There’s a common denominator that all bad small cities have.
They are the places that have bad economies. They are the places where the school systems are in bad shape. They’re the places where people are out of work. They are the places where residents earn low salaries.
If home prices are low, it’s a sign that there’s not a lot of demand to live there.
And certainly, if crime is really high, no one wants to be there at all.
The cities we used in this report are small cities that have populations under 70,000. Many are suburbs of major cities where things aren’t going very well right now, at least according to Saturday Night Science, which measures the good things that people say they want in a city, and finds the cities with the least of those things.
Data | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Cost of living | Movers
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is the United States’s statewide median.
the United States statewide median: 5.2%
the United States statewide median: $332,700
the United States statewide median: $80,734
On the map
Where the worst small cities in America are
Saturday Night Science
How We Determined The Worst Small Cities In The US
In order to rank the worst small towns in America, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. It isn’t a stretch to assume that people like low crime, solid education, things to do and a stable economy.
So, we used Saturday Night Science to research FBI crime and Census data. The following is the criteria we used:
If you’d like to see the complete list of cities, scroll to the bottom of this post to see a link to the entire data set.
- Population Density (The lower the worse – meaning there’s less to do for indoor entertainment)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- High Housing Vacancy Rate
- Education (Low expenditures per student and high Student Teacher Ratio)
- High Crime
We updated this report for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the worst small cities in America. This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment — don’t freak out.
The full list
Detailed List Of The Worst Small Cities To Live In America
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atmore, AL | 8,334 | 18.2% | $154,610 | $38,862 |
| 2 | Waycross, GA | 13,756 | 11.6% | $146,386 | $38,301 |
| 3 | Bessemer, AL | 25,400 | 8.6% | $133,911 | $39,613 |
| 4 | Robstown, TX | 10,236 | 8.2% | $113,142 | $34,436 |
| 5 | Helena-West Helena, AR | 8,935 | 17.7% | $86,458 | $36,019 |
| 6 | Caruthersville, MO | 5,326 | 9.0% | $77,792 | $34,652 |
| 7 | Forrest City, AR | 12,646 | 13.5% | $73,436 | $35,689 |
| 8 | West Memphis, AR | 23,929 | 14.5% | $131,757 | $42,674 |
| 9 | Talladega, AL | 14,760 | 12.6% | $143,575 | $44,198 |
| 10 | Cordele, GA | 9,994 | 7.5% | $134,690 | $33,800 |
| 11 | Moultrie, GA | 14,588 | 7.1% | $170,768 | $43,670 |
| 12 | Ripley, TN | 7,658 | 8.2% | $140,001 | $37,432 |
| 13 | Prichard, AL | 18,961 | 10.1% | $57,932 | $36,588 |
| 14 | Williamston, NC | 5,112 | 9.8% | $131,111 | $38,738 |
| 15 | Dillon, SC | 6,354 | 8.0% | $100,984 | $35,891 |
| 16 | Roxboro, NC | 8,182 | 13.5% | $220,111 | $36,553 |
| 17 | Rockingham, NC | 8,967 | 11.3% | $134,002 | $37,224 |
| 18 | Bogalusa, LA | 10,468 | 15.7% | $85,577 | $30,749 |
