America's worst cities
Moderators: UAdevil, JMarkJohns
- Merkin
- Posts: 44990
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 10:31 am
- Location: UA basketball smells like....victory
America's worst cities
Tucson is #28? Really? Right next to Gary?
- scumdevils86
- Posts: 11731
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:34 pm
- Location: t-town
Re: America's worst cities
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.
Re: America's worst cities
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 wrote: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.
- scumdevils86
- Posts: 11731
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:34 pm
- Location: t-town
Re: America's worst cities
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
- Posts: 11731
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:34 pm
- Location: t-town
Re: America's worst cities
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%.84Cat wrote: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 wrote: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.
-
- Posts: 14664
- Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2014 7:28 am
Re: America's worst cities
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.
Tucson is much more heavily dependent on your individual circumstance than most cities.

- scumdevils86
- Posts: 11731
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:34 pm
- Location: t-town
Re: America's worst 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.Spaceman Spiff wrote: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.
Re: America's worst cities
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.
- 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.
And I said, ‘That last thing is what you can't get...Nobody can get to that last thing. We keep on living in hopes of catching it once and for all.’ Jack Kerouac, On The Road
- Merkin
- Posts: 44990
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 10:31 am
- Location: UA basketball smells like....victory
Re: America's worst cities
I had a friend who lived in the Oakland Hills when I lives in SF. One of the nicest communities I have ever seen.CatsbyAZ wrote: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 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.
Re: America's worst cities
I stopped in Kingman once.
Once......
Once......
Of the 12 coaches, Rush picked the one whose fans have the deepest passion, the longest memories, the greatest lung capacity and … did I mention deep passion?
- scumdevils86
- Posts: 11731
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:34 pm
- Location: t-town
Re: America's worst cities
Arizona definitely has a lot of awful places and I've seen most. Tombstone, San Manuel, Winkleman, Wickenburg, Kingman, Holbrook, Snowflake, Gila Bend...
- dovecanyoncat
- Posts: 18198
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 12:16 pm
- Location: Old Farts and Golf Carts
Re: America's worst cities
When you have to take a shit you just have to take a shit.Chicat wrote:I stopped in Kingman once.
Once......
“Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.”
~ Wilhoit's Law
~ Wilhoit's Law
Re: America's worst cities
Is that the city motto?dovecanyoncat wrote:When you have to take a shit you just have to take a shit.Chicat wrote:I stopped in Kingman once.
Once......
Catchy
Of the 12 coaches, Rush picked the one whose fans have the deepest passion, the longest memories, the greatest lung capacity and … did I mention deep passion?
- dovecanyoncat
- Posts: 18198
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 12:16 pm
- Location: Old Farts and Golf Carts
Re: America's worst cities
You should consider a job in advertising.Chicat wrote:Is that the city motto?dovecanyoncat wrote:When you have to take a shit you just have to take a shit.Chicat wrote:I stopped in Kingman once.
Once......
Catchy
“Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.”
~ Wilhoit's Law
~ Wilhoit's Law
Re: America's worst cities
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.scumdevils86 wrote:Arizona definitely has a lot of awful places and I've seen most. Tombstone, San Manuel, Winkleman, Wickenburg, Kingman, Holbrook, Snowflake, Gila Bend...
And I said, ‘That last thing is what you can't get...Nobody can get to that last thing. We keep on living in hopes of catching it once and for all.’ Jack Kerouac, On The Road