What is the worst city in the US?

[maveric]

My hometown of Lawrence MA is up there in the top five.
Compton CA is pretty bad too.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear maveric!

I don't know about your MA city, since I've never been there.....

But baby, I sure can agree about Compton! It's nearly next door to me!:scared:

The sun is out here, at last! How's your day going?

:loveya: :hug:

[maveric]

7. Day is going ok. Worked on my son's car for a while. About to go biking.

Lawrence MA was the county's first planned industrial city, incorporated in 1850 to provide housing for immigrant textile and shoe workers. At one time 40 different languages were spoken in Lawrence. It was booming for about 100 years till the mills moved down south and "white flight" ensued. Carribean islanders moved in and the mills never came back leading to one of the most dilapitated, crime-ridden cities in America. I went back there last year and watched stabbings and drug deals go down, on Broadway, in broad daylight. Fires all the time. Burning tenemant triple deckers smoking up the city.
Lawrence is the heroin capital on New England and the auto insurance fraud capital of the world. Planned accidents to collect insurance $$$.
But on a lighter note, Lawrence was the site of the 1912 "Bread & Roses" strike that paved the way for decent organized labor in this country. Google Bread & Roses and read up on it. My great grandparents were instrumental in that labor uprising.
I had to drive a friend to Compton to pick up a car and was never so scared being in one area in my life.

[terrya]

2. I have nothing but respect for the people who lived there, but...

Of the places I've lived in, I'm not that impressed with Dallas, Tx.

Again, there were good people down there. But...the city itself is...sort of cold and sterile.

[djeseru]

11. I agree.

And I'm from Fort Worth. Cold and sterile is pretty much how I'd describe Dallas as well.

[GOPisEvil]

14. I've always thought Dallas was trying to be someplace else.

:shrug:

[djeseru]

15. Yes. Fort Worth.

:P

[GOPisEvil]

17. *snarf*

I always thought it had St. Louis envy or Chicago envy...I think it tries to be midwestern.

[DBoon]

27. that assumes you manage to get out of DFW

which is a nightmare in itself

[ZombieNixon]

3. Farmington, New Mexico.

Trust me on this one. I'll be there for nigh on three months starting in June. :scared:

[alittlelark]

60. Farmington NM is not that bad. Good NM Food to be had,

You are connected to the Navajo Nation (no casinos for the Navajos). You are in the historic 4 Corners region and are a few hours from Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon, and the Hottest and Deepest Hot Springs in the world - Pagosa Springs CO.

The Trout fishing w/in an hour or so is World Class.


Having to fly in to the Durango airport kinda sucks - those puddle-hoppers can make even my 'cast iron' stomach queasy.... but the area is Gorgeous, historic and enchanted.

I envy you.



PS - I have a house in Pagosa Springs - one block from the Hot Springs. IM me if you would be interested. We are rarely there.

[ZombieNixon]

124. And if you just picked up Farmington and moved it elsewhere...

say...the top of Mount Everest or something...nothing is taken away from the natural charm of the surrounding area. In fact, it's probably enhanced a bit.

[donheld]

63. I think you'll like it better than you think

It's very near Durango CO. I'm hopefully coming down that way for a few days in late June or early July.

[ZombieNixon]

125. I've lived there for eight years.

I really love Durango. Farmington is a shithole.

I'll be going back there for summer break. I think I'll try and spend as much time in Durango as possible.

[likesmountains 52]

82. Farmington has few redeeming features, but you are only 1 hour

away from Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon, Durango, the Bisti Badlands, Hovenweep....lots to do once you get out of Farmington..PM me if interested in places to go.

[ZombieNixon]

126. Oh, I spend my formative years there.

You're right, once you get out of Farmington, there are some very nice things to do...it's just that the town itself revels in its ignorance and white-breadedness. :puke:

[blitzen]

97. Farmington...pretty good....and if you like flyfishing for trout

it's one of the best...

i have been to literally hundreds of places way worse than Farmington

[ZombieNixon]

127. I would never want to go to those places.

:scared:

Farmington is, as far as I'm concerned, the armpit of the country (there are personal and political issues involved). However, there are worse places to live than an armpit.

