Many places in Georgia have suffered the effects of natural disasters, but Albany is still struggling to recover. In recent years, the city suffered through both Hurricane Irma and a massively destructive tornado. As a city that relied on crops, the tremendous damage to farm goods made it difficult for Albany to recover.
About a third of Albany’s population lives in poverty. While its residents struggle to make ends meet, the city also has a massive issue with crime and violence. There have been many attempts to try and clean up the city; however, all former and current mayors have failed to do so.
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is only comprised of 1.28 square miles. In that tiny chunk of space, 68,500 residents try to make a living. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the entire country, and the citizens feel the effects. It is crowded and unpleasant and has been experiencing negative migration for years.
In Union City, the average commute time is 33 minutes. While some residents spend a large chunk of their days on the road, 23% of the population lives in poverty. Imagine trying to make a living in a city where you barely have room to breathe. It’s no wonder that Union City is so miserable.
El Monte, California
El Monte used to be a thriving city with many auto dealerships that boosted the economy. Unfortunately, relying on those auto dealerships for an income eventually backfired. When three of the largest dealerships were closed, the city never fully recovered. Today, El Monte still struggles with finances.
About 22% of the population lives in poverty, and the people who do work have an average commute time of about 30 minutes. The city played a significant part in the early Californian pioneer days; however, it never managed to stay with a good reputation and has been going downhill for years.
Camden, New Jersey
About 37% of Camden residents are living below the poverty line. This is probably because the average household income in Camden is only $26,105. While that might sound like a lot, it’s the lowest average income of every city on this list. For comparison, the average family income in New York City is $113,315, which is almost five times higher than Camden's.
While residents can barely afford to survive, they also have to struggle with the high crime rate in Camden. Although crime is slowly improving, Camden is still considered one of the most dangerous cities in the entire country.
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Much like Warren, Pine Bluff relied heavily on manufacturing jobs. Between 2016 and 2017, however, the city lost over 3,000 jobs, significantly affecting the workers living in Pine Bluff. While that was bad enough, the city experienced a flood when the Arkansas River overflowed in 2019.
It seems many citizens have decided that they’re done living in Pine Bluff. Since 2010, the population decreased by an incredible 14%, and it hasn't stopped. In the past ten years the number of people living in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, has decreased by almost 1% every single year. Saying that, the average income of the city has been escalating, so maybe there is a future for this city after all.