4. New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second largest city in Connecticut after Bridgeport. New Haven is well-known for being the home of Yale University, one of the most prestigious schools in the country. However, the surrounding areas of New Haven are impoverished and crime ridden. The population of the Connecticut city is 130,741. The economy of New Haven was originally based in manufacturing, but since the end of the war New Haven’s working class population has been hit hard. The median household income in New Haven is $29,604 (half the annual cost for a student to attend Yale!) and approximately 25% of the city’s residents live below the poverty line. New Haven also has a significantly high crime rate, as it’s ranked safer than only 3% of US cities. Nearly 68 crimes occur annually for every 1,000 residents. Unless you’re moving there to study, we don’t recommend residing in New Haven.
3. Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie. According to the 2013 Census, Cleveland has a population of 390,113. The median household income in the city is $26,556 and nearly 27% of residents are living below the poverty line. Aside from the unstable economy, the harsh winter weather conditions also make Cleveland one of the worst places to live in the US. Cleveland records an average of 60 inches of snowfall each year. Cleveland is also considered one of the most corrupt cities in the country, as over 350 public officials have been convicted of crime over the last ten years.