[azmouse]

4. Boyertown, PA

[Patiod]

111. So I'm driving to a party with a friend last night

and she starts raving about Boyertown, and her visit there yesterday to the Farmer's Market and flea market and vintage stores.

I had just read your "nomination" and had to laugh to myself.

[azmouse]

115. LOL It may be a great place to visit...

but you wouldn't want to live there!
I have bad memories of going to HS there. The people tend to be narrow minded. And I worked at that farmer's market, Zerns, when I was a teenager. Ugh! No thanks to ever seeing it again.
But I'm glad that someone likes it there! :hi:

[cobalt1999]

5. L.A.

Only place I've ever been in a traffic jam at 4am!

[kwassa]

18. My nomination for the best town in the U.S.

[Katha]

86. Amen to that!

I love Los Angeles with all my heart (could certainly do without the traffic, though!).

[huskerlaw]

23. Well that was some pretty bad luck!

I've never been in a traffic jam at 4 am...thankfully.

Though the traffic does typically start to thicken about 5:30 or so. ;)

[cobalt1999]

41. Yes it was...

there was an accident and I was running late for the airport too!

[Ravenseye]

33. Gotta agree on L.A.

The pollution. The miles and miles of strip malls. The grass grown with everyone else's water supply. The attitude. The crowding.

I've been to nearly every major city in the country and nowhere has come as close to the disdain I feel for that wretched hive of scum and villany.

[Nailzberg]

58. I live in LA most the year for work and completely agree with you.

I can't even call it a city. This is just the world's largest suburban sprawl with no city to act as a hub.


The traffic jams don't bother me, perhaps because I am from Chicago, a city with pretty bad traffic as it is. But at least Chicagoans know how to drive on the surface roads. I can't get around these idiots on the streets. In most cities, you get a gaper's block when there is a bad accident, in LA, you get a gaper's block when there is an old shoe lying on the shoulder of the freeway.

LA seriously needs to step up the driver's exam requirements. Turning from the wrong lanes, putting on their blinkers and getting scared to change lanes, pulling out directly into fast moving traffic and then dog-assing it 10 miles under the limit. Just give me a ticket book and a light bar, this town needs idiot enforcement.

[CPMaz]

91. Ya know, I voted for Phoenix for all of the same reasons

so maybe Phoenix is a mini-L.A. and L.A. should get my vote.

:shrug:

[slybacon9]

62. LA is the worst major city in the world. Flat out. Hands down.

[Capn Sunshine]

123. I assume then you've never been to Houston

what an armpit. I lived there for two years on a consultant gig.
These guys agree with me , and they are basedin Europe and did a survey of the world.

[Jara sang]

6. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Pat Robertson + Ex military repuke enablers + City Council is owned by the Hotel & Restaurant cartel(Mob) = Sucks pretty bad. Too bad, because there are some nice beaches there away from the touristas.

[Mutley]

22. Yes, I almost drowned at Dam Neck once.

:silly:

[Catchawave]

43. My son was a lifeguard at that beach

Summers of 90-96...wonder if he saved you :D

[Mutley]

69. It might have been 90, actually. I was 10 at the time.

But no, I saved myself.

[Blue_Tires]

31. we have our flaws of course

but the WORST in the USA??? wow...that's brutal

[driver8]

37. I used to live in Virginia Beach and loved living there.

I would definitely not call it "the worst city in the USA".

[anitar1]

55. home of the Edgar Cayce Institute. n/t

[sugarbabe]

107. Armpit

Nasty place ..Virginia Beach

[Spider Jerusalem]

8. East Saint Louis.

[GOPisEvil]

13. My dad's hometown. It is a hellhole to be sure.

Sad. It used to be a nice place. :(

[AwakeAtLast]

16. I still remember driving through there in the mid '70's

We had to hold our nose, it smelled so bad. I was only 5 or 6 at the time, but that smell will stay with you forever!

:hi:

[Blue_Tires]

30. my vote as well

drove through it during a trip to KS....was the only time i was scared just watching scenery from my car

[Bruden]

9. Redneck, backwoods South Carolina. Can't wait,.............

.....till I move outta here in August.

[TrogL]

10. Detroit

closely followed by Niagara Falls

[kwassa]

20. The Paris of the Southeastern Corner of Lower Michigan

and I have the T-shirt to prove that.

