10 Worst Cities in the U.S.
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- Опубликовано: 22 май 2024
- Countdown of the 10 worst cities in the U.S. I examine what makes a great city and analyze the ones that provide the least amount of positive city qualities based on its size. Every city has lots of problems and annoyances including traffic, crowds, and crime. The cities on this list give the least back for your troubles.
Album displayed: X "Under the Big Black Sun" (1982)
0:00 Intro
2:35 Countdown begins
Only in a Geography King "worst cities" video does the host spend the majority of the runtime talking about their positive sides. I appreciate this approach. Thank you Kyle!
Agreed
except for Vegas and Orlando lmao
@@crenfick7750 i live in south florida and Kyle couldn't be more correct about orlando. orlando sucks to live. watch the Florida Project movie and you'll see what orlando is really about for some of its residents.
@MapsAndLegends It's called scientific stringency. You are honest about facts that counter your thesis.
a tip : you can watch series at Kaldrostream. Been using them for watching a lot of movies these days.
As a Clevelander whenever I don’t see my city on a list it’s a good day 🙂
Same for St. Louis
“At least we’re not Detroit!”
I love going to Cleveland. It's an underrated city
at least us in baltimore didn't get first lol
@@amalsinkarina447 Baltimore has a lot going for it, it is just saddled with a tremendous downside in terms of the blighted neighborhoods with job loss and crime. It hasn't solved the core problem of loss of industrial jobs (like a lot of other cities). Parts of the city are very cool, though, with unique bars and good restaurants, historic architecture, good hospitals and universities, etc. It's a case of "the good, the bad, and the ugly."
I completely agree about Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas, and Las Vegas that are just huge cities with a flashy core surrounded by limitless square miles of soulless suburbs. You have to admit though, that if LA wasn't quite so large, the traffic so bad, and the housing so hideously expensive, it has everything: mountains, beaches, deserts, parks, great weather, sports franchises, multiethnic culture, music, museums, restaurants, shopping, cinematic history, fabulous hotels, all sorts of unique neighborhoods, biking, hiking, skateboarding, rollerblading, watching the freaks at Venice Beach. What's not to love?
That Governer of yours yes the demorat just like the demorat mayor of S.F. has ruined this great land by thier crazy policies that are all demorat policies and that is why i now live in a safe Republican strong hold and we all have guns and bibles and have nice lives,you should try it sometime.
The crowds?
People masturbating in the streets, rampant crime beyond what most people are used to around the country, earthquakes, wildfires, massive pollution etc. if you’ve ever lived in LA there’s a lot of love but also a lot to hate about it. Sometimes the juice ain’t worth the squeeze. There are way better cities in California where you don’t have to put up with so much just to live a normal life.
What’s not to love about Los Angeles that’s easy its in arguably the most “communist” states in the country freedom is paramount in looking for a nice place to live, I would live in nome Alaska and stay indoors 6 months out of the year before living anywhere in California
@@jonniewilson6825 See "Political Theory King" for an explanation of "communist"/s
Great video as always Kyle. I lived in Orlando for 11 years. I did the opposite of what most people do: I moved my family from Florida to Eastern upstate NY. Most of my co-workers loved it there but I didn't. Lately, the downtown area has gotten much nicer, and some neighborhoods are kind of interesting. But what I hated was the heat, the congestion, the lack of seasons and the flatness. I now live in a valley surrounded by mountains and it suits me much better.
I remember going to Disney world and being excited about traveling to Florida. I don't know what it's like now but then (the early 2000s) it was a corporate non-Florida.
I want to move back to NY so desperately. I came to Florida following my parents. They are gone now and there is absolutely nothing here for me. I hope to find a way to leave soon.
@@garfield2439 I never knew how I was going to get out of Florida. The opportunity came, I took it, and it wasn’t easy. Keep believing!
Same here from Jacksonville, I live here currently, but plan to move somewhere else. I didn't ever like the Heat, nor the Flatness, or lack of rural areas. I could see why someone would like this place, but it's just not for me.
Such an underrated channel
I think he was at 10K a few months ago, so he did get an algorithm blow up recently. But you're right, he's still underrated.
My brother is someone with the attention span of about 2 minutes, I've shown him multiple Geography King videos and he watches them from start to finish. I feel like if this guy was a teacher his whole class would learn faster.
Agreed, Kyle gives us a ton of information without meandering. No time to get bored.
Great channel!
I would love if he started a podcast. Nothing crazy, something like 30 min a week where we could hear about all the experiences he has had through his travels and just take in all his geographical knowledge.
