Top 10 Worst Cities in the United States

The Top Ten

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the largest and most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the Detroit River, it lies directly across from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. As of 2020, Detroit had a population of approximately 639,111.

I live right off Eight Mile and have worked in Detroit as a delivery driver for a few years. I have never been robbed, although there are hundreds and thousands of abandoned houses. Some blocks have one occupied house, and plenty of blocks have none. But being an outsider, you can drive through Detroit and have nothing to worry about. It's when you are in areas you do not belong, mainly engaging in illegal activities like drugs, that you are in danger.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of innocent people who do get robbed and, unfortunately, murdered. So, in closing, Detroit is a rough, rundown city with limited police resources. The new mayor is trying to help bring it back, but it is an uphill battle that is being lost. But Detroit has a stigma for being very bad and dangerous when, in all actuality, if you are not somewhere you shouldn't be, like buying drugs or committing crimes, and you are just minding your own business, 99.9% of the time, you will be just fine.
Englewood, New Jersey

Englewood is infamous for the crime of the century, involving the most famous man in the world's child being horribly murdered. The aftermath led to him fleeing the country to avoid the people of Englewood and Bergen County.
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, officially the City of Chicago, is the third-most populous city in the United States. With over 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in both Illinois and the Midwestern United States. It is considered one of the most important business centers in the world.... read more

There has never been an honest politician from Chicago. I visited many times while in college, and my friend repeatedly paid off cops for traffic violations. The last time, he pleaded with the cop that all he had was a $100 bill and we wanted to go to breakfast, and the cop actually gave him change back.
How a first-term senator from Chicago got elected president is beyond me. I thought everybody knew they were all corrupt. By the way, isn't Hillary from Chicago? There you go. Murder capital of America. But they do have great bars downtown.

There is absolutely no reason to ever live in Chicago. The horrible weather, corrupt politicians, extremely high crime rates, and an absurd amount of taxes are just a few reasons to leave. Chicago was also the only major metropolitan area to lose population.
No one has any proposal to fund the pensions, and the state is completely bankrupt. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this hellhole. There are many other great cities to visit and move to, and this one is pretty close to the bottom of the barrel.
Camden, New Jersey

Monowi doesn't even belong on this list. If we're talking about Nebraska, then it needs to be replaced with either North Platte or Fremont.

First of all, Camden should be ranked second, above Chicago, New York City, and Anchorage. The crime rate in Camden is terrible. In contrast, Chicago and New York City are good, and Anchorage is very good, so I don't understand why it's included in this list.

Camden is a terrible place, talk about ghetto. How is the beautiful and safe city of NYC above this crime cesspool?
Hackensack, New Jersey

Epstein was arrested in Bergen County, NJ, at the Hackensack/Teterboro Airport, a source of over 700 flights. This represents the worst of the worst corruption in the world, with the Bergen County 'Justice Center', courthouse, and all the rest. Constitutional and civil rights attorneys fight every day against the scorched-earth, unbreakable political machine committing crimes against humanity and the largest concealed organized crime in America today.
Newark, New Jersey

I had the misfortune of being stranded at Newark airport years ago. I had to run a gauntlet of rude and unhelpful staff until I could get a return flight home. All I can say is that if the airport is anything like Newark itself, then I will be glad to never see it again in this life or the next!

I was there with several people whose company I enjoyed, and a Brazilian and Mexican. While they pretended to be nice in that 'in' area, I would be afraid to walk even one block alone at night. I had a very uneasy feeling, like something bad was going to happen to the nice guy wishing goodwill towards all - like the right idea, wrong place.
Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton has some of the poorest, most uneducated, and crime-ridden demographics in the United States. Are all the cities in New Jersey bad except Cherry Hill? No, they're all bad. Cherry Hill is full of terrorists (Fort Dix Terrorists), terror-causing groups (JDL types), hate groups, reverse hate groups, violent schools, and dangerous people. All of this is hidden under the New Jersey concealment and censorship of a scared, silent media (Menendez parents and Reisenbach Nightmare on Jane/Greenwich Street Murders).