[bif]

136. Detroit sucks the worst!

We're number one in sucking. I've lived here my whole, or should I say HOLE life, and it's the worst city on the planet. I'll take Cleveland anyday.

[KamaAina]

12. Kind of a no-brainer: Crawford, TX!

The question is, what will the worst city be after 1/20/09 or impeachment, whichever comes first?

[DBoon]

29. it's a sinkhole, not a city

doesn't count!

[SmileyBoy]

19. Colorado Springs.

Most right-wing city in the United States.

[Jade Fox]

42. Yes, but.....

Garden of the Gods is one of my favorite places.

[swag]

49. A crappy place to visit,

though blowjobs seemed to be pretty easy to come by, judging by the volume of offers (unhonored).

[BikeWriter]

64. In the 60s there were loads of college girls there.

[distantearlywarning]

106. Colorado Springs is horrible.

I hated it so much when I lived there. I have never felt so out of place anywhere I've ever lived. You couldn't pay me enough to live there again.

[Blue_In_AK]

128. I lived there from 1955-1962

It didn't seem so bad back then, but I was just a kid, so what did I know?

[Autonomy]

21. Love Canal, NY

Best name, worst town.

[begin_within]

24. Tie between Gila Bend, Arizona and Bombay Beach, California

Beautiful Bombay Beach:

[XemaSab]

25. Fresno, Bakersfield, and Needles CA

All tie for worst.

[Autonomy]

45. Agreed

as far as actual cities go, inland CA are the absolute worst.

[anitar1]

56. no, Fontana, Calif. n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

129. Yep, Bakersfield came to mind.

[DBoon]

26. Lewiston Idaho

after the paper mill starts up

[TallahasseeGrannie]

28. Paramus, NJ

followed closely by Brooklyn, NY.

[NewJeffCT]

53. A friend of mine once said...

That if he owned Hell & Paramus, he'd rent out Paramus & live in Hell...

[RebelOne]

32. Miami, Florida, the "hell hole of the South.":

Believe me I know. I lived there most of my life until I wised up and moved to North Georgia. South Florida is full of bugs, high humidity, high heat, high crime, lots of drugs, and if you are not bi-lingual, you cannot get a job.

[Jade Fox]

40. I lived in Miami for about a year.....

I didn't think it was possible to hate a place so much! I also lived in Atlanta, which I loved. :)

[TroubleMan]

44. No way....I love Miami, and would love to live there.

I love the cultural diversity.

Even though I'm only an hour or two away, I never get to visit there anymore :(.

[RebelOne]

71. Well, take my word for it.

You would not want to live there. I was so happy to get out of that hell hole.

[flaminbats]

81. I loved southern Florida..

I loved being in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and all of the Florida Keys. Most of all..I loved swimming around all those brightly colored fish at Key West and enjoyed the Sunset Festival..but that was nearly 20 years ago, I'm sure things have changed a little since then. I also would love to visit again.

[LuCifer]

83. AFUCKINGMEN!

Miami, Lauderdale AND West Palm, despite being a fairly blue area, I have NEVER ran into so many fucking RUDE asshole people in my LIFE. WTF?! Glad I moved! See ya!

[Patiod]

112. One of our suppliers in Miami actually YELLS at us

They're rude to the person who books my visits there, and they were AMAZINGLY rude to me when I visited. They give our New York suppliers a run for their money in the "customer is always wrong" sweepstakes.

Although they served Cuban coffee that almost mitigated their snotty attitude.....

[Wetzelbill]

34. Cut Bank, MT is no picnic

One of the coldest towns in the nation. The summers are hot and miserable with mosquitoes. Not much to do. Not much within driving distance that is all that fun. Shitty economy. Last time I went back it was absolutely depressing to see.

[swag]

52. You'll never make Chamber of Commerce President with that attitude.

[Wetzelbill]

66. but with lots of ass kissing I might be able to sneak on

the city council. :)

[reyd reid reed]

35. I used to have to take the RTD through Compton

I might have to agree with you on that one.

Other than that, Colorado Springs, in addition to being the Best, is also the worst.

