Avon Park, Florida
According to locals, no poems have been written about this historic district in Highlands County, which was named after Shakespeare’s hometown. Avon Park’s average household income is only $30,750, and a third of the city’s population lives in poverty. Almost 20% of the population is unemployed, which is more than three times the state average. In the sleepy town, young people and retirees alike will find little to do, and everyone in between will struggle to find work to support themselves and their families. Housing is very reasonably priced if you can come up with a compelling reason to live in the area.
Chaparral, New Mexico
This unincorporated community in New Mexico has no state government of its own, limited access to public services, and a scarcity of well-paying employment opportunities. More than 40% of Chaparral’s population is considered impoverished. The city’s median household income is only $24,665, according to Searchlight New Mexico, and the city’s two largest employers are prison and an immigration detention center, respectively. Despite the community’s median home value of slightly more than $71,000, according to Searchlight New Mexico, the majority of Chaparral residents purchase land or mobile homes through real estate contracts rather than mortgages. Instead of charging extremely high-interest rates, these arrangements typically do not require the use of good credit history or a significant down payment, according to the publication.