Trenton is the capital of the worst, most corrupt state in America. How bad can it be? It's the absolute worst.
Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, officially the City of Los Angeles and often abbreviated as L.A., is the largest city in California. It has an estimated population of nearly 4 million and is the second-largest city in the United States after New York City. It is also the third-largest in North America after Mexico City... read more

Absolute dumpster. A third-world city pretending to be a top-tier city. Predatory ticketing practices make the poor even poorer. There are homeless tents and drug addicts everywhere. The apartments are overpriced with unrealistic deposit fees. The traffic is unbearable, yet you can't survive without a car. The people are mostly vile and shallow. It should definitely be in the top 5.

Yes, there are lots of fun things to do here, along with some great places to eat, but LA is kind of bad because of things such as a high homeless rate, horrible traffic, and lots of gangs.
It's not as good as people say it is, and there are better cities in California.
Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is a major city in the U.S. state of Ohio and serves as the county seat of Cuyahoga County. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie and is part of the Great Lakes region. Cleveland is known for its cultural institutions, such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Museum... read more

Cleveland is the most miserable city to live in, second only to Detroit for obvious reasons. The weather is ridiculous, the sports teams are awful, and the police are almost as bad as the rampant crime. The city is filled with homeless people because the economy here has not recovered, which also explains the many boarded-up businesses and homes.
The only saving grace is that it's cheap (comparatively) because no one wants to live in the mistake on the lake.

Fun times in Cleveland again! Still, it's Cleveland! Come on down to Cleveland town, everyone! The city has been under construction since 1868. See a river that catches on fire, so polluted that all our fish have AIDS. We see our sun almost three times a year. This guy has at least two DUIs. The Flats look like a Scooby-Doo ghost town. Don't slow down in East Cleveland, or you'll die. Our economy's based on LeBron James. Buy a house for the price of a VCR. Our main export is crippling depression. We're so misguided that we think this is art. It could be worse, but at least we're not Detroit! We're not Detroit!
Flint, Michigan

Another city ruined by Democrats, just like Detroit. It is a violent crime-infested ghetto run by a corrupt Democrat Council.

The crime and the drinking water crisis prove this city sucks.

They can't even drink their own tap water! I feel sorry for them.

The Newcomers

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Cairo, Illinois

And yes, Cairo isn't just in Egypt.
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Marianna, Arkansas

The Contenders

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and ranks as the sixth most populous city in the United States. As of 2016, it had an estimated population of 1,567,872, and its metropolitan area was home to more than 6.3 million people. Located along the lower Delaware and Schuylkill... read more

There is a lot of history here. And that's it. It's been all downhill for the last 40-50 years. Corrupt city government has caused the mass exodus of industry to the suburbs (see Valley Forge, KOP).
Brotherly love is non-existent in the city of brotherly love. You are more likely to be kicked in the liver than be loved.

And they call this the "City of Brotherly Love," but that name is so laughable when you look at all the crime. People get murdered every day here.

There are security guards in fast-food restaurants and gangs everywhere. This place is garbage.
Gary, Indiana

If the creepy abandoned buildings don't turn you away, the smell will.
New York City, New York

The City of New York, commonly known as New York City or simply New York, is the most populous city in the United States. It is also the most densely populated major city in the country. Located in the state of New York, it is a global hub for finance, culture, and media.

