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.
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.