In the 1990s, Huntington was a coal town with a thriving economy. However, the city is a significant contributor to the country’s opioid crisis. In fact, it has been called the overdose capital of America.
In 2008, Huntington was called the most unhealthy city in America. It seems like people recognize Huntington isn’t a great place to live, as the city has lost 6% of its population since 2010.
Port Arthur, Texas
Port Arthur is suffering in large part due to the frequent natural disasters that plague the city. Since 2005, Port Arthur has suffered through three major hurricanes. The latest tragedy, Hurricane Harvey, hit in 2017 and caused $1.3 billion in damages.
Because of the dismal state of the town, people continue to move away. Now, town officials are nervous that their population will fall too low to receive federal grants, which will make Port Arthur’s position even worse.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis severely struggles with crime, which has negatively impacted the city as a whole. In 2015, there was a 33% increase in murders, totaling 159 deaths. Because of the violence in the city, 5% of the population left between 2010 and 2018.
Right now, the city is primarily focused on fixing crime in St. Louis. If they can get gun violence under control, the city might have a chance to become a beautiful place to live.
North Miami, Florida
North Miami is another beach town, but it doesn’t feel the positive effects of being so close to the water. The city continually floods due to the high tides from the ocean.
However, North Miami is facing an even bigger problem in the coming years. As sea levels rise, the city has predicted that the 2,780 septic tanks will stop working. That means human waste won’t be disposed of properly, allowing it to end up in places it shouldn’t be.
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is another city that is an innocent victim of natural disasters. When Hurricane Irene hit the town in 2011, the nearby Great Falls flooded the town. The falls were used to power nearby factories, but the flooded water interrupted both production and resident’s daily life.
After the flooding, people didn’t want to stick around to see what happened next in Paterson. After the flood, officials counted about 1,250 abandoned homes. The hurricane also affected the city’s income. Between 2009 and 2016, the tax revenue in Paterson fell by 38%.