Detroit tops list of America's neediest cities -- though number 6 may shock you

WASHINGTON — Poverty is a problem that comes in many forms across the United States. From homelessness to food insecurity, a new survey examined the problems facing residents in America’s most populated cities and finds no city is in more need of help than Detroit, Michigan. This may not surprise some, but many of the other big cities finishing among America’s “neediest” may shock you.

Following the financial collapse of 2020, due to COVID-19, the WalletHub study looked at 28 key indicators of health and well-being in over 180 U.S. cities. The team boiled all those factors down into two scores: “Economic Well-Being,” which measured things including poverty rates, unemployment rates, and homelessness; and “Health & Safety,” which looked at food insecurity, health insurance rates, and adequate housing facilities.

Those scores put Detroit at the top of the list of the country’s “neediest” cities. Michigan’s largest city had the worst score for Economic Well-Being and the second-worst for Health & Safety, finishing only behind Springfield, Missouri in terms of insurance and housing measures.

Rounding out the top five neediest U.S. cities are Brownsville, Texas (2nd), Cleveland, Ohio (3rd), Fresno, California (4th), Gulfport, Mississippi (5th).

L.A. among the neediest?!

Despite its reputation for glitz and glamor, the study ranks Los Angeles, California as the 6th neediest city in the nation! Out of 182 U.S. cities, L.A. ranks 18th in terms of the worst economic well-being in the country and third in terms of health and safety.

Specifically, Los Angeles tied for the highest homelessness rate in the country and has the fifth-highest number of homes with inadequate kitchen facilities.

The news doesn’t get any better for L.A.’s neighbors either. Overall, 29 California cities made the list of the neediest in the United States. In San Francisco, the WalletHub team finds San Fran was one of the cities tying for the highest homelessness rate, while also having the highest number of homes with inadequate kitchens and plumbing!

Big states have big problems

California isn’t the only big state facing many issues in 2021. When it comes to health insurance, it turns out Texas is the last place you want to be if you’re sick. The five cities with the highest rates of uninsured Americans are all in “The Lone Star State.” These cities include Brownsville, Laredo, Dallas, Garland, and Houston.

Source: WalletHub

Meanwhile, in New York, homelessness continues to be a problem no one seems able to solve. Despite recent comments by city officials citing “historic gains” and “profound progress,” New York City tied for the highest rate of homeless residents in the nation. Overall, NYC finished as the 28th neediest city in America, mainly because of its poor economic well-being rank (15th).

“The Empire State” also appears to have a problem with child poverty, according to the report. Although only four cities in New York made the 2021 list, two (Rochester and Buffalo) finished in the top five cities with the highest child poverty rates in the country.

Many challenges heading into 2022

As the calendars turn to 2022, researchers say American families will be facing many of the same issues that landed their cities on the list of the neediest in 2021. One of the biggest issues is the continuing uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Certainly, the impact of COVID-19 has disproportionately affected families with low incomes. Many families on the lower end of the income distribution worked jobs that could not easily be transitioned online. In my research with families with low incomes, we see many folks are currently facing high rates of food insecurity and cannot pay all of their bills or rent. Many of these families are also noting that basic expenses – like food or other essentials – are costing more to cover now than they did one year ago,” says Natasha Pilkauskas, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, in a statement.