I found it about 3 days ago and I love it! glad to see there are other people who love geography as much as I do
I like how this video is "cities that are bad according to metrics that people who would live in cities would consider" rather than "cities that are bad according to metrics that suburbanites use to justify not living in cities". It seems every RUclips "worst cities" list uses the latter metrics.
nail on the head
Exactly! I live in the Chicagoland area, and Chicago constantly gets ragged on by people who don't like cities. Chicago is a world-class city. It has literally hundreds of different worlds within a stone's throw of each other, and it's magical to be a part of.
@@jordanwilliams9300 I'm an Illinoisan who's never lived in Chicago but I love it when I go there, I plan to move there eventually if I stay in the state. The suburbs just don't do it for me man
YES! This!
@@jordanwilliams9300 man, visiting Chicago was a wild experience as someone from Jacksonville, FL. Jax has nothing in comparison to Chicago
Thank you! I'm tired of the crime stat dictating EVERYTHING. Everyone in cities is NOT there against his/her will or just to get to a job! I love your channel.
Thanks for a list of cities based on what city lovers love. I lived in Chicago for 29 years and loved every minute, and now I live in Vienna (Austria). Walkability, public transportation, culture, restaruants, architecture, sports are what great cities offer.
Chicago rocks! My sister has lived there for 36 years. I’m not a city person but Chicago is a good one.
How do you like Vienna? I applied for a job with OPEC years ago, based there in Vienna.
Nobody has ever moved or not moved to a city because of walkability or public transportation
@@waccness449 Not true
@@waccness449I know multiple people that have
Whoa, first time Detroit is not on top 10 worst city in the US.
Or Cleveland, Ohio
There's some stuff competition, many worthy contenders ... but I was surprised not to see Detroit.
Detroit is really poor and dangerous, but it's crazy cheap and still has a lot of culture, history, and "soul." Even a burgeoning art scene. I think that's what gives it a decent "return on investment."
And no Chicago lol. I never been to Chicago tho.
@@neoxu8588 Chicago rocks, great food and nightlife. Just don't drive it during the day.
Ok, so Vegas! Moved here from Nashville, TN (schooled in Chattanooga though🤙) and here’s the main reasons I did so:
1. Proximity to National Parks and Hiking/Camping. I’ve been here for under 5 months and here’s where I’ve been able to go reasonably with only a couple free days, sometimes just one day: Death Valley, Grand Canyon South, Sequoia, Zion, Bryce, Big Sur, Pinnacles. And then more locally, Lake Mead, Mt. Charleston, Red Rock, Sloan Canyon, Valley of Fire, etc etc. Basically, it’s kinda a perfect epicenter for desert/mountain hiking and nature.
2. Cost of living is cheaper than any other city it’s size. Definitely cheaper than Nashville, even. Especially if you’re renting. I’m paying hundreds less a month.
3. Major Airport. Cheapest flights in the country to almost anywhere, including international.
4. Proximity to other great cities that I don’t wanna pay to live in. Within 8 or so hours that includes LA, San Diego, San Jose, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Sedona, etc.
5. City Park infrastructure. Hundreds of parks, all connected by greenways and all kept in tip top shape. It’s honestly crazy how nice the parks are. The only place I’ve seen have similar infrastructure is Madrid, Spain.
6. The weather. Yes, summers are hot, but it’s easily escaped by going up in elevation for recreation. The other three months, it’s like 65-75 and sunny every single day. You want snow? Drive 30 minutes.
7. NO TRAFFIC. because the city is newly built, and they planned well for the large population, it takes 20 minutes to get from one side of the city to the other pretty much anytime of day, any day.
I can definitely understand the gripes with Vegas. It’s a very very young city, and you’ll be hard pressed to find much historical architecture and such, but that also means the infrastructure isn’t crumbling like it is in TN. Is there suburban sprawl? Absolutely. But that’s everywhere now. A cool thing that I’ve noticed here that I didn’t expect is the sheer amount of small businesses that are able to exist. It seems to be much more affordable to have a storefront/brick and mortar style business here than in other cities that are growing. It also seems that because of this, the neighborhoods and areas, especially in the city proper, are very integrated both racially and Socioeconomically. It’s actually a really beautiful thing to see after coming from Nashville, one of the most segregated cities there is.