| 19 | Bainbridge, GA | 14,404 | 9.8% | $172,159 | $45,422 |
| 20 | Kinston, NC | 19,505 | 16.1% | $148,090 | $36,878 |
| 21 | Gadsden, AL | 33,374 | 7.2% | $114,158 | $40,345 |
| 22 | Wynne, AR | 8,120 | 10.3% | $128,058 | $43,250 |
| 23 | Bennettsville, SC | 7,751 | 12.5% | $81,007 | $37,115 |
| 24 | Laurinburg, NC | 15,087 | 11.0% | $143,608 | $42,170 |
| 25 | Orangeburg, SC | 13,253 | 11.8% | $162,436 | $38,635 |
| 26 | Belen, NM | 7,450 | 8.0% | $266,792 | $42,627 |
| 27 | Andalusia, AL | 8,766 | 6.7% | $170,025 | $42,611 |
| 28 | Pahokee, FL | 5,609 | 16.5% | $204,196 | $53,359 |
| 29 | Lumberton, NC | 18,859 | 5.6% | $149,733 | $42,877 |
| 30 | Anniston, AL | 21,271 | 6.4% | $147,195 | $46,668 |
| 31 | Darlington, SC | 6,120 | 7.1% | $153,323 | $33,952 |
| 32 | Lanett, AL | 6,814 | 7.3% | $123,281 | $42,357 |
| 33 | Winslow, AZ | 8,773 | 8.9% | $203,634 | $58,346 |
| 34 | Mercedes, TX | 16,733 | 6.8% | $143,756 | $46,904 |
| 35 | Nogales, AZ | 19,841 | 15.7% | $220,632 | $43,214 |
| 36 | Donna, TX | 16,833 | 5.4% | $153,823 | $40,438 |
| 37 | Center, TX | 5,271 | 10.3% | $198,363 | $48,293 |
| 38 | Milledgeville, GA | 16,748 | 6.9% | $244,327 | $41,616 |
| 39 | Wilmer, TX | 6,391 | 14.4% | $226,033 | $59,626 |
| 40 | Newberry, SC | 10,790 | 6.9% | $166,455 | $51,260 |
| 41 | Americus, GA | 15,813 | 5.4% | $128,313 | $39,176 |
| 42 | Vicksburg, MS | 20,589 | 5.9% | $145,564 | $45,781 |
| 43 | Opelousas, LA | 15,495 | 11.9% | $123,099 | $32,964 |
| 44 | Port Isabel, TX | 5,111 | 5.2% | $262,760 | $32,222 |
| 45 | Palatka, FL | 10,650 | 9.3% | $206,963 | $32,021 |
| 46 | Muskogee, OK | 36,758 | 6.7% | $141,346 | $50,213 |
| 47 | Stuttgart, AR | 7,903 | 10.5% | $118,229 | $49,399 |
| 48 | Pine Bluff, AR | 39,743 | 10.5% | $75,017 | $42,718 |
| 49 | West Monroe, LA | 12,729 | 9.6% | $194,939 | $49,386 |
| 50 | Alexander City, AL | 14,606 | 6.4% | $202,613 | $47,022 |
| 51 | Paris, TX | 24,775 | 5.3% | $172,382 | $47,239 |
| 52 | Henryetta, OK | 5,608 | 10.8% | $110,363 | $45,259 |
| 53 | Lagrange, GA | 32,078 | 9.0% | $236,813 | $43,708 |
| 54 | Benton Harbor, MI | 8,953 | 21.6% | $151,455 | $31,117 |
| 55 | Sallisaw, OK | 8,605 | 4.8% | $182,769 | $48,036 |
| 56 | Okmulgee, OK | 11,348 | 8.2% | $106,354 | $41,848 |
| 57 | Berkeley, MO | 8,123 | 5.7% | $97,156 | $44,265 |
| 58 | Anadarko, OK | 5,572 | 6.2% | $67,936 | $43,105 |
| 59 | Camden, AR | 10,307 | 6.8% | $105,164 | $49,361 |
| 60 | Defuniak Springs, FL | 6,532 | 15.3% | $210,747 | $54,512 |
| 61 | Eufaula, AL | 12,584 | 5.6% | $163,743 | $47,392 |
| 62 | Atlantic City, NJ | 38,632 | 14.5% | $215,471 | $41,028 |
| 63 | Philadelphia, MS | 6,996 | 8.0% | $137,663 | $50,788 |
| 64 | Tuskegee, AL | 8,938 | 10.8% | $91,299 | $38,000 |
| 65 | San Benito, TX | 24,709 | 7.3% | $164,028 | $43,639 |
| 66 | Alamo, TX | 20,255 | 9.4% | $173,085 | $57,096 |
| 67 | Hope, AR | 8,671 | 6.0% | $113,808 | $37,500 |
| 68 | Blytheville, AR | 12,790 | 9.2% | $96,161 | $47,865 |
| 69 | Walterboro, SC | 5,480 | 6.1% | $210,403 | $56,457 |
| 70 | Raymondville, TX | 10,185 | 9.1% | $116,079 | $51,442 |
| 71 | Vidalia, GA | 10,752 | 5.4% | $184,385 | $49,370 |
| 72 | Monroe, LA | 47,004 | 10.2% | $149,717 | $40,505 |
| 73 | Jacksonville, AR | 29,221 | 8.4% | $168,541 | $49,666 |
