Like many cities that were influenced by the changes the world went through in the late 1980s, Danville is yet another town affected by the closure of local factories. This time, the tobacco and textile mills in Danville shut their doors, making it difficult for the once-wealthy residents to earn a living.
It seems people aren’t willing to stick around Danville as it continues to decline. In the past eight years, the city’s population has fallen by 5.5%. Although they’re trying to set up solar farms and open new businesses in the abandoned mills, it’s yet to be determined if Danville can make a comeback.
North Miami Beach, Florida
The problems in North Miami Beach largely stem from the city’s corrupt leadership. Two former mayors faced criminal charges for their spending decisions while in office. We know that corruption and dishonest people sitting on the throne of power can be found anywhere; however, when it comes to North Miami Beach, this was so significant it almost destroyed the city completely.
Considering the state of politics in the city, 20% of residents living in poverty and 32% of residents who don’t have healthcare isn’t exactly surprising. However, it does explain why the city is just an unpleasant place to live.
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading in Pennsylvania was once known as the "Pretzel City," and even to this very day, the city has numerous pretzel bakeries scattered all over the city. It was massively impacted by the closure of numerous factories around the city. When these factories shut their doors, many of the residents of Reading lost their jobs. In 2011, Reading was declared the most miserable city in the country by The New York Times.
Today, 36% of Reading’s population lives in poverty. Roughly 44% of all households in the city are on food stamps. It’s hard to make a living when there aren’t many job options available, which is the unfortunate case in Reading.
Hemet, California
In Hemet, 23% of the population lives in poverty. The crime rate has also increased dramatically since 2010. In 2016 alone, 170 robbers were reported, 623 cars were stolen, and 398 aggravated assaults took place. Those numbers represent the highest in the century for Hemet. You would have thought that for these reasons and others, people would have shown no interest in moving there; however, things are very much the opposite.
Despite those issues ( and many others that we have not listed), the population of Hemet has increased in the past ten years. People either don’t realize how violent the city is or simply don’t care.
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is right on the border of the United States and Mexico, which makes it a hot spot for illegal immigration. Since it’s a public place for crossings, it’s also one of the most patrolled cities in the country. These two reasons, and many more, make Brownsville a star on our list and a place not too many want to move to.
The issues with immigration and constant patrols make it difficult for any residents to sell property in Brownsville. Thirty-one percent of the population currently lives in poverty, and many are unable to move to a new city since they can’t sell their current home.