People Can't Leave These American Cities Fast Enough and We Know Why

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People Are Leaving These Cities

Living in a big city in any part of the world is always more expensive than living in a small town or a rural community. But the US is seeing an increase in the cost of living in certain cities, and a lack of salary increases, among many other reasons. This makes living in these cities even more difficult, which is why many Americans are migrating away from the big cities in favor of a small town or medium-sized town style of life. Several major cities across the country are feeling the impacts of this lifestyle change.

Which cities are they? Click NEXT to see 24 of the cities that Americans can’t seem to leave fast enough and why. 

Fairbanks, AK

You may look at Fairbanks, Alaska, and think, man, that would be a beautiful place to live, and it is beautiful. However, former residents say they left because of the high cost of living, particularly gas prices, medical insurance, and other everyday expenses. When you look at the average household take-home, you might think it’s good, but when the prices are jacked up, even the $200,000+ is not enough to live comfortably. Another factor may be the lack of job creation in the area. 

Johnstown, PA

Johnstown has been hemorrhaging people for the past decade. The biggest culprit is the lack of jobs. The city sits at about a 16% unemployment rate, and with the state of the world right now, that only seems to be growing. With numbers like that, it is easy to see why a large percentage of the city’s population lives under the poverty line. The lack of jobs and the ability to provide for their families is what is driving people out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Hinesville, GA

Sometimes migration happens due to a lack of social life or interaction, which is what many people consider the problem to be in Hinesville, Georgia. The city is pretty vanilla, and without much to do, it is city limits. The city boasts 25 restaurants and absolutely no museums. Those who live there look to larger cities for entertainment and culture, which seems to be driving a large part of the migration. Well, that and the high unemployment rate. 

El Centro, CA

This is just the first of many California cities that are seeing a serious migration. El Centro is a small city with a bad reputation. With one, if not the highest unemployment rate in the country, El Centro is one of those cities that has seen many people pack up and move on. After all, no one wants to lose a job and have to wait for years to find a new one. On top of that, it is a pretty slow town that up until 2009 only had its famous cemetery going for it. But even that went into foreclosure. 

Bakersfield, CA

Bakersfield, California, had a great music scene at one time, but that is long gone now. Instead, citizens of the city have to contend with a high crime rate, among other concerns. The city has almost a 50% crime rate, which makes it a very dangerous city to live in. On top of that, most of its citizens live under the poverty line, and it is one of the most polluted cities in the US. So why not get out?

Norwich-New London, CT

The state of Connecticut is not one of these states that you often think of as having problems. After all, it is where many people go to live when they want to escape New York City. But there is a city in this state that many people have been fleeing. Norwich-New London, Connecticut, has had a mass migration. This is mostly due to the high crime rate, which most citizens feel is in direct relation to the high unemployment rate. 

Fresno, CA

Sunshine and beaches are probably what many people think of when they think of California. But Fresno, California is the furthest thing from that image. It is a city located in the deserts of California, and it has a lot of problems. There is a high level of substance abuse in the city, leading to a high crime rate. Because of these two factors, many people have moved away in the hopes of finding a safer city. 

Macon, GA

Macon, Georgia, had its heyday back in the 70s and 80s. Since then, though, it has lost over a quarter of its population. This migration hit the city center and urban neighborhoods hard. On top of this, the city lost tons of taxes from the population decline, and this prevented them from updating their highway systems. The lack of funds also left them unable to build suburban communities to draw people back. 

Erie, PA

When there was a big industrial presence in Pennsylvania, Erie was the town to be in. But since those industries moved to other countries, that key that aspect has gone. This means that there are fewer job opportunities, even though it is the fourth largest Pennsylvania city. The lack of job opportunities hasn’t really affected the average salary of the households, but it also hasn’t helped any, and that is why many people are looking elsewhere for a place to lay their heads. 

Chicago, IL

Chicago, Illinois may be a city you have always dreamed of visiting, but the people that live there have been leaving in droves. Why? Doesn’t the city have everything you need and more? Yes, it is a large city with all the amenities, but it also gets very cold in the winter. A good deal of the population that has left chose warmer climates like Phoenix to settle in. Plus, the education system is not great, and the cost of living is high. 

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, California, is glamourous and the home of stars, but it has many problems. That is why the city has lost tons of citizens over the past few years. Though it was once a beautiful sun-kissed city, it is now more known for homeless people, bad traffic, and horrible air quality. That, coupled with California and in particular, Los Angeles’ cost of living makes it a place that is hard to make ends meet for a majority of the individuals living in LA. 

