America's worst cities

[Merkin]

Tucson is #28? Really? Right next to Gary?

[scumdevils86]

There is no way that Tucson is anywhere near as bad as places like Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Glendale, Tempe and Phoenix itself. I've spent more than a decade in both and it is not even comparable in my mind. Tucson 100/100 times for me.

[84Cat]

There is no way that Tucson is anywhere near as bad as places like Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Glendale, Tempe and Phoenix itself. I've spent more than a decade in both and it is not even comparable in my mind. Tucson 100/100 times for me.

Lot of poverty in this town and the jobs don't pay well. I remember seeing a study around 10 years ago saying you could make 36% more in Phoenix for the same job. That's a lot of money with a similar cost of living. Other than that, I agree. Tempe isn't too bad but the rest of town just sucks and I've lived in Mesa and still go there several times a year.

[scumdevils86]

Since my parents divorced and sold their house in Mesa 4+ years ago I don't think I've stopped for anything in Mesa (but have passed through on the 202 or 60) since then. Though my dad does live in AJ now. Not that that's any better but I think that AJ has accepted it's true identity. Mesa thinks of itself as not a shithole when it really is.

[scumdevils86]

There is no way that Tucson is anywhere near as bad as places like Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Glendale, Tempe and Phoenix itself. I've spent more than a decade in both and it is not even comparable in my mind. Tucson 100/100 times for me.

Lot of poverty in this town and the jobs don't pay well. I remember seeing a study around 10 years ago saying you could make 36% more in Phoenix for the same job. That's a lot of money with a similar cost of living. Other than that, I agree. Tempe isn't too bad but the rest of town just sucks and I've lived in Mesa and still go there several times a year.

Now, if I could do the same job I'm doing now for 36% that would be an incentive to move back to Phoenix. But that's about how much it would take me to move. I wouldn't take a 10% raise to move to Phoenix. Probably not even 15%.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Tucson is such a spread out and segmented city that there usually isn't a lot of takeaway from lists like that. Yes, there's crime and economic issues, but it's not hard to be a 45 minute drive from areas with major economic and crime issues.

Tucson is much more heavily dependent on your individual circumstance than most cities.

[scumdevils86]

Tucson is such a spread out and segmented city that there usually isn't a lot of takeaway from lists like that. Yes, there's crime and economic issues, but it's not hard to be a 45 minute drive from areas with major economic and crime issues.

Tucson is much more heavily dependent on your individual circumstance than most cities.

Very true. Even in the neighborhood I've lived in for the last 12 years it is all over the map. It is almost from block to block that it changes from upper middle class neighborhoods to some very poor and crime ridden areas. In the span of a quarter or half a mile.

[CatsbyAZ]

In no order, from my personal visits:

- Laredo TX
- Detroit MI
- Buffalo NY
- Dayton OH
- Gary IN

Although I'll say, parts of Oakland and LA are worse than what I've seen in any of the above 5 cities, though, of course, are balanced by their more affluent areas.

[Merkin]

In no order, from my personal visits:

- Laredo TX
- Detroit MI
- Buffalo NY
- Dayton OH
- Gary IN

Although I'll say, parts of Oakland and LA are worse than what I've seen in any of the above 5 cities, though, of course, are balanced by their more affluent areas.

I had a friend who lived in the Oakland Hills when I lives in SF. One of the nicest communities I have ever seen.

I have an aunt who lives in Dayton. I am sure her house is worth nothing. Ohio for the most part is a shithole state, outside of Columbus. Just like in Texas, only the college cities are livable.

[Chicat]

I stopped in Kingman once.

Once......

[scumdevils86]

Arizona definitely has a lot of awful places and I've seen most. Tombstone, San Manuel, Winkleman, Wickenburg, Kingman, Holbrook, Snowflake, Gila Bend...

[dovecanyoncat]

I stopped in Kingman once.

Once......

When you have to take a shit you just have to take a shit.

[Chicat]

I stopped in Kingman once.

Once......

When you have to take a shit you just have to take a shit.

Is that the city motto?

Catchy

[dovecanyoncat]

I stopped in Kingman once.

Once......

When you have to take a shit you just have to take a shit.

Is that the city motto?

Catchy

You should consider a job in advertising.

[CatsbyAZ]

Arizona definitely has a lot of awful places and I've seen most. Tombstone, San Manuel, Winkleman, Wickenburg, Kingman, Holbrook, Snowflake, Gila Bend...

I'm in Gila Bend several times a year, and yes, several layers of poverty there. Arizona's rural poverty comes down to truckers and miners in towns like Safford, 'Poor Mexicans' (for lack of a better way to say it), and destitute poverty from the Native American reservations. Arizona's poverty is more layered in that sense, but not necessarily worse. I was stunned to see how poor rural Missouri's white impoverished Ozark population was, living off 'disability,' one doctor per county, grocery shopping exclusively at Dollar General, traveling dentists visiting twice a month, no chlorine in the public water, high school math stops at Trig, "off-gridders" storing illegally hunted deer meat in their freezers, and more widespread illiteracy than what I've come across on Arizona's native reservation lands.