[SammyWinstonJack]

36. Hesperia, CA. Or Victorville or Apple Valley or Lucernce Valley

Pretty much that area of CA blows. Add Barstow to the mix.

[Taverner]

38. Fresno or Bakersfield

One's home to the California National Socialist Party (NAZI'S) and the other is home to Freak Republic.

[LaPera]

67. Absolutely! Include Modesto & Redding!

The big valley of misinformation.

[XemaSab]

87. I've lived in Redding and Sacramento and near Fresno

and Fresno is WAY worse than either Sacto or Redding.

Series.

[Patiod]

113. Pennsyltucky is like that -- cent'l PA is a hotbed of supremacy

What is it about living in boring, lifeless towns that makes people all of a sudden think Whites are superior?

[greendog]

39. Lubbock

The aroma of petroleum and cow shit.

[clyrc]

59. Odessa is much worse

very depressing. When I lived in Midland, we went to Lubbock to see the big city.

[Arugula Latte]

78. Oh gawd ... I've been to the Midland/Odessa area ...

:scared:

[allalone]

46. Gary, Indiana

[htuttle]

100. Cough! Cough! Cough!

I have to agree.

[SoCalDem]

131. another vote for Gary

we lived in Michigan City (which wasn't much better)

[NJ Democrats]

47. Simple: Camden, NJ

[Kire]

50. with sources

Camden, N.J., named most-dangerous city
Detroit relinquishes title just days after NBA melee

Updated: 1:39 p.m. ET Nov. 22, 2004

TRENTON, N.J. - Camden has been named the nation’s most-dangerous city, snatching the top spot from Detroit, according to a company’s annual ranking based on crime statistics.

Officials in Camden, which was ranked third last year, downplayed the dubious designation Sunday, saying many steps have already been taken to reduce crime in the city.

“We must give our people jobs, training and opportunity,” said City Councilman Ali Sloan-El, who pointed out that Camden’s poverty is an important contributing factor to its high crime rate.

More: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6555449/

[NJ Democrats]

73. It stayed No. 1 in 2005 as well

[Kire]

103. right

[swag]

48. Salt Lake City, Utah

Hands fucking all the way down.

Number one shithole.

[maveric]

51. Its the creepiest city I've ever been to.

Just had a very uncomfortable feeling for the three days I spent there.

[Arugula Latte]

79. I was creeped out just being in the airport.

It had that freaky mass cult vibe ... I just wanted to force alcohol down peoples' throats ...

[Blue_In_AK]

130. I had to spend a couple of days there back in 1969...

We were driving an old VW bus from Denver to San Francisco and had the rocker arm go out just as we were heading down into SLC from the mountains, and the worst part? It was SUNDAY. Absolutely not ONE mechanic in the whole city open on Sunday. On Monday we found a mechanic but then couldn't get a ride back to the motel because apparently the good people of SLC don't pick up hippie hitchhikers, even when the temp is over 100 degrees. Bad, bad, bad. I HATE that place.

[Allenberg]

54. Cleveland.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

117. Cleveland Rocks!

(Sorry, had to say it.) But seriously, Cleveland used to host the Latvian music festivals, and I had some of the best times of my life. I guess when you're a teenager and get to drink near beer (legal in Ohio for eighteen year olds back then) with dozens of other teenagers, life if good. :)

[Omphaloskepsis]

57. Fontana, CA

[begin_within]

92. Icky place. And to top it off, a huge NASCAR track paid for by Rick Penske

[donheld]

61. Scottsbluff, NE is right up there towards the top

Believe me it's beat red too.

[Heidi]

65. But it's dang beautiful during spring and summer.

I sure wouldn't want to live there during winter, though. :yoiks:

[donheld]

70. I think it's damn ugly year around

but then I'm biased

[jmowreader]

68. Fayettenam, North Carolina, is the worst city in the universe

Trust me. It just is.

I would move to Camden, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, even Fresno in a heartbeat. Because they're not Fayettenam.

[Hissyspit]

77. You beat me to it, jmowreader, but no surprise

I figured someone would. Luckily I'm not in Fayetteville proper, but out in the country.

[Patiod]

114. It was voted "Least Livable City" once

based on hospitals, universities, arts & culture, economy, recreation, etc.

