Neediest US Cities Revealed In Surprising Study

Dec 18, 2024

Following the release of WalletHub’s “Most Charitable States” and  “Most Charitable Cities” surveys, the team revealed the latest metrics on America’s neediest cities going into 2025.

Did you know that 11.1% of our population lives in poverty, according to the latest Census data? “In the neediest cities, a large number of people lack access to adequate food, health care and shelter, but there are plenty of other less obvious issues that also need to be resolved,” says WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

WalletHub analyzed more than 180 cities across 28 key indicators of economic disadvantage to figure out what areas need the most support and change moving into 2025. Metrics included child poverty rates, unemployment rates, statistics related to homelessness, credit scores, food insecurity, home quality, and mental and physical health indicators. (LEARN MORE: X Alternative ‘Bluesky’ Reportedly Bans User, Says Writer)

The Neediest Cities

Detroit, MI, ranked #1 as the overall neediest city. The former manufacturing capital ranked #1 for economic well-being and #7 for health and safety metrics, having the highest adult poverty rate and second-highest child poverty rate. It was closely followed by Gulfport, MS, Brownsville, TX, Cleveland, OH, and Shreveport, LA.

“Detroit’s needs aren’t all financial, though. Safety is a big concern, too, as the city has the 2nd-highest violent crime rate in the nation and the 29th-highest property crime rate. It’s worth noting that a high crime rate can be a symptom of a high poverty rate, so helping lift people out of poverty may improve the crime rate as well,” WalletHub’s team wrote in their analysis. (LEARN MORE: FBI Had ‘Confidential Human Sources’ In J6 Crowd)

Augusta, GA, home of The Masters golf tournament, ranked #7 on the list, just ahead of New Orleans, LA. Major cities like Los Angeles (#15), New York City (#19), and Atlanta (#43) were all within the Top 50 neediest cities.

Charity & Neediness Align

Virginia Beach, VA, ranked as the #1 most caring city in the U.S. in an earlier study by WalletHub, so it should be no surprise that the seaside strip ranked #173 out of 180 in the latest data.

“I would like to see the bridging of addressing shortages in the trades, health care, elder care, and other areas of employment by providing training opportunities, apprenticeships, signing incentives and more which could be a win for everyone,” Grand Valley State University professor Salvatore Alaimo said when asked the data can be used by various groups. ” Maybe not exactly what was done in the Great Depression with the employment programs that helped build the nation’s infrastructure, but something similar. I am pleased with the rise in financial literacy programs within housing and other programs and that it is now required in some high schools.” (RELATED: Education Sec. Linda McMahon To Return Power To States)

“The neediest cities need to address problems like high school dropout rates, lack of access to quality internet, overcrowded housing, poor mental health and more. Fixing these issues can lift people out of poverty, lower crime rates, and elevate people’s mental and physical health,” added Lupo.

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