10 Worst Places To Live

Thought this was interesting and might spark some interest here.

1. El Centro, California
Population: 41,241


Lose your job in El Centro and it may be quite some time before you find another one. One in four people here are out of work and the city holds the not-so distinguished honor of having the highest unemployment rate -- 27.5% -- in the country (close behind is Yuma, Ariz., with 27.2% unemployment).

2. Cleveland, Ohio
Population: 431,363


LeBron James isn't the only person leaving Cleveland. The U.S. Census estimated that 2,658 people left the city in 2009, the largest numerical drop among America's major cities.

Forbes also put Cleveland atop its list of most miserable U.S. cities, factoring in its high unemployment (although at 9.1% it's below the national average), high taxes, lousy weather, political corruption and lousy sports teams -- and that was before LeBron decided to leave.

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A lot of large cities in the U.S. Sacramento is really bad now!
Everyday there is a protest for either education, transit, or what not.

Originally posted by SeventhSeal
Thought this was interesting and might spark some interest here.

1. El Centro, California
Population: 41,241


Lose your job in El Centro and it may be quite some time before you find another one. One in four people here are out of work and the city holds the not-so distinguished honor of having the highest unemployment rate -- 27.5% -- in the country (close behind is Yuma, Ariz., with 27.2% unemployment).

2. Cleveland, Ohio
Population: 431,363


LeBron James isn't the only person leaving Cleveland. The U.S. Census estimated that 2,658 people left the city in 2009, the largest numerical drop among America's major cities.

Forbes also put Cleveland atop its list of most miserable U.S. cities, factoring in its high unemployment (although at 9.1% it's below the national average), high taxes, lousy weather, political corruption and lousy sports teams -- and that was before LeBron decided to leave.

See full article from WalletPop: srph.it...

Visit the link to see the rest of the link.


Source

Whoa....El Centro, California???

I go there about 2-3 times a month for grocery shopping and such.

It's only like 10 minutes away. It's part of the Imperial Valley, where I live.
That's a shocker to me.

Edit; And I must add, that even though it's on this list, I really don't see it as one of the worst places to live. Too me atleast. I believe your list is supposed to be0 Worst places of unemployment rate? I still think if it that it's wrong. Just my opinion.


[edit on 25-8-2010 by Oozii]

Originally posted by Romantic_Rebel
A lot of large cities in the U.S. Sacramento is really bad now!
Everyday there is a protest for either education, transit, or what not.

i live in the middle of sacramento...it is pretty freaking bad.
living cost is less than in the bay area, but you get less too...here it is just...[snip]...and few jobs...
and drugs.
and moooooore [snip]
anytime a "nice," new shopping center moves into town the first thought is, "just a matter of time before thats a [snip] . vandalism, robbed, run-over by meth heads...etc.
*sigh*
i've lived a LOT of places, and this is by far the worst (always has been, since i moved here in 2003) and that goes for crime, aesthetics, how you are treated in public, etc etc.

its patchy though...on one side of a busy street is some [snip] 200,000 dollar homes and on the other side is well over MILLION dollar homes. so weird.

i hate it here.

**added: i also lived in Mesa and Tempe arizona (metro-Phoenix) and it was Waaaayyyyy better as far as living costs and being treated nicely in pubic...i know thats a weird thing to say but the people, alone, are what make sacramento so unbearable for almost everyone i know that isn't from here.

the immigrant problem wasn't maybe *as bad* as it is now, but the immigrants there were not the same as here, to be honest. they were just living there and relatively easy to get along with....

[edit on 8/25/2010 by double_frick]





Mod Edit: Censor circumnavigation. Please see ABOUT ATS: Vulgarity and The Automatic ATS Censors. Thank you - Jak


[edit on 26/8/10 by JAK]

reply to post by double_frick


Same here. While I was chatting on ATS last night I heard a series of gun shots. Talk about another shooting in your neighborhood.

reply to post by SeventhSeal


B. S.!!!

That list is unscientific and warped!

No offense OP, I know you didn't write the article, it is a good subject, and you are getting a star and flag from me, but the article itself is junk!

Oklahoma City? They used a study that measured things like acres of parks, obesity, and # of people that walk or bike to work? In that city, there is no need for acres of park, the entire surrounding community is farm and ranch land. It is spread out in a huge geographic grid and would be virtually impossible to walk or bike anywhere, but there is never gridlock or traffic problems, and it is easy to get from place to place, even as a tourist.

Miami, FL? Their reason is that some magazine voted it a bad place to raise a family? I personally know plenty of kids born and raised in Miami, and they loved it! Plus, they grew up bilingual, which is great on a job app! The beach, the climate, the food, all very nice!

Phoenix, AZ? Maybe this article writer doesn't like Hispanics? Kind of suspect that they would put Miami and Phoenix in the same boat. They are both big retirement communities with great weather, but they both have a lot of Spanish Speakers.

Of course the writer could also be racist against blacks, because they also included Memphis, Detroit, and Cleveland. IMHO, Memphis is one of the coolest places in the country to live! I go there often, and I have never had a shred of trouble. The article uses the fact that many politicians have been convicted of Corruption. I say that is GREAT! At least they are being caught, tried, and convicted! How many communities have corrupt politicians still in power?

L.A, El Centro? Sounds like this author thinks any place with a high percentage of blacks and/or hispanics is a bad place to live.