| 74 | Poteau, OK | 8,959 | 6.1% | $186,457 | $50,511 |
| 75 | Berryville, AR | 5,707 | 8.5% | $237,505 | $42,283 |
| 76 | Camilla, GA | 5,124 | 10.9% | $155,383 | $38,137 |
| 77 | Dyersburg, TN | 15,979 | 7.4% | $165,487 | $52,064 |
| 78 | Morristown, TN | 31,527 | 7.1% | $266,073 | $47,917 |
| 79 | South Bay, FL | 5,102 | 9.0% | $233,447 | $51,417 |
| 80 | East Cleveland, OH | 13,534 | 18.4% | $75,766 | $22,116 |
| 81 | Natchitoches, LA | 17,577 | 7.1% | $181,713 | $37,133 |
| 82 | Cedartown, GA | 10,227 | 6.8% | $205,346 | $34,754 |
| 83 | Nevada, MO | 7,925 | 5.7% | $160,101 | $42,813 |
| 84 | Gaffney, SC | 12,596 | 10.6% | $185,841 | $41,089 |
| 85 | Dowagiac, MI | 5,732 | 8.9% | $224,662 | $48,166 |
| 86 | El Dorado, AR | 17,115 | 7.0% | $133,853 | $49,244 |
| 87 | Mineral Wells, TX | 15,244 | 6.5% | $202,109 | $55,929 |
| 88 | Greenwood, SC | 22,536 | 8.7% | $183,963 | $41,150 |
| 89 | Griffin, GA | 23,761 | 6.3% | $240,028 | $43,632 |
| 90 | Eden, NC | 15,356 | 8.3% | $149,286 | $47,260 |
| 91 | Cairo, GA | 10,055 | 5.2% | $178,784 | $40,920 |
| 92 | Portales, NM | 11,968 | 7.4% | $134,844 | $50,555 |
| 93 | Goldsboro, NC | 34,383 | 8.0% | $194,177 | $48,540 |
| 94 | Opp, AL | 6,709 | 5.2% | $118,904 | $41,347 |
| 95 | Breckenridge, TX | 5,170 | 9.3% | $136,983 | $48,000 |
| 96 | Ardmore, OK | 24,877 | 4.5% | $152,584 | $53,900 |
| 97 | Savannah, TN | 7,412 | 4.5% | $196,053 | $39,712 |
| 98 | East Chicago, IN | 26,022 | 7.7% | $128,171 | $42,125 |
| 99 | Fitzgerald, GA | 8,918 | 3.2% | $128,232 | $37,323 |
| 100 | Alice, TX | 17,707 | 4.1% | $132,639 | $48,676 |
Source: FBI crime data + U.S. Census via Saturday Night Science. US small cities.
Summary
There You Have It — The Worst Small Cities In The US
If you’re looking at small cities in the U.S. where crime is high, people are broke, and the public schools are lousy, this is an accurate list.
The worst small cities in the United States are Atmore, AL, Waycross, GA, Bessemer, AL, Robstown, TX, Helena-West Helena, AR, Caruthersville, MO, Forrest City, AR, West Memphis, AR, Talladega, AL, and Cordele, GA.
Questions and answers
Worst Small Cities In America FAQs
What is the worst small city in America?
Atmore, AL ranks as the worst small city in America for 2026, based on Saturday Night Science. Waycross and Bessemer are next.
What are the worst small cities in the US?
The worst-ranked small cities in America are Atmore, AL, Waycross, GA, Bessemer, AL, Robstown, TX, Helena-West Helena, AR, Caruthersville, MO, Forrest City, AR, West Memphis, AR, Talladega, AL, and Cordele, GA. We ranked 2,509 US small cities on density, unemployment, income, home value, education, and crime.
Why does Atmore rank as the worst?
Atmore posts the roughest combined numbers of the 2,509 small cities we scored, including a median household income of $38,862 and a median home value of $154,610. It is the stack of stats, not any single one.
What is the best small city on this list?
Western Springs, IL lands at the opposite end of the worst-small-cities ranking. The numbers like it there considerably more.
How serious is this ranking?
The data is real — Census and FBI numbers, scored the same way for every city — but the framing is infotainment. If you love your small city, the table above will not change that.
