The 15 Most Depressing Cities In The United States In 2022


We’ve identified the 15 of the most depressing cities in the United States, using Census and FBI crime data collected from thousands of cities, taking into consideration poverty rates, population change, median household incomes, median home price and violent crime rates.

To give you some perspective on these metrics, the national average for poverty is 11.4%. The national average for median household income is $62,843. The national average for violent crime rate is 398.5 per 100,000 people. The median home price in the United States is $374,900.

Most of these cities are rust belt cities that struggled greatly after industry had collapsed. As more and more residents left the city, blight and high crime rates filled in the void.

Here are the 15 most depressing cities in the United States.

1. East St. Louis

east st louis - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 18,469
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -32%
Peak Population 82,366 (1950)
Violent Crime Rate 1451.08
Median Household Income $24,343.00
Median Home Price $39,900.00
Poverty Rate 33.4%

 

2. Gary, Indiana

gary - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 69,093
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -14%
Peak Population 178,320 (1960)
Violent Crime Rate 506.56
Median Household Income $31,936.00
Median Home Price $93,500.00
Poverty Rate 30.6%

(Related: How Many Abandoned Houses Are There In Gary, Indiana?)

 

3. Flint, Michigan

flint michigan - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 81,252
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -21%
Peak Population 196,940 (1960)
Violent Crime Rate 1225.82
Median Household Income $28,834.00
Median Home Price $28,834.00
Poverty Rate 38.8%

4. Camden New Jersey

camden - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 71,791
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -7%
Peak Population 118,700 (1930)
Violent Crime Rate 1632.52
Median Household Income $27,015.00
Median Home Price $99,500.00
Poverty Rate 36.4%

 

5. Saginaw, Michigan

saginaw - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 44,202
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -14%
Peak Population 98,265 (1960)
Violent Crime Rate 2327.95
Median Household Income $29,582.00
Median Home Price $107,900.00
Poverty Rate 34.8%

 

6. East Cleveland, Ohio

east cleveland - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 13,792
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -23%
Peak Population 39,667 (1930)
Violent Crime Rate 391.53
Median Household Income $20,743.00
Median Home Price $60,000.00
Poverty Rate 37.5%

 

7. Detroit, Michigan

detroit - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 639,111
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -10%
Peak Population 1,849,568 (1950)
Violent Crime Rate 2248.44
Median Household Income $30,894.00
Median Home Price $78,000.00
Poverty Rate 35.0%

 

8. Youngstown, Ohio

youngstown - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 60,068
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -10%
Peak Population 170,002 (1930)
Violent Crime Rate 397.88
Median Household Income $28,822.00
Median Home Price $89,000.00
Poverty Rate 35.2%

 

9. Pontiac, Michigan

pontiac - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 61,606
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) 4%
Peak Population 85,279 (1970)
Violent Crime Rate 1363.50
Median Household Income $33,568.00
Median Home Price $124,900.00
Poverty Rate 30.7%

 

10. Atlantic City, New Jersey

atlantic city - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 38,497
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -3%
Peak Population 66,198 (1930)
Violent Crime Rate 2,335.25
Median Household Income $29,232.00
Median Home Price $169,900.00
Poverty Rate 37.1%

 

11 Canton, Ohio

canton - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 70,872
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -3%
Peak Population 116,912 (1950)
Violent Crime Rate 1415.23
Median Household Income $32,287.00
Median Home Price $139,900.00
Poverty Rate 30.8%

 

12. Dayton, Ohio

dayton - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 137,644
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -3%
Peak Population 262,332 (1960)
Violent Crime Rate 1106.48
Median Household Income $32,540.00
Median Home Price $129,900.00
Poverty Rate 30.6%

 

13. Niagara Falls, New York

niagra falls - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 48,671
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -3%
Peak Population 102,394 (1960)
Violent Crime Rate 758.15
Median Household Income $36,346.00
Median Home Price $119,900.00
Poverty Rate 28.2%

 

14. West Memphis, Arkansas

west memphis - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 24,520
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -7%
Peak Population 28,259 (1990)
Violent Crime Rate 2475.53
Median Household Income $33,103.00
Median Home Price $130,000.00
Poverty Rate 26.3%

 

15. Cairo, Illinois

cairo, il - most depressing cities in the us

(map)

Population in 2020 1,733
Population Change (2020 vs 2010) -39%
Peak Population 14,407 (1940)
Violent Crime Rate 1038.66
Median Household Income $26,439.00
Median Home Price $33,000.00
Poverty Rate 34%

 

Data

City2020 Population2010 Population2010 vs 2020 PopulationPeak PopulationMedian Household IncomeMedian Home PricePoverty RateViolent CrimeViolent Crime Rate
Flint, Michigan81,252102,434-21%196,940 (1960)$28,834.00$74,900.0038.8%9961225.82
East Cleveland, Ohio13,79217,843-23%39,667 (1930)$20,743.00$60,000.0037.5%54391.53
Atlantic City, New Jersey38,49739,558-3%66,198 (1930)$29,232.00$169,900.0037.1%309802.66
Camden, New Jersey71,79177,344-7%118,700 (1930)$27,015.00$99,500.0036.4%1,1721632.52
Youngstown, Ohio60,06866,982-10%170,002 (1930)$28,822.00$89,000.0035.2%239397.88
Detroit, Michigan639,111713,777-10%1,849,568 (1950)$30,894.00$78,000.0035.0%14,3702248.44
Saginaw, Michigan44,20251,508-14%98,265 (1960)$29,582.00$107,900.0034.8%1,0292327.95
Cairo, Illinois1,7332,831-39%14,407 (1940)$26,439.00$33,000.0034%181038.66
East St. Louis, Illinois18,46927,006-32%82,366 (1950)$24,343.00$39,900.0033.4%2681451.08
Canton, Ohio70,87273,007-3%116,912 (1950)$32,287.00$139,900.0030.8%1,0031415.23
Pontiac, Michigan61,60659,5154%85,279 (1970)$33,568.00$124,900.0030.7%8401363.50
Gary, Indiana69,09380,294-14%178,320 (1960)$31,936.00$93,500.0030.6%350506.56
Dayton, Ohio137,644141,527-3%262,332 (1960)$32,540.00$129,900.0030.6%1,5231106.48
Niagara Falls, New York48,67150,193-3%102,394 (1960)$36,346.00$119,900.0028.2%369758.15
West Memphis, Arkansas24,52026,245-7%28,259 (1990)$33,103.00$130,000.0026.3%6072475.53

Mariska Lee

Mariska is a recovering attorney who gave up her professional job to discover new perspectives of life while traveling in a 2009 Ford Transit. She has been living the van life for 3 years and has not looked back since.

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