I'm really surprised that Detroit is not #1 and not #3.

2nd line

I'm an Ohio boy that is currently living in Columbus, and I have been to the miserable city of Cleveland on more than one occasion. I'm a die-hard Reds and Bengals fan and I've only visited Cleveland to see my beloved teams in action: Bengals at Browns, Reds at Indians during interleague play, and one Cavs game so I could be a "witness" to one of the biggest egomaniacs in the history of sports. The city itself is mostly dead in the middle of the day, and there are so many abandoned buildings and lots that I really can't blame LeBron for getting the hell out of there.

Want to hear something funny? I saw three moving trucks heading southbound out of the downtown area after an afternoon game at the Jake (sorry, I mean Progressive Field). I was in Cleveland for about five hours and felt like I had to get out of there or I would be stuck there the rest of my life. Hey, at least my Reds won the game that afternoon, right?

Drew Carrey is wrong... Cleveland sucks

reply to post by getreadyalready


I'm going to have to agree with you on many points actually. I was also surprised by the articles picks for "worst places." Was hoping for some surprised members to be shocked by this.

Also, where the hell is Camden, New Jersey?

reply to post by getreadyalready


Have you been to Cleveland or Detroit? I have. I would not recommend spending more than a day or two at either, and I'm being serious. Oh, and guess what? It has nothing to do with there being a lot of black people there. Rather, it has more to do with the fact that they are crumbling (literally and figuratively). Their infrastructure is in ruin, their economies have tanked... People are literally fleeing those cities.

Originally posted by SeventhSeal
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

Also, where the hell is Camden, New Jersey?

I was wondering the same thing. Doesn't Camden have one of the highest crime rates in the United States? I know that, at one point, it was consistently in the top 3 or 4.

reply to post by Xtrozero


I've been to Detroit and am actually kind of suprised that it is not #1 AND #3.

That place is a hot mess.

reply to post by SeventhSeal

The racial makeup of the city was 53.35% Black or African American, 16.84% White, 2.45% Asian, 0.54% Native American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, and 22.83% from other races. 3.92% of residents were from two or more races. 38.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Only 16% White! The author is sticking to their m.o. although the next paragraph from wiki does sound pretty bad!

Although once a thriving center for manufacturing and industry, Camden is perhaps best known for its struggles with urban dysfunction. Three Camden mayors have been jailed for corruption, the most recent being Milton Milan in 2000.[8] Since 2005 the school system and police department have been operated by the State of New Jersey; the takeover will expire in 2012. In 2009, Camden had the highest crime rate in the U.S. with 2,333 violent crimes per 100,000 people while the national average was 455 per 100,000 [9] Camden public schools spend $17,000 per student per year yet only two thirds of the students graduate. Two out of every five residents are below the national poverty line.[10]

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by Judge_Holden


Ya, I don't disagree with all of the cities. I have never been to Cleveland, and as others have said, I am surprised Detroit is not #1. I think there is some legitimacy to the rumors that the Federal Government will be buying and bull-dozing city blocks in Detroit. It may be a case of "shrink to survive" and all those abandoned properties are just magnets for crime!

From what you say, Cleveland is similar, and from what I read about Camden, NJ it may be just as bad.

I only had a major issue with Miami, OKC, and Memphis! Those are 3 of my favorite places in the country!

Ive never been to any of those citys. Back around 1991 or so,a friend of mine moved to Canton Ohio, aea he was in was a sh*thole* kinda like how some of the bigger citys sound here, but moreso on the poverty and occassional gunshot time to time. that was 1991 of course.
You know whats sad? Cleveland at least growing up int he 80''s sounded like a popular city, Detroit a major city of auto manufacturing,and the movie with dan akryoid DR.Detroit* all have gone to hell, in an economy that since bush jr. was in office, reduced quality of car/truck components so NO one had anything good to say about them, and allowed foreign cars to overflow.
NOT one city, got a bailout or help of any kind, AIG, franny n freddie, fanny n mae did..the difference? greedy bankers, and the working clas in thsoe citys got the middle finger. Americas patriotic belovedment for tis people, crashed its own system in favor of seeling out adn going global, casuing the real people of those citys to force to leave
sounds like ONE big scam dosnt it

Originally posted by Hefficide
reply to post by Xtrozero

 

I've been to Detroit and am actually kind of suprised that it is not #1 AND #3.

That place is a hot mess.

You speak the truth. If you add that it has a bleak future of getting even worst and worst it is at least the top 5 spots. Just watch the documentaries on that city it is a truly horrific situation.

As a resident of #10 I completely agree. I have lived all over the country and this is without a doubt the worst place i've lived. The job market is horrible, the crime rate is high, rampant racism the list could go on and on. Luckily i'm out of here in 3-4 months.

reply to post by Xtrozero


What? Detroit's #3? I gotta tell people! They will make sure that next year it's #1 Detroit's competitive that way.

Hmmm, the ten worst places to live? No. If you live in these places think yourself very lucky.

Without starting my own list I would say maybe the Congo is in there, Ethiopia, probably Liberia.

Imagine you are surrounded by this:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/40f0bae54894.jpg[/atsimg]
There's no love, friendship or support... just violence, poverty, danger, starvation... ... ... unemployment levels kind of don't come in to it do they?

If theres a place worst then Detroit I hate to live there. At least we don't have to worry about illeagal imagrants here. The Canadians are better off where they're at.