are fantastic. We moved here from Silicon Valley. Lots of top schools. Nice people. Up and coming city. Sure there are dodgy parts and poor areas but not anything like the article says.
Interestingly enough every single one of these cities is run by a democrat. Go figure.
Even Brownsville Tx.
Wow, I had no idea some of these places were even still inhabited. I grew up in one of the worst places on this list and I can attest to the lack of opportunities and overall crappy quality of life. It’s crazy to see how much some of these places have fallen from grace. Can’t say I’m surprised about the ones in California, but the ones in the Midwest really did take me by surprise. Thanks for sharing this list, it’s definitely an eye-opener!