Will I stay here for the rest of my life and put roots down? Maybe not. If you had asked me even two years ago if I would live in Vegas, I would’ve said fuck no! Before I actually came here I assumed it was terrible. But in an effort to purge cynicism I gave it a chance, and so far I’ve really liked it. I expect once the pandemic becomes less of an issue, the fun will ramp up even more. I don’t drink or gamble, which also makes living here feasible haha
Anyway great video, love your channel and watch it all the time. Take care of TN for me 💫
I'd live in Vegas but only if I also had a boat to take to Mead. And yes ur surrounded by Nat'l parks, that is a huge plus (for me at least) as well.
Great summary and observations! We are thinking of relocating to Vegas - we don't gamble either but love the parks. I would add that Nevada doesn't have a state income tax so that's also tremendously helpful to retirees...
Thank you very much for the perspective. I always want to hear dissenting opinions about my preferences
@@GeographyKing You just can't forget that having a spring that lasts 8.5 - 9 months every year in Vegas and Phoenix makes up for a LOT! - And no humidity = no sweat, no harsh weather, no bugs, no mold/mildew!
this is a great explanation
This has to be the first time a list like this wasn't peppered with places in Michigan. This list is far better than many I've seen, that seem to only take data of blighted areas to make a city bad. I've been greatly enjoying your lists, maps and road trip videos. Michigan is amazing for road trips. Thank you for all your work!
Hey Neighbor 🤚👋✋️
I have lived in the Orlando area for 3 years and I also have to say for a metro of it's size it definitely doesn't feel like a metro area of close to 3 million people. The downtown skyline is super underwhelming. Jacksonville a smaller metro area has more of a "big city" skyline feel. Everything you said is spot on the city has historic areas but still no soul. Everything does feel cookie cutter and Orlando is nothing but constant urban sprawl. The highway system is terrible and costly. My overall perspective of Orlando is that it is a small town that was forced into becoming a metropolitan area. The cost of living just doesn't justify the overall experience you will get of living here, especially if you have zero interest in Disney and the other theme parks.
I'm a 60 year resident of Orlando and everything you've said is right. It was a small city that suddenly had to get big. The city and county governments tried real hard to hold on to that while at the same time get the benefits and reuptation of being a big city. What I call "Old Orlando" which is the downtown area and just to the east is where the "soul" of Orlando resides.
I agree I have lived in Florida for 10 years and moved up to orlando from Ft. Lauderdale in 2017 and orlando itself has gotten even more expensive than South Florida because there’s so much Toll and the salaries in Orlando are controlled due to Disney setting the pay for the area. Traffic on the I4 is horrible. There’s no other way you can avoid it and at some point you’ll be stuck in it and there’s no end in sight to the construction that is being done which is not even alleviating the housing or infrastructure that is in shambles after all the hurricanes that keep damaging the infrastructure that is either not maintained or not built well enough to compensate for rising sea levels worsening storms and beach erosion. There are still many communities in orlando that have been abandoned because of river and lake flooding due to hurricane Ian. And these are all wiped out. Florida is not meant to have people living on it
I agree. I moved here 3.5 years ago and am moving back home up north next month. I was surprised but in 1000% agreement when he said Orlando. it was fun for a year or two but he's right about it feeling completely soulless. the drivers and traffic is terrible. if you want to buy a half decent home your looking at a half mill, HOA, and almost no land. homeowners insurance is broken. my rent has went from 980 to 1550 since I moved. car insurance is crazy.
a million other reasons but Orlando just isn't as exciting as people think it is.
I struggle to understand how any adult (especially with no kids) is into Disney. Commercial fun fun fun culture is awful
Jacksonville and Orlando feels like a suburb
The only reason to live in Orlando is if you're a massive fan of theme parks or if you work in the amusement industry. For that it's the best in the world. For everything else its a massive pain.
Everybody I know they lives in that area of central Florida is a HUGE Disney fan. From Polk County inward.
Or if you work at Cape Canaveral.
The humidity there alone is enough to make me never want to go back
Yea everyone there is pretty much associated with Disney or UCF
I thought that the downtown area was *up and coming* within the last 5-10 years or so.
A better title would be 'Top 10 Most Disappointing Cities in the U.S.'
I definitely agree. Some of the cities on this list I wouldn’t consider bad, just underwhelming. Like Phoenix! Huge, sprawling city with a very underwhelming downtown. Bad place to live? Not really. Most people I’ve known who live or have lived in Phoenix love it.
I was surprised not to see Houston, TX on this list. I currently live in the Houston metro. Downtown is pretty small and doesn’t have much to offer, traffic is horrendous, people are unfriendly, crime rates are through the roof, and although housing is pretty cheap, that’s pretty much the only reason it makes any sense to live here. There aren’t a whole lot of great jobs. Dallas is a better city for sure.