My brother lives there. And he isn't even in the military!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

72. Where is the POTUS right now?

Wherever he is, that's the worst city in America.

[liontamer]

74. Baltimore

I can't believe no one has said it yet

[Ksec]

75. IMO Philadelphia

When I went there it seemed everyone was a con man trying to rip people off. Maybe it was a bad part of town but it was terrible.

[democracyindanger]

76. Tacoma, WA

The armpit of Seattle.

Monmouth, OR is a contender, too. I think it's still a dry town. Either Monmouth or neighboring Independence.

[XemaSab]

88. They had Brambling in Monmouth

:hide:

[Burma Jones]

80. Houston, TX

But, I've never lived in Dallas.....

[Big Kahuna]

84. Tulsa Oklahoma

ugh. I love the town I'm in now though.. Vinita Oklahoma. :)

[liberaltrucker]

85. Orlando, but for a job related reason

They don't fucking know how to drive!:grr:

[Broken_Hero]

89. Riverside, Ca...n/t

[begin_within]

93. Awful place - half of my family lives there - but not the absolute worst

I'd take Riverside any day over Gila Bend, AZ, Dateland, AZ, Niland CA, Ripley, CA, or Bombay Beach, CA.

[Broken_Hero]

99. Riverside was the

first place that popped into my mind...I was there for a month, it was just...bah!...:) But after thinking on it, I know a lot of crappy towns, and most of them...I have seen in the dust bowl state of Oklahoma. Jay, Grove, Miami, Vinita, Musckogee, Talhequah...sorry, Oklahoma Duers, I do not mix well with your state...

Most of the worst towns i have seen are on reservation land, or in Indian country...like Kenwood in Oklahoma, or Metlakatla, in SE Alaska, run down, and destroyed...in those towns, hope, is truly dead...

[CPMaz]

90. Worst how?

'Worst' in a 'hopeless cesspool of poverty and despair' way? Then Lawrence is right there. (grew up in MA, so I know of what I speak. :) )

'Worst' in a 'soulless, characterless, pit of mindless corporate conformity' way? Metro Phoenix is right there. There's a pocket or two of creativity, but for the most part it varies from desiccated inner city (Phoenix and Mesa) to cookie-cutter suburban sprawl (pretty much everything else.)

Why am I still here, you ask? You don't shovel sunshine. :)

Haven't been to a lot of other cities, so there may be others that are worse. Just not many.

[begin_within]

94. Sheboygan, Wisconsin touts itself as the "Wurst City In The World."

Nothing to see there but a bunch of brats.

[Fox Mulder]

95. I haven't been to many cities here in the US...

so, for me, the worst city I have ever been to is Detroit.

No need to explain. :scared:

[Robeson]

96. Crawford, Texas.

[blitzen]

98. Alexandria, LA....hands down!!!

a hell-hole that stinks of creosote and mentally-challenged fundies


And, to quote Hank Snow (and later, Johnny Cash): "I've been everywhere, man!"

[SmokingJacket]

132. Yes, that takes my vote!!

I didn't know a city could get that bad.

[ikojo]

101. The one I grew up in SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS

What a waste of real estate and a dishonor to the Lincoln legacy. True I know Lincoln was an opportunist and probably didn't really care about black people but the folks in Springfield REALLY don't like black people.

The HAPPIEST day in my life was on July 9 1987 when my friends Patty and Karen came to Springfield and loaded up my meager belongings and drove me to ST LOUIS. St Louis isn't New York but OY VEY, is it a far cry from Springfield, Illinois

I told my family that if they bury me in Springfield, Illinois I swear I will find SOME way to come back from beyond the grave and give them a HAUNTING they wont soon forget.

[ikojo]

102. self delete

Posted twice for some reason....

[begin_within]

104. Vega, Texas is also horrible

Hot, dry, dusty winds. Flat, dull TX panhandle, no scenery. No reason to live there, yet there were plenty of buildings. The fast-food restaurant (I think it was a Burger King or something) was the only place that had any people - and they had no air conditioning, just fans. After a few minutes there I noticed that most of the people weren't even eating - they were just sitting there playing cards. It was the only place to "hang out" in that godforsaken little town. How sad.

[Guava Jelly]

105. Overland Park Ks

Republicans out the ying yang.