I lived here for a long time and am so glad I moved down south to Florida. New York sucks and is highly overrated. All the people there hate each other, no one has manners, and all the buildings look the same now. These hipsters bought and knocked down the unique and detailed buildings that were once there, then turned them into generic-looking high-rise condo garbage. Not to mention, it's full of trash, there are homeless people everywhere (regardless of whether they are good or bad people), the rents are ridiculous, and everything is unaffordable.
Also, there are police-involved shootings here constantly, and everyone who runs this city is a greedy politician who only cares about money and attention to themselves. Absolutely terrible place to live. I really hate this city and am so glad I left.
St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an independent city and inland port in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is situated along the western bank of the Mississippi River, which forms Missouri's border with Illinois. The city is known for the Gateway Arch, a symbol of westward expansion, and has a strong cultural legacy in music... read more

The "deeper" downtown area of St. Louis is dangerous. When coming from a Cardinals game, I could see people digging through trash, walking weirdly as if they were drunk (which they probably most likely were). Downtown St. Louis, in this area particularly, is definitely not safe.
Plus, the creepy, run-down buildings add to the setting of St. Louis. It makes me shiver every time I have to pass them.

Definitely not a safe place to live. Should be higher on this list.

St. Louis has the highest crime rate per capita in the United States.
Baltimore, Maryland

If you live on the East side, you might survive, but the town is so dangerous you probably wouldn't want to live there at all.

I live in Baltimore, specifically in one of its better neighborhoods. This neighborhood, Frankford, still does not compare favorably to an average American neighborhood. The city, in my view, is a leftist progressive mess. Ever since the Vietnam War began in 1964, which coincided with blue-collar industries relocating their jobs to Mexico and Canada for cheaper labor, many Baltimore residents have been left destitute and jobless. This shift disproportionately affected the Black community and facilitated the U.S. government, mainly the FBI, to supply these impoverished neighborhoods with drugs. This was seen as a means for the Black communities to tear each other apart and self-destruct. The 1968 Baltimore Riots further exacerbated the situation. As vacancies increased, bad neighborhoods deteriorated even more.
Baltimore has seen little improvement since then. The city needs blue-collar jobs to alleviate its poverty. Relying on welfare and minimum wage is not a solution for Baltimoreans. Perhaps a conservative mayor, with their experience in blue-collar industries such as fracking and factories, could revive the city. This revival would also involve cleaning up street litter and improving the police force. Such measures could potentially move drug addicts to the counties, thereby encouraging Whites in the counties to return to the city for safety reasons. This could create a moderate paradise.
However, until Baltimore elects a conservative mayor, I believe it will continue to be the worst city in America.
Oakland, California

Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. It serves as a major port on the West Coast and is the most populous city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Oakland ranks as the third largest city in the Bay Area, the eighth most populous... read more

The corridor between Oakland and Richmond has some of the worst cases of rapists, poverty, and psychotically extreme politics in the whole country.

I hate that Oakland gets so many sports teams. Can't they just take a boat to San Francisco?

The Black Panthers started here.
Memphis, Tennessee

Graceland is the former home of musician Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Since opening to the public as a museum in 1982, it has attracted millions of visitors who come to honor the legacy of the "King of Rock and Roll." Graceland remains one of the most visited private homes in the United... read more

Some good people in Memphis with southern hospitality, but some very bad ones running the big companies. Red flag. They're not all from Memphis, but many are.

People here are evil. Avoid at all costs.

Where professionals go to die. Shame.
Miami, Florida

Miami, officially known as the City of Miami, is the cultural, economic, and financial center of South Florida. It is the county seat of Miami-Dade County, which is the most populous county in Florida. The city is a major hub for international trade, tourism, and finance.

I live in Florida and love it. However, I have been to Miami. On the outside, it looks impressive, but on the inside, it's crowded, noisy, and full of crooks.
Someone put a boot on my dad's car, and he had to pay $90 to get it off! The person who put it on claimed we were there for hours and left the plaza. What a liar. We just stopped for a bite to eat! I just wish the place had fewer thieves and was cleaner.

Too hot and humid. It's like living in a steam room most of the year. It can even be 90 degrees during December!

