Mansfield used to be considered quite a prosperous city. But when the GM factory closed its doors, the town took a turn for the worst. Without the ready availability of industrial jobs, many workers were left without an income or an opportunity to earn money. Once a person is unemployed, it is very difficult to climb back up onto the employment ladder, and this is exactly what is happening here.
After the factory shut down in 2010, crime in the city has been steadily on the rise. Since 2012, violent crimes in Mansfield increased by 37%, indicating a population who’s not happy about their situation.
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.
Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce may be an ocean town, but it’s not the idyllic beach city of your dreams. The city has to replenish the sand on the beaches every few years due to constant erosion. Imported sand probably didn’t enter your mind in your daydreams about living on the beach.
Of the 46,000 residents in Fort Pierce, 36% live in poverty, struggling to make ends meet. While the economy in Fort Pierce was once centered on citrus farming, the industry slowly collapsed due to changes in trade deals. Without a primary source of income, the city has steadily declined year after year.
Montebello, California
There aren’t many upsides to living in Montebello, California. Fourteen percent of the population lives in poverty, while 19% don’t have any health insurance and rely on government benefits. If residents do have a job, they can expect an average commute of around 33 minutes.
Even if you do make a decent living in Montebello, the sky-high housing prices practically guarantee that you’ll never own a home. In 2019, a home-ownership counselor said the opportunities for first-time homebuyers in Montebello were nearly nonexistent. So, Montebello in California is not a place for young families; it is apparently not a place to retire, as it has nothing to offer.