[TK421]

108. Ft. Myers, Florida...what a stinking shithole

though it barely qualifies as a city, in my opinion....I've never seen so much crime and never been around so many two-legged cockroaches in my life. Piece of shit...if it fell off the face of the earth, I wouldn't shed a tear.

[NNadir]

109. Camden, NJ. It's sad. It could be a beautiful place.

Once upon a time, Campbell Soups were made there.

It has a beautiful view of the Delaware River, and the Philadelphia skyline, but mostly it is dominated these days by murderous gangs.

I don't know why we squandered so much in Iraq when we had places like this to rebuild and to make once more into fine places to live.

It's tragic.

[Patiod]

110. That would be my answer too

Corrupt politicians, even corrupt teachers and principals who steal food from the kids and help students cheat on madated tests.

An aquaintance blamed it all on liberals and Democrats, and I said it was slightly more complicated that that (as usual) and had more to do with the closure of all the factories and White Flight to the suburbs.

I don't know WHY Camden is so bad. Philadelphia is doing so well right now in every area except gun violence/drug wars (still a horrible problem).

[Reverend_Smitty]

116. It's a real shame that city...

I worked a soccer game at Rutgers Camden and the view of the Ben Franklin and the rest of Philly was absolutely gorgeous. Also they have a kick-ass aquarium there. I wish I knew what to say in how to fix that city but unfortunately I think it is a lost cause. If you mention Camden to anyone from the area they shudder in fear, I know you couldn't pay me to drive through that city. I recently read an article about one family's struggle to live there and I really feel bad for the children that have to grow up there because they have almost no opportunities to escape their poverty. It's really like a third world country right there in South Jersey.

I think Chester, PA is a close runner-up. I drove through there last year on my way to a soccer game at Widener and I lost count of all the abandoned and burned out homes I saw

[long_green]

118. Monroe, LA

Just ask any Funrovian and they'll tell you.

Monroe: Gateway to Bastrop

[AzDar]

119. Pittsburgh, PA...and ANY town/city in West Virginia. Blech.....

[DeaconBlues]

122. got to disagree on your West Virginia pick

I spent a good bit of my life in the eastern panhandle, which has beautiful old towns like Shepherdstown and Harpers Ferry that were built in the eighteenth century and spend a great deal of effort on historical upkeep. These towns have some of the most beautiful scenery in the country and a lot of outdoorsy things to do like whitewater rafting and hiking. And when you get tired of the rural thing, you can hop on train and be in D.C. or Baltimore in less than an hour.

Of course, these places wouldn't qualify as cities, but WV doesn't really have any towns with more than 60,000 people. This is another reason I love the place. Asses to elbows isn't the way to exist for any long period of time.

[Gatchaman]

133. WV eastern panhandle is really part of Maryland

They just let WV borrow it.

the northern panhandle of West Virginia (Weiton, Wheeling), is easily the worst area in the eastern US. Dreary, run down, post industrial towns in their death throes.

[DeaconBlues]

138. I thought Virginia claimed the eastern panhandle

Does this mean there will be a turf war between Annopolis and Richmond? ;-)

[flygal]

120. Taft Ca.

[AngryAmish]

121. Boston - most racist city in America

[Momgonepostal]

134. Boston is racist?

What has been your experience there?

I've never been, so I didn't take your comment personally, I'm just curious since it's nto what I would expect.

[ChoralScholar]

135. Pine Bluff, AR

Has been on the 'most dangerous cities' list for several years.

Located directly on a lower portion of the Arkansas River, plus an International Paper mill, makes it a very smelly city also.

[Presidentcokedupfratboy]

137. What about Crawford, TX?

After all, it is home to our Worst President Ever, GW Bush.

[EstimatedProphet]

139. Major city? to live? DC-hands down

See, here's the problem with DC:
It's flooded with self-important Republican contractors. So, because there's all these fucking Republicans around, the cost of living is ridiculously high. The only way to afford it is to live 2-3 hours away, and all the good things about living in DC go away because you cna never find the time to do them, because you spend your entire day at work or in the car. The other choice is to live within the beltway and have 80% of your salary go to housing, so that you could never afford to do anything. There's no in-between.