Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I also think that Chicago has to be mentioned in this thread. The south side has always had a bad reputation. It's interesting to note that many of the high rise public developments have been knocked down and replaced with mixed income developments. The infamous Cabrini Green (north side) and Robert Taylor homes had a terrible reputation in the past. I believe the mayor of Chicago actually moved into Cabrini Green for a few weeks armed with massive security to prove that its safe to live there. How ironic!!!! As part of the security measures that they took, they sealed of the back doors to the developments and when she moved out it only served to make it easier for the drug dealers there to conduct there dubious busisness and evade the police. After she left, in other buildings there were she didn't stay, the gangsters actually sealed the doors off themselves, so in effect, the city officials actually gave the felons a greater scope for the business
Over to the West coast, in my opinion the worst areas I have seen there are Watts in south east Los Angeles. There are a few public housing developments that have a nasty reputation including Nickerson Gardens, Jordan Downs and Imperial Courts. These areas have a history of gang violence and poverty and its not just within the projects, the surrounding area seems very run down also. Of course South Central, Compton etc is nearby and has a worldwide reputation. I would say lower income areas on the east coast actually 'look' worse, but looks don't necessariy equate to how dangerous an area is.
I would also say the Hunters Point area of San Francisco is pretty tough looking, again, plenty of public housing developments there also.
The difference I have noticed is that the public housing in LA and San Fran is low rise as opposed to in New York they are larger high rise buidings.
...as the poverty -stricken areas in East Coast cities do seem to look much worse, as opposed to LA's poorer areas, which have palm trees and single-family homes with yards.
Those pictures of North Philly are pretty representative, though. Parts of Baltimore look just like those. And, of course, infamous Camden, NJ is just across the Delaware River from Philly, and is just a smaller version of the above two cities.
Rural poverty is another matter, completely, and you have to factor in physical isolation as well.
Gilberton, PA. Gilberton moved their borough council meetings to the sewer plant blower room after Borough Hall collapsed.
Brownsville, PA is a close second.
My wife sometimes has to visit a site in Memphis, TN, with stories like:
-A worker had her purse snatched waiting in line for security.
-A tradesman working on the outside of the building had his van stolen as he was on the ladder next door.
I thought Kansas City, Kansas was pretty bad too, in the downtown area. Though maybe not quite like North Philly. Never been to Camden, never quite that curious. Especially after seeing Trenton.
some personal pics attached of what i consider "bad" stuff...
also some bad areas of former yugoslavia...
worst i've seen in the u.s. is around america city, south cleveland or the Nolia...
I was reading some articles on Africa and Nigeria and they had pictures of people waking around with Hyenas on chains, like they were walking their dogs. Scary stuff.
Heck, if it the world, then Lagos Nigeria would be the worst I can think of. Super high poverty, lots of disease, very high crime rate, and sanitary conditions can be hard to come by.
I was reading some articles on Africa and Nigeria and they had pictures of people waking around with Hyenas on chains, like they were walking their dogs. Scary stuff.
Wow, really??? The question begs to be asked.... why????? Hyenas?????
If we're going on how run-down a place looks, then all those rustbelt and East Coast cities win hands-down.
Now if you're going on crime statistics, poverty etc., then there are plenty of neighborhoods in the sunbelt cities that can give them a run for their money: South central and Pacoima (L.A.), many parts of Oakland, Naked City (Las Vegas), 5th ward and Gulfton/Rampart (Houston), Maryvale (Phoenix), many areas of Miami, Memphis, Atlanta, Little Rock, Dallas, and of course New Orleans. The only difference between these areas and the more obvious like ESL, Camden, North Philly etc. is that they haven't had as much time to decay as the older cities (the exception being NOLA), but that makes them no less dangerous or poverty-stricken.
Last edited by Brewzerr68; 04-17-2009 at 08:25 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Good point about appearances..