Neediest Cities in America

Overall Rank*	City	Total Score	Economic Well-Being	Health & Safety
1	Detroit, MI	63.79	1	2
2	Brownsville, TX	57.11	7	7
3	Cleveland, OH	57.02	6	8
4	Fresno, CA	56.51	2	57
5	Gulfport, MS	55.91	18	3
6	Los Angeles, CA	55.38	5	28
7	Newark, NJ	54.87	4	46
8	Baltimore, MD	54.52	3	55
9	New Orleans, LA	54.02	10	31
10	St. Louis, MO	53.74	21	9
11	Laredo, TX	53.64	27	12
12	Shreveport, LA	53.13	9	51
13	Miami, FL	52.94	19	25
14	Memphis, TN	52.73	22	18
15	Jackson, MS	52.68	13	50
16	Birmingham, AL	52.41	41	4
17	Philadelphia, PA	52.28	12	69
18	Richmond, VA	52.01	11	71
19	Hialeah, FL	51.64	26	35
20	Augusta, GA	51.24	17	62
21	Chattanooga, TN	51.20	40	14
22	Indianapolis, IN	51.14	14	89
23	Atlanta, GA	51.03	8	107
24	San Bernardino, CA	50.78	23	49
25	Baton Rouge, LA	50.56	31	45
26	Mobile, AL	50.35	38	22
27	Little Rock, AR	49.47	64	13
28	New York, NY	49.43	15	120
29	Fort Smith, AR	49.10	84	6
30	Corpus Christi, TX	49.00	93	5
31	Toledo, OH	48.97	43	36
32	Dover, DE	48.60	16	124
33	Houston, TX	48.55	69	10
34	Rochester, NY	48.54	29	102
35	Albuquerque, NM	48.52	46	33
36	Las Cruces, NM	48.48	56	30
37	Oakland, CA	48.37	37	58
38	Dallas, TX	48.19	65	20
39	Stockton, CA	48.14	32	100
40	Tulsa, OK	48.09	77	11
41	Columbia, SC	48.07	34	94
42	Springfield, MO	47.87	114	1
43	Huntington, WV	47.69	45	52
44	Wilmington, DE	47.64	28	118
45	Long Beach, CA	47.56	30	122
46	New Haven, CT	47.50	20	134
47	El Paso, TX	47.45	63	34
48	Columbus, GA	47.42	57	41
49	Tucson, AZ	47.37	62	37
50	San Antonio, TX	47.33	68	26
51	Montgomery, AL	47.29	39	87
52	Buffalo, NY	47.08	42	78
53	Milwaukee, WI	47.07	44	76
54	Akron, OH	47.01	49	61
55	Providence, RI	46.90	25	127
56	Oklahoma City, OK	46.71	79	24
57	San Francisco, CA	46.62	75	23
58	Knoxville, TN	46.60	71	39
59	Bakersfield, CA	46.59	54	59
60	Lewiston, ME	46.35	101	17
61	Las Vegas, NV	46.13	53	77
62	Kansas City, MO	46.11	82	32
63	Lubbock, TX	46.04	102	21
64	Glendale, AZ	45.69	67	64
65	Phoenix, AZ	45.69	66	65
66	Fayetteville, NC	45.64	60	83
67	Fort Lauderdale, FL	45.55	52	96
68	Cincinnati, OH	45.48	48	101
69	Honolulu, HI	45.10	80	48
70	Norfolk, VA	45.04	35	132
71	Portland, OR	44.91	87	47
72	North Las Vegas, NV	44.82	55	106
73	Manchester, NH	44.49	74	73
74	Wichita, KS	44.45	108	27
75	Jacksonville, FL	44.43	73	82
76	Washington, DC	44.42	33	155
77	Chicago, IL	44.38	51	123
78	Spokane, WA	44.29	129	15
79	Bridgeport, CT	44.20	59	115
80	Amarillo, TX	44.16	117	16
81	Greensboro, NC	44.14	91	56
82	St. Paul, MN	44.11	61	114
82	Boston, MA	44.11	24	167
84	Sacramento, CA	43.85	50	129
85	Newport News, VA	43.84	81	93
86	Grand Rapids, MI	43.74	95	66
86	Nashville, TN	43.74	89	75
88	Salt Lake City, UT	43.66	133	19
89	Modesto, CA	43.54	47	137
90	Charleston, WV	43.38	124	29
91	Winston-Salem, NC	43.28	72	105
92	Anaheim, CA	43.16	105	60
93	Reno, NV	43.15	121	40
94	Oxnard, CA	42.96	70	113
95	Denver, CO	42.70	98	85
96	Tampa, FL	42.67	85	104
