Muskegon Heights, Michigan
An article published in 2022 explained that the Muskegon Heights residents are “fed up with these ‘raggedy streets’”. The article headline does not exactly paint a beautiful picture of this Michigan city, but then again, it is probably a fair point. Though the population numbers approximately 10,000, one part of the population is complaining about the “raggedy streets” and the other half is part of the problem. Just under 40% of the population lives in poverty.
The city reported that the average income per household is $25,411 a year meaning it is less than half of the national average. With poverty comes crime and Muskegon Heights is no exception. There are approximately 1,800 violent crimes and 6,000 property crimes for every 100,000 people.
Bridgeton, New Jersey
It seems a bit tragic that New Jersey is also known as the Garden State. While it does bring to mind neat rows of suburban houses with trim gardens, it is also one of those states that just happen to have a lot of misery, meaning miserable cities. Bridgeton might have a bridge spanning the Cohansey River – from where unsurprisingly the city takes its name – and might have had the first zoo, but you will probably avoid going out of your way for the zoo.
Since the 1980s, its major industries in textiles and glass closed down causing job loss. The city’s unemployment rate is only 7% but it struggles with having the highest burglary rate in the state. And for the Garden State that is a massive problem.
Adelanto, California
If you translate the word “adelanto” it means “advancement” or “advance” in English. We’re not exactly sure what is meant to be advancing in this place, as it is clearly not the city of Adelanto. We know it is clearly not describing what is happening with the education in this city as not many of its residents are advancing theirs.
The city has about 5.2% of its population holding a bachelor’s degree. More than 30% of its residents are living in poverty so the city is not advancing the lives of its people. And the worst part is that residents spend an average of 41 minutes per day commuting. Did we also mention that the city is in a desert, the Mojave Desert? At least, the weather’s good.
Benton Harbor, Michigan
As romantic as the name sounds, Benton Harbor is not the crown jewel of Michigan. While the name brings to mind a calm town with a prosperous economy thanks to its harbor, Benton Harbor is anything but. Not only does it have one of the highest levels of crime in the state, but it has some of the highest levels in the country.
The annual report for 2017 stated that there were about 2,200 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents. That is more than five times the national average. Even though it has a small population of just under 10,000, about 48% of its residents are living below the poverty line. That is an astounding figure as almost half of its population lives in poverty.
Firebaugh, California
The Golden State might have numerous cities which are truly golden but Firebaugh is not one of those. Unsurprisingly, Fresno County is another city that is considered one of the most miserable. This city was founded along the San Joaquin River during the 19th-century Gold Rush. Yet, things have taken quite a downturn in the early 21st century. The most obvious issue in Firebaugh is the economic downturn.
The whole county seems to be struggling with poor economic growth. Three in ten of its residents are living in poverty which is certainly caused by its high unemployment rate which is 11%. While Firebaugh is miserable, its crime rates are actually relatively low as it seems to have the same rate of violent crime as the national average.