Overrated and too hot, with no seasons and frequent hurricanes. The place seems fake. I would never live there.
El Paso, Texas

El Paso is a city in far western Texas and serves as the county seat of El Paso County. It is located on the U.S. - Mexico border, directly across from Ciudad Juárez in Mexico. The city is a major cultural and economic hub in the region and plays a vital role in international trade and border relations... read more

El Paso is one of the safest places in the US, but it is across the river from one of the most dangerous places in the world. The biggest threat here is someone who thinks that being rude makes them a big man!

Boring desert city, with food that will give you diarrhea. Across the border, it's dangerous because it's Mexico. It's like 80% Latino there, so they probably don't like different cultures. Skip.

I hate this city. I live here. I want to go elsewhere but here for vacation. No good cars, no fun areas, no nice people.
Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located 147 miles, or 237 kilometers, west of Atlanta. Birmingham played a major role in the civil rights movement and remains a cultural and economic hub in the southeastern United States.

It is the most uneducated, unworldly, racist city I have been to. They look inwards, not outwards.
Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, officially the City of Las Vegas and commonly called Vegas, is the most populous city in Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. With a population that ranks it 28th in the United States, it is known worldwide for its vibrant entertainment industry, casinos, and nightlife.... read more

Put the casinos and nightclubs aside, this city is a wretched hive, and the majority of the people that live there would agree. There are many thugs, gangs, and homeless people living in the sewers.

Las Vegas, a city known for fun and gambling, was also the site of America's worst mass murder. This tragic event unfolded in front of a Nashville singer who could only run as he saw people being slaughtered in front of him, and he said nothing.

I've been there. Despite the drugs, homeless people, and gangs, it's actually a decent place.
Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi makes Detroit, Michigan and many more cities in the United States look more livable and alive. You're not going to find anywhere more grimy and miserable than Jackson.

So racist and stupid. I live here, and it's hell. I want to leave and go live in California. There's nothing to do.

Wow, a city named after a racist president in the most racist state.
Cherry Hill, New Jersey

JDL, a group listed by the FBI as violent, appears to have a strong influence or presence in Cherry Hill on the East side. The ADL is now active in Cherry Hill at CHHSW and officially advocates for "a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate." This is a worthy future goal for New Jersey.
New Jersey is currently battling its own Supreme Court Justice, Gary Stein. Stein is leading the state lawsuit, charging New Jersey as the most segregated state in America with the 'worst' segregated school system.
San Diego, California

San Diego is a city in the U.S. state of California. It is known for its mild year-round climate, beautiful beaches, and major tourist attractions such as the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park. San Diego is also home to a large U.S. Navy presence and several universities.

Unfortunately, I was born here and lived here until I was three years old. I then moved elsewhere, and it is not much better, but at least it isn't as overrated as this place. On TV, this place is painted as a surfing beach paradise, but in real life, it's a nightmare. Some neighborhoods have extremely high crime rates and violence.
The people are shallow, immature, and mean-spirited. There are no indications that you're near military property. This has to be the only city in the world where military bases are not secured and have no barriers. I saw at least three military bases that were unmanned. It would be ridiculous if a tourist were arrested for trespassing, not knowing this backwards city didn't have barriers around its military bases.
Also, the cost of living is ridiculous. The only nice houses are in the north county and north side of the city (La Jolla, Carmel Valley). Everything else is undersized, without A/C, and extremely overpriced. Dog owners are disrespectful and let their dogs run loose.
Overall, this is a miserable, depressing, overrated purgatory. This is the side of San Diego they don't want you to see.
They say Los Angeles is bad. LA is not perfect by any means, but I would rather live there. It's not as overrated, and for the same cost of living, you get better quality and nicer people. This city is nothing but a pathetic, washed-up LA wannabe. Tourists, stay away!
Jacksonville, Florida

Recently lost the murder capital of Florida crown to Miami.

Jacksonville is a great place to leave.

Talk about a redneck, racist-run city. It has a bunch of crime and drugs, and it just sucks.