Every American city is different and unique but this does not mean that every neighborhood is safe. There are some places so pathetic that you better not even visit and, definitely, not live in. What makes those cities so miserable? Well, poverty, crime rates, violence rates, and bad healthcare levels are just a few factors to consider.
Let’s see the top 30 saddest American cities according to US census data you should avoid and why. Starting off, Gary in Indiana is one of the top dangerous cities in America. There is danger everywhere you go. In Gary, you will see abandoned or ruined houses, smelly neighborhoods, dealers, and weird-looking people that will make sure you feel uncomfortable.
Port Arthur
Based on FBI crime data, in Port Arthur 1 out of 35 people is either a crime or a poverty victim.
Murders, rapes, robberies, and arson are very usual for people living in Port Arthur. Crime rates are higher than 86% of US cities.
Detroit
Detroit has its good and bad neighborhoods. But bad ones are really dangerous.
There is about one murder a day in Detroit and that’s only one reason why it lost 6% of its population between 2010 and 2018. Plus, school systems are horrible.
Passaic
There are nice sections in Passaic but even the good parts of the city deal with thefts, burglaries, drugs, and gangs.
People living in good areas claim that it is safe but thieves know that that’s where all the money they want is. Substance abuse and poverty are also major issues in Passaic.
Newark
Again, New Jersey’s city Newark scores as one of the top dangerous cities in the United States.
Its high rates in murders, assaults, rapes, and water poisonings make it one of the most unsafe cities in the country. And if you are a woman, you better not walk alone at nights over there.
Pine Bluff
As a citizen, you have a 1 in 62 chance of becoming a violent victim in town, even in the daytime.
It’s a rough place that you should definitely not consider if you want to keep yourself and your family safe. Also, it has a reputation as a ‘ghetto’ city.
Flint
Flint is a problematic place for multiple reasons.
Michigan's town went through a water crisis that killed 12 people just because they got poisoned. Plus, there are big numbers of depressed citizens with anxiety and health problems.
Warren
Warren is definitely one of the most miserable American cities. Just walk by the streets and you will feel the strange vibe we are talking about.
If you are planning to visit Warren, pray that you will not be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Plainfield
Plainfield in New Jersey is a city you should better avoid. It scores high in violent crimes and poverty, even though 70% of people do work.
If personal safety is a concern to you or if you have kids, Plainfield is not for you.
Huntington Park
Based on FBI crime data Huntington Park is one of the most unsafe areas in America where you have a 1 in 28 chance of getting a violent or property crime.
On top of that, the city is plugged by poverty.
New Brunswick
Another New Jersey city with a bad reputation is New Brunswick with only 54% of citizens having a job and 35% of people live in poverty.
Gun-related crimes are the most popular and you should definitely avoid night walks if you want to be safe.
Redding
Almost 7% of citizens describe their life in Redding as suffering. There is a huge drug problem and you are most likely to see addicts by just walking by the streets.
Homelessness is also high and, according to Redding’s citizens, the worst neighborhood is Westwood Village.
Brownsville
Brownsville is not that miserable, but there is a lot of property crime in the areas known as Southmost, Cameron Park, and the Westside.
The actual dangerous parts of the city are the bars and nightclubs or the taqueria known as El Último Taco where fights and shootings are commonplace.
Mobile
In our list of the saddest American cities, we have to mention Mobile, Alabama.
Although resident’s life quality is generally good, there are high rates of cancer and depression. People also tend to complain about how hot and humid the weather is.
Saginaw
More than ¼ of residents live in poverty and still struggle even though things have got better throughout the last years.
The city has high rates of crime and that makes citizens uncomfortable.
Makaha
You may think that Hawaii is a true paradise, but that’s not true. It's gorgeous but there are some parts of it like Makaha that are quite miserable.
Makaha actually has a bad reputation and not for no reason. Gang violence is common and the city is said to be dirty and smelly.
Reading
Reading was actually the poorest American city in 2011 according to The New York Times.
The city struggles with economic issues with 36% of the total population living under poverty in awful conditions. Plus, deer are also a serious issue in town and they can be really dangerous.
Bell Gardens
Criminal and drug activity is fairly common in Bell Gardens, California.
Overpopulation is also a major problem in the area and 30% of the people deal with poverty.
Colombus
Even the nice areas deal with crime issues in Colombus. Depression plagues people with 25% of residents having actually being diagnosed by medical experts.
People struggle for basics such as food or access to healthcare. According to researches, 23% of people living there don’t like the city.
Cicero
Cicero is an industrial town in Illinois that is on top of the most miserable cities in the US.
Gang- related crime is very common in Cicero which was known as ‘Al Capone’s playground’ in the ‘20s.
Albany
Drug dealers, pimps, and the lousy educational system are just a few problems in Albany, Georgia.
Unemployment, crime rates, and taxes are all very high and there actually limited activities you can do there which makes Albany a very sad place.
Paterson
We are not done with New Jersey; Paterson is another pathetic city. Even though it is one of the biggest cities in NJ, it is actually considered to be one of the worst towns in the US.
Many spots are dangerous even in the heart of the town and more than 1,200 houses have been abandoned since 2011.
Huntsville
Huntsville is decent but the fact that it is a prison town says a lot on its own. Almost 35% of residents are plugged by poverty and that’s definitely an issue over there.
If you are planning to visit or live in Huntsville, keep in mind that you should not pick up hitchhikers. That could turn out to be very unsafe.
Lynwood
Lynwood is actually a terrible location to live in. Some areas are safe and quiet but others have very high crime rates where you should definitely not walk in the evening and especially at night.
Crimes usually happen near cheap motels so avoid those areas if you are planning to visit Lynwood.
El Monte
El Monte’s economy has improved during the last years but the city is still notorious for people living in poverty.
Plus, housing is very expensive and houses are not even that good.
Hammond
Hammond was another industrial town in Indiana that led to air and water pollution.
Northern areas of Hammond are more dangerous with ghetto environments being a major issue. Between 2006 and 2011 Hammond lost 6% of its population.
Charleston
A big percentage of people in Charleston, almost 27%, are dealing with clinical depression which is linked to bad work environments.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are common health problems in Charleston but in general, life there is decent.
Youngstown
Most of the crime in Youngstown revolves around drugs and prostitutes.
Burglaries, robberies, and shootings are everyday problems. However, if you aren’t involved in drugs or other criminal activity you don’t have to worry.
Trenton
Trenton is definitely not considered to be a safe place to live. It is dirty as it once used to be an industrial town.
Gun violence, gangs, and poverty are the top three major issues.
Camden
Camden’s population has drastically decreased during the last few years due to shocking crime rates.
Abandoned city blocks are proof of the extremely low quality of life there. Drug crimes are also very common over there.