10 worst for the life of US cities

The quality of life in an American city depends primarily on the level of crime and the welfare of the city. Also, the overall quality of life may decline due to other factors affecting the majority of residents.

In total, Americans make decisions about where to live based on a number of criteria: the quality of schools, the level of local economy and labor market, security, cultural development of the area, and climate, writes 24/7 Wall St., which compiled a list of the worst For the life of US cities.

To compile the rating, data was analysed on 551 settlements with a population of 65 000 or more for the level of crime, employment growth, accessibility of restaurants and entertainment, educational level and affordability of housing.

10 worst for the life of US cities:

10. Wilmington, Delaware

Population: 71,957

Average house price: $ 160 300

Poverty level: 26%

Percentage of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 25.4%

The average income of a family in Wilmington is $ 41,035, which is much less than the average income for the country – $ 55,755. However, given the high cost of living the city, the real income level is even lower.

26% of the city’s population lives in poverty, the unemployment rate is 6.9%. In 2015, there were 1,708 cases of violent crimes per 100,000 Wilmington residents.

9. Merced, California

Population: 82 440 people

Average cost of housing: $ 204 400

Poverty level: 35.1%

The proportion of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 19.5%

The unemployment rate in the city is 10.7%, which is almost the worst in the US.

8. Hartford, Connecticut

Population: 124,014

Average cost of housing: $ 159 200

Poverty level: 28.3%

The proportion of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 16.9%

The unemployment rate in the city is 10.4%. In the last few years, the city’s residents have left it to other regions, which has led to an economic downturn, and this, in turn, increases the levels of crime and poverty. In Hartford in 2015, there were 1,141 violent crimes per 100,000 residents.

7. Albany, Georgia

Population: 71,109

Average cost of housing: $ 92 600

Poverty level: 32%

Percentage of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 19%

The unemployment rate in the city is 7.9%, compared with 5.3% at the national level. In recent years, the population has left the city.

6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Population: 600 154

Average house price: $ 114,000

Poverty level: 26.8%

The proportion of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 23.9%

The average income in the city is $ 37,495, which is one of the lowest in the US, unemployment is – 6.7%.

Economic tensions lead to high rates of violent crime. In 2015, for every 100,000 residents of the city were registered 1596 violent crimes.

5. Memphis, Tennessee

Population: 655,760 people

Average cost of housing: $ 94 400

Poverty level: 26.2%

The proportion of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 24.9%

Memphis has several problems at once, which makes it an undesirable city for life. The main one is one of the highest crime rates in the country – 1,740 incidents per 100,000 inhabitants. The average household income in the city is less than $ 37,000 compared to the US average income of $ 55,775.

4. St. Louis, Missouri

Population: 315 685

Average house price: $ 130 800

Poverty level: 24.9%

The proportion of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 34.7%

St. Louis has faced a serious economic downturn in recent decades, as well as a high level of crime. In 2015, there were 1,887 cases of violence per 100,000 residents of St. Louis. This led to an outflow of people from the city.

3. Flint, Michigan

Population: 98,297

Average house price: $ 25 900

Poverty level: 40.8%

The proportion of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 11.8%

Recently, the city has been at the center of national attention due to the fact that in 2015 the Environmental Protection Agency announced the presence of a dangerously high level of lead in Flint’s water.

The average annual income in the city is $ 25,342. Over the past 10 years, the population of Flint has decreased by 12.2%, which is the largest decrease among all US cities.

2. Birmingham, Alabama

Population: 214,911 people

Average house price: $ 93,000

Poverty level: 29.2%

The proportion of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 25.3%

The city faced a decline in population and employment.

The average annual income of a family in Birmingham is $ 32,378, which is $ 23,000 below the national average.

1. Detroit, Michigan

Population: 677,124

Average cost of housing: $ 42 600

Poverty level: 39.8%

The proportion of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree: 14.2%

The city faced a sharp decline in the population in the last few years. On average, the family in Detroit earns $ 25,980 a year, well below the national average.