Detroit, MI

Detroit, Michigan, was one of the big industrial meccas back in the 50s and 60s. However, when the auto industry moved overseas, the jobs dried up. This led to many homes having a hard time paying their bills and living in general. All of that hardship over the past decades has led to a higher crime rate, and this, in turn, has led to people picking up and leaving to find a new home where they can live more comfortably. 

St. Louis, MO

St. Louis, Missouri, has reduced its crime rate by quite a lot, but even that decrease wasn’t enough to remove it from the list of highly dangerous cities. At one point, it even registered as the second-highest crime-ridden city in the US. Part of the crime rate comes from the fact that it is a stop on the path of people who smuggle illegal substances into the country. Though on the bright side, there is a low unemployment rate and a low cost of living. Even with that, there are still many people that have chosen to leave. 

Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, Ohio, has had a lot of people move out of the city for some very viable reasons. This city has one of the highest poverty rates in Ohio and really in the US. About a decade ago, the city would be listed as the poorest city in the States. The poverty level is partly due to the lack of jobs and the creation of jobs, which is why people have to go somewhere else to find work. 

Memphis, TN

When you think of blues and R&B, one city that comes to mind is Memphis, Tennessee. Unfortunately, these golden years are over, and Memphis has fallen into disrepair. The city has a low cost of living and a good annual average when it comes to household income. When looking at the city overall, either really doesn’t seem to be a reason for the migration. Even though there isn’t a visible reason, something is up in the city. 

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has some tourist attractions that draw people into the city. But even these museums and parks aren’t enough to keep the people in the city. In fact, there are a lot of things that have piled up and created an environment that individuals feel they need to leave to be safe. Milwaukee has been rated as the sixth most dangerous city in the States. The city itself has a high crime rate, and many people fear that they will be a victim of a crime.  

Flint, MI

If you have read or watched the news, you probably have heard of Flint, Michigan. The public health of the city and its water system has been a topic for years. Since the water contamination was discovered in 2014, many people have left to protect their families and their own health. Though billions of dollars have been pumped into the problem, people are still struggling with the issue. On top of this, the unemployment rate is fairly high and, combined with the health concern, has pushed many people to leave. 

El Paso, TX

El Paso, Texas, is one of the Texas cities that is off the beaten path. The cost of a home is relatively low, so the cost of living is actually really nice. However, the poverty rate is high, and you have to worry about crime bleeding over its location on the border. For this reason, many people have been leaving the city. Even though the suburban areas are some of the safest in the state, many don’t want to have to deal with the border issues. 

New York, NY

This may be one of the biggest surprises on this list. After all, how many dream of moving to NYC and hitting it big? Honesty, the constant flow of people is pretty regular, but some issues definitely affect the migration pattern. The first is the high cost of living both from rent and food and very few places to live in. Many people have opted to move to another city with the same vibes but it is a little more cost-effective… Boston. 

Rockford, IL

Until the beginning of the 20th century, Rockford, Illinois, was a bustling industrial city. With the machining industry’s evolution and fewer jobs available, the city’s economy took a hit. Rockford is one of the cities with the highest unemployment rates in the state of Illinois. Without jobs being available, people who lived in the city have moved to other cities throughout the country. This is why Rockford has found its way on a list of cities that Americans are trying to get out of as fast as possible. 

Toledo, OH

The average household income is relatively good in Toledo, Ohio, but that doesn’t stop the people from continuing to leave in droves. So why is that? Well, though the cost of living isn’t bad, the crime rate is. In fact, this city is one of the cities in the US that has the highest rate. On top of that, the city is kind of lacking in entertainment, and with the climate change, the weather isn’t fantastic either. So it isn’t any wonder that people are trying to find a new place to live. 

Baton Rouge, LA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has a lot of cultures and a pretty good food scene. But that is not enough to keep people to stay in the city limits. There are a lot of problems that combat these amazing things. Things like the high crime rate, the rate is as high as bigger cities like Chicago. You would imagine it was enough of a reason to leave with that alone, but the unemployment rate is also pretty high. 

Syracuse, NY

Syracuse is a nice city with a reasonable price of entry, especially when it comes to buying a home. So why does this city suffer from mass migration? The biggest issue when you look at living in Syracuse, New York, is the unemployment rate. Over the last few years, several thousand people have left the city. Another issue that may be causing a problem is climate change. The winters are getting colder and the summers hotter, which may not be ideal for many people.

Wichita, KS

Wichita, Kansas, has been on the list of most moved from cities for a while now. There are several reasons for this, but the amount of crime is probably the chief one. Media outlets have reported that the crime rate is double the national average. That, on top of the underfunded and understaffed police, only serves to elevate that number too. This is the chief and only reason that people have taken to migrating to Kansas city.