List of America’s 50 Worst Cities Offers a Pleasant Surprise

Maybe you live in Wichita Falls, TX or Oklahoma City. Do you live in Amarillo?  How about Billings, MT? Take heart; you did not make this list. Quality of life, amenities, crime rates, and job opportunities are some of the top factors we all look for when deciding on a move.

Sadly, cities on this list did not score well on all points. USA Today published a list of the 50 worst cities in America. Based on data compiled by 24/7 Wall Street. Some of the cities on the list may surprise you, while others will come as no shock at all.

From USA Today:

24/7 Wall St. created an index with measures in eight categories -- crime, economy, education, environment, health, housing, infrastructure, and leisure -- to identify the 50 worst cities to live in. Not confined to a single region, the worst cities span the country from the South to the Midwest and from New England to the Pacific coast.

Seeing Detroit on the list came as no shock. America has watched for years as the home base of GM, Ford and Chrysler has descended into a hellish existence with high poverty, high unemployment, and crime.

But most of us probably view Connecticut as a relatively nice place. New Haven, however, is far from a great place to raise your family. 6.6 percent unemployment, and well over 900 violent crimes for every 100,000 population, it would be tough justifying a move there.

Cities from coast to coast are on the list, but not a single city in Texas made the list. Relatively low crime, a strong job and real estate market and a very business-friendly climate have made Texas very attractive. Texas has enjoyed plenty of growth over the past few years and it shows little sign of slowing down.

Click here to see the complete list from USA Today