Natchez, Mississippi
Even though it was the state’s first capital, this Mississippi River town has seen better days. According to Mississippi Today, Natchez has struggled to attract industry and has been losing young people since the 1990s because it is more than an hour away from the nearest interstate. The median household income is $26,443, which is a pitiful amount. Locals told the news organization that the remaining children in the area are not attending school, which bodes ill for their educational future. The Natchez-Adams school district received a D grade from the Mississippi Department of Education in 2019.
Natchez, Mississippi
Central Falls, Rhode Island
The smallest city in the smallest state was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2010, raising taxes and drastically reducing the number of public employees and retiree pensions available. Central Falls lost its textile mills and factories, as did the rest of the state, but the city’s high expenses and reductions in state aid forced it into bankruptcy. Boarded-up multi-family homes with overgrown sidewalks stood in stark contrast to stately churches and tidy bungalows, according to the news agency Reuters. Despite a slight increase in recent years, the median household income remains below $33,000, and nearly a third of the population lives in poverty.
Central Falls, Rhode Island