@@nathanjones9586 Right, is Phoenix really a worse city than Cleveland or Detroit?
@@nathanjones9586 considering you have to drive everywhere or else you get heatstroke, I can't undress how people enjoy living there. It just seems like heatstroke inducing suburbia to me
@@jeffreyhodgson5172 Yes, if you're someone looking for food, art, history, etc.
@@carstarsarstenstesenn it depends on the season its not always hot obviously
Las Vegas- Visiting Vegas as a tourist is a lot different than living here. It has hidden gems such as Downtown Henderson, The Smith Center, Red Rock, low cost of living, cheap airfare to anywhere in the USA, great climate except middle of summer, great buffets, great shows, no bugs, no tollbooths, etc.
From my perspective, Las Vegas is like nothing so much as a giant brothel that smells like an ashtray, a city driven by greed.
@@wesleysandel5299i get having that perspective, however after living here for 4 years, be really been shown that that ONLY alludes to the strip itself. there is a LOT going on here and all the best stuff is not on the strip. lastly, the legalized bodily autonomy allowed in nevada is one of the best parts of the state.
@@wesleysandel5299 And your problem is...? ;)
@@wesleysandel5299Brothels are illegal in Clark County.
I basically agree with this whole list. I live in Pittsburgh and I used to bitch and complain about this city until I started traveling around to other cities, especially the ones mentioned here. I now feel downright privileged that while Pittsburgh isnt perfect and has its own issues, it at least has character and isnt just one huge sprawling suburb. We have that older city feel of smaller streets and enough density to feel like an actual city and although I wish our mass transit was better, at leat we HAVE it compared to most of the cities you mentioned here. Orlando just seems like a soul sucking place, other than Disney World.
I would say Disney world is the soul suckyiest part of orlando
@@finns23653 Yeah I'm inclined to agree. I DID work for Disneyland back in 1988 for a summer as a musician. They brainwash you about all things Disney. It was a fun job though, I'll give them that!
I moved to Pittsburgh from Phoenix and miss Phoenix so much lol. That’s not to say Pittsburgh doesn’t have great things about it. I go hiking once a weekend and I can drive a hour and be in a great area. My biggest issue is how the roads are mapped. There are so little options if you want to avoid 376. Traffic wouldn’t be bad if the city was properly planned but obviously I understand why it wasn’t planned this way considering how old it was. It’s a beautiful city though. I just travel a lot for work and it’s just a pain. I’m looking to move to Louisville for work so I definitely will miss Pittsburgh. Hoping I can stay here one more summer and skip the winter lol
This list is more like cities that punch below their weight
Yeah he should've titled the video "most underwhelming cities".
Fair points
overrated cities maybe? but then baltimore wouldn't make the list i suppose
That's a cool comment
@@kjhuang youre dumber than dog shit if you think LA is an underwhelming city
To me, the number one metric is living around the people you want to live around. I'll take that over great bars any day.
Excellent point
That's next to impossible to rank with how intagible it is. I agree fully but you can't meassure that in anyway like how he is with other things with out it being pure bias
@@MrMRMONKEY232 I don't see any issue with being biased when it comes to a personal opinion. I know people who live in areas they complain about a lot but they live there because it's cheap and close to bars and clubs. They enjoy being able to do things but they have had property damage and theft happen to them.
Facts
And that is even harder to measure
Interesting perspective. Very surprised to see Orlando, Vegas, and Phoenix on this list. Was expecting to see Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, Memphis, and St. Louis but I guess the emphasis was on the cities charm and personality vs crime and urban decay. Its somewhat refreshing to see this type of ranking as opposed to the usual predictable laundry list.
I’d argue Chicago is one of the best cities in the country. FAR from the worst in my opinion. Extremely underrated and misrepresented in the media
I can't believe anyone would put Chicago on a worst cities list. Their problems are real, but so overblown. What a wonderful city.
@@jaykay1899 Chicago is way overrated in my experience.
