Helena-West Helena, Arkansas
Although Helena-West Helena is the county seat of Phillips County, it is also a city that has been in decline for some time. The population of the county has decreased by half over the last 65 years. Farmers suffered as a result of drought and industrialization, and other businesses that provided services to these communities were unable to compete. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Helena-West Helena School District had half the number of students and half the funding in 2016 as compared to 2007. Other government services are also under threat. Mr. Bruce Hudson, a former alderman who ran for mayor under the slogan “Who Cares About Helena?” blamed the city’s problems on a lack of job opportunities and an abundance of shabby, vacant housing. The average household in this area earns only $22,400 per year.
Helena-West Helena, Arkansas
Lansdowne, Maryland
Lansdowne, a census-designated place in Baltimore County that is frequently regarded as one of the poorest large cities in the country, has even more serious problems than Baltimore itself. Maryland has one of the lowest median household incomes in the country, at $45,500, despite having one of the highest costs of living in the country. The average Lansdowne resident is three times more likely to be unemployed than the average Maryland resident, and he or she is also three times more likely to live in poverty. Even though the FBI does not collect data on Lansdowne specifically, residents claim that the city’s notorious crime rates have not spared the suburb. According to local police, the surrounding county experienced more than 4,700 acts of violent crime in 2019, making it one of the most dangerous in the country.
Lansdowne, Maryland
