At one point, Anderson was home to 24 active GM factories. Unsurprisingly, these factories employed a large chunk of Anderson’s population. But the factories eventually shut down, and 23,000 people lost their jobs. Since then, the town has been on a steady decline.
Rather than living in poverty, most people have chosen to abandon Anderson altogether. In 2015, the city used $2.8 million to tear down 100 abandoned homes.
Saginaw, Michigan
The closure of GM factories has had a severe impact on Saginaw. The factories used to employ 25,000 people, but all of them lost their jobs when the factory shut down. Since 2010, the population in Saginaw has decreased by 6%.
In addition to this, Saginaw is plagued with gun violence. Thirty shootings were reported in 2018, lending even more reason for residents to escape this town.
Jackson, Mississippi
In Jackson, almost 29% of the population lives in poverty. Unfortunately, the city cares very little about the struggle of its residents. Despite the high poverty rate, the city threatened to cut water for 20,000 people who hadn’t paid their bills. The struggling residents hadn’t paid roughly $45 million worth of bills.
Because of the poor living conditions and treatment of citizens, many residents want to get out of Jackson. The city’s population has decreased by 5% since 2010.
Macon-Bibb County, Georgia
In Macon-Bibb County, only 56% of the population is working. With so many people unemployed, 26% are also living in poverty. In the past eight years, 2% of the population has left the city.
Macon-Bibb County is home to 3,700 unoccupied buildings, which contributes to the overall run-down look of the town. Although it’s visually unappealing, the city doesn’t have a way to fill the abandoned properties.
Lancaster, California
California may conjure up images of sunny beaches and sandy getaways, but that isn’t the reality in Lancaster. Well, that’s not true—you will find plenty of sand in this desert town.
Only 51% of Lancaster’s population is employed, while 23% live in poverty. As a town with nothing to do, the city struggles with addiction and a robust racist community. While politicians are trying to bring the city back to life, there doesn’t seem to be much hope for Lancaster.