Lmao I literally recently moved FROM Vegas TO Orlando! I have to say... You're exactly right about Vegas. The only things to do there are the tourist activities and there is little to nothing locally. Orlando though I think you're wrong about... I feel like more than any other mid-sized city I've been to, every neighborhood has stuff to do. Just within 5 miles of where I live we have Mills 50, Lake Eola, Wall st, Magnolia st, SoDo, College Park, Milk District, Ivanhoe Village, Garden District, and Maitland with museums. I think the established part of orlando has a TON to do in comparison to other cities of it's size. And I'd have to drive 20+ minutes to get to one of the massive HOA type of neighborhoods.
damn you are just so wrong about vegas, i’m sorry you didn’t do your research while you were living here! there is SO much to do and none of it on the strip. i followed some vegas living instagram accounts and there is always so much going on. food and culture festivals, amazing parks (with disc golfing), hikes all around the city - a short drive to the mountains or the state park, or red rocks. monster museum in Boulder, shopping in container park, quirky dining experiences, amazing food all over the city, i mean i could keep going. if you just sit in your house and don’t explore the things to do, then yeah you won’t find anything but that’s literally everywhere.
You know it's a good day when Geography King uploads
interesting name there
This is actually so true. My whole day is improved when he posts.
@@Owlsick You like my name?
facts
Agreed!
10 best cities next? Keep up the good work!
Think he already has that one made
Absolutely love your videos Kyle, you are making RUclips the best it can be, thank you so much man. I’ll always watch your vids!!!
I have no idea how I ended up at this channel, but after watching a couple of videos, I REALLY like it. I'm subscribing! I live in Dallas /Ft. Worth metroplex, and you are spot on Kyle!
As someone from Dayton, I can say that people only really live here because they were born here and haven't yet moved away or they work at the air force base in Fairborn. Nobody really stays here.
Edit: I should also include that Dayton has an absolutely amazing history to it, so if you love history like I do (especially geographical history) Dayton is great for it.
The suburbs of Dayton are decent/good
@@terme-nator_ Kyle mentions the area south of Dayton and yeah those places are pretty well off but west Dayton and some parts of the east are pretty rough. Still love Dayton though because it’s my home
@@ryanb3629 yeah I love Dayton
As someone not from Dayton but who has been there, I can tell you that Youngstown is far worse.
Yeah Dayton should be renamed Kettering-Beavercreek at this point as most of the economy and population is in the suburbs.
Return on investment isn’t always about money. Thank you! I love the way your brain works.
Big fan of your channel, I’ve definitely spent a lot of time binge watching your channel. My girlfriend has also shown your videos in her classroom for her students. Keep up the great work!
Thank you!
I was at a wedding party in Hanover PA in 2008, realized that I didnt' want to hang out with ANY of the people there (including my gf at the time) so I took our rental car and drove to Baltimore (1 hr south) to check out the night life... Got back to Hanover at about 6 AM the next day and EVERYONE in was completely freaked out that I had went to Baltimore "by myself" and wasn't murdered/robbed... I'm from rural TN so I usually assume the best of people and had a great time with some "sketchy" people in Baltimore. I guess it could have went bad... I know, cool story bro...
Hanover is my hometown! First time I’ve ever seen it mentioned, like, anywhere
I lived the Baltimore / DC area almost my entire life. I grew up in Frederick.
Like every big city it has its issues. City has gotten better in the last 20 years. There are some cool spots.
@@danielfrancella5219 Dude, do y’all have the same life as me? Born in Hanover, lived there until I was 8, moved and currently live in Frederick.
@@kyuwoo. i did live in york sings for a year also
A lot of people think that high crime = you get shot. Mainly it's criminals shooting criminals. As long as you don't go looking for trouble and avoid walking by yourself at night you're totally fine.
Cities that are tourist driven tend to not be great places to live. Vegas and Orlando are prime examples of this. They focus more on those who come and go while neglecting permanent residents.
I feel Nashville/middle TN is falling more into this sort of thing every day as well. Its gotten stupid expensive to live here post 2008 crash and wages have not kept up IMO. Also I see a huge divide between the haves and the have nots in this town. A lot of fortunes in Nashville have been made by exploiting people thru our crooked ass health care system as well, anytime anybody tells me they work in health care and they aren't a doctor/nurse, I just roll my eyes.
Nonsense...Vegas is better than where you live.
@David Erickson No one here is calling tourists evil just point out the truth that there are in fact cons to having tons of tourists. They add to the economy and provide jobs which is very important but also absolutely take a ton in return. They impact the entire culture of the community and shift the focus from permanent residents to transient visitors. Instead of investing in schools, small local parks, farmers markets, etc - money is spent on tourist traps, high priced hotels, short term entertainment, etc. aka things that the permanent residents have no interest in.
I lived in Las Vegas for 1 yr. I hated it. I moved there from Miami Beach. Currently live near Cleveland OH.