97	Tallahassee, FL	42.66	58	139
98	Santa Clarita, CA	42.66	36	166
99	Jersey City, NJ	42.63	94	92
100	Grand Prairie, TX	42.57	119	53
101	St. Petersburg, FL	42.54	106	79
102	Orlando, FL	42.48	86	108
103	Anchorage, AK	42.36	143	38
104	Huntsville, AL	42.34	103	91
105	Garland, TX	42.30	109	72
106	Fort Worth, TX	42.26	112	67
107	Salem, OR	42.19	128	70
108	Columbus, OH	42.08	78	125
109	Seattle, WA	41.89	122	63
110	Santa Ana, CA	41.88	96	109
111	Rapid City, SD	41.83	120	86
112	Des Moines, IA	41.75	90	119
113	Tempe, AZ	41.66	107	98
114	Louisville, KY	41.59	110	90
115	Ontario, CA	41.39	99	110
116	Arlington, TX	41.32	125	80
117	Mesa, AZ	41.30	97	117
118	Omaha, NE	41.26	115	88
119	Tacoma, WA	41.25	148	44
120	Irving, TX	41.22	126	83
121	Minneapolis, MN	41.17	83	131
122	Missoula, MT	40.97	157	42
123	Garden Grove, CA	40.83	113	103
124	West Valley City, UT	40.61	145	74
125	Santa Rosa, CA	40.51	76	146
126	Nampa, ID	40.49	134	95
127	Austin, TX	40.40	140	81
128	Worcester, MA	40.09	92	141
129	Colorado Springs, CO	39.88	138	99
130	Riverside, CA	39.65	123	121
131	Fontana, CA	39.36	88	154
132	Glendale, CA	39.26	136	111
133	Charleston, SC	38.98	100	147
134	Moreno Valley, CA	38.68	104	145
135	Fort Wayne, IN	38.55	116	140
136	Pittsburgh, PA	38.50	132	128
137	Charlotte, NC	38.45	127	135
138	Aurora, CO	38.19	142	126
139	Burlington, VT	38.13	111	144
140	Vancouver, WA	38.07	163	68
141	Billings, MT	38.06	171	54
142	Juneau, AK	37.88	177	43
143	Durham, NC	37.63	141	133
144	Lexington-Fayette, KY	37.13	130	149
145	Portland, ME	36.96	150	136
146	San Diego, CA	36.50	131	158
147	Yonkers, NY	36.29	137	159
148	Lincoln, NE	36.07	154	130
149	San Jose, CA	35.87	118	170
150	Port St. Lucie, FL	35.81	147	148
151	Oceanside, CA	35.80	139	165
152	Cheyenne, WY	35.74	167	112
153	Casper, WY	35.64	173	97
154	Boise, ID	35.52	168	116
155	Cape Coral, FL	35.30	149	153
156	Henderson, NV	35.23	146	162
157	Pembroke Pines, FL	34.96	152	150
158	Chula Vista, CA	34.86	135	172
159	Peoria, AZ	34.69	158	142
160	Cedar Rapids, IA	34.62	153	157
161	Scottsdale, AZ	34.37	156	152
162	Aurora, IL	34.29	144	173
163	Raleigh, NC	34.21	151	164
164	Chandler, AZ	33.33	161	156
165	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	32.99	155	169
166	Chesapeake, VA	32.67	160	168
167	Sioux Falls, SD	32.60	170	151
168	Fargo, ND	32.37	174	138
169	Nashua, NH	31.76	169	160
170	Gilbert, AZ	31.20	172	163
171	Madison, WI	30.98	165	176
172	Huntington Beach, CA	30.96	162	177
173	Irvine, CA	30.89	159	181
174	Plano, TX	30.76	178	143
175	Virginia Beach, VA	30.53	166	179
176	Fremont, CA	30.15	164	182
177	Warwick, RI	28.67	176	175
178	Overland Park, KS	28.29	180	161
179	South Burlington, VT	28.15	175	178
180	Bismarck, ND	27.15	182	171
181	Pearl City, HI	26.70	179	180
182	Columbia, MD	26.26	181	174

Note: *No. 1 = Neediest
With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the worst conditions for that metric category.