@@chadenglish4169i’m sorry but there is just no way cleveland is better than vegas.
Thanks for going into detail that most other “best cities” list leave out. I think a lot major cities feel “soulless” and are great for people who don’t care about the history or culture of where they actually live. Whereas some midsize cities (St. Louis) are often on the “worst cities” list strictly because of what the journalist read on a crime statistics list. Despite that they are far cheaper to live in and have many quality amentities and culture for their size.
st.louis is an awesome city
people just look at statistics and not anything else
so i agree
I went in to the comments to see if others had conclusions of the same. He seemed to be looking for character where some city's are just not built with it. Probably one reason I watch his channel. For example phoenix az, in perspective to some of say the older ( historical city's have ). Would not have the shops and night life because it was evolved from a different era of life. People used autos to move around, there for you did not have people building the foot traffic stores. At least where I live they became the bars shops and small business. How ever like San Francisco has rich historical roots dating back threw American history, or NYC where most of your business is foot traffic.
@@christopherpitcher1702 some additional points about both Las Vegas and Phoenix is that all you need is a few drought years in the Rocky Mountains and where are they getting water from…?
They're cheaper because no one in their right mind would MOVE there; those that are left have their reasons to stay, but often are effectively TRAPPED.
I love St. Louis and always enjoyed my time there, bar none. Friendly and generous people, interesting architecture and fun stuff to do, lots of beer. Deficit, hot and humid summer weather.
I always enjoy your videos, and your assessments and rankings are usually spot-on. But I really have to commend you on your excellent taste in music, though. X is one of my favourite bands, EVER, and Under The Big Black Sun is nearly my favourite album. Just wanted to give you your due props on that account.
Being from Michigan it’s refreshing to see Detroit not on this list or a list of “worst cities”. It seems everyone likes to crap on it. Detroit is such a fun and historic city with some of the richest culture in the US.
Destroyed by big unions and democrats
Same for St. Louis.
It’s interesting the top 3 cities mentioned share similar characteristics: relatively new cities where the population growth exploded in the 90s. To me, this is a commentary on the development patterns at the time: cookie-cutter, gated, sprawling communities. The desirable downtown elements expected in large cities were outpaced by residential growth; so now they’re playing catch-up. I’d be keen to see this list in 10 years time and compare - these are the types of cities where opportunities exist.
Enjoy your vids GK, keep up the good work.
The fact that Detroit or Flint didn’t make the list is incredible
Probably because there isn’t much of Flint or Detroit left.. They are pretty much hollowed out.
@@michaelriecher5632 a dude with 50 billion dollars is helping to rebuild Detroit and it's lively
@@FinlayHamm good to hear. It’s been awhile since I’ve been there.
To be fair you have 3 casinos, all 4 major league sports, two universities and plenty of other areas where you probably won't get stabbed
Or Gary, Indiana. Although I think that one may be too small.
Spot on with Vegas. I lived in my car and did door dash as a job in spring valley and other part and it truly is one of the most uninspiring cookie cutter places ever. Everything is new and gated and there are no pedestrians to be seen anywhere. Beautiful area around Vegas but the city it’s self has no soul it seems. Whenever I left the city limits I felt relief and rejuvenation.
Cool video. And bonus points for the great X album in the background. Great album, and great cover art.
Lyrics from an old Austin Lounge Lizards song immediately come to mind: "I'm goin' back to Dallas, Texas, to see if anything could be worse than losing you."
Wack, Lmao theres nothing worst in dallas except the attitudes of the people
Take a listen to Steve Earle's "Ft. Worth Blues".
Johnny Winter has a song on his first album called "Dallas". It is not flattering at all. But it's a great song. He ought to have known, he was a native Texan.
Jimmie Dale Gillmore wrote a song called "Dallas." One of the few songs written by others that Townes Van Zandt sang...
🤞🏽😂😂😂😂😂
Vegas offers year round mountain access for rock climbing, biking, kayaking, etc. combined a lower cost of living relative to other popular outdoor oriented towns and cities. Plus it’s always cheap to fly home
Yeah this list is bogus. Vegas is money. And no Detroit or Cleveland.
And world class entertainment. Kyle has officially jumped the shark. NO WAY Vegas or Orlando, or even PHX should be on this list. Its borderline stupid.
I've only been to Vegas once, and I knew going in that I would hate it. My wife and I went a couple of years ago. She went for a show, and I headed directly to the desert for some hiking. I think I had a better time than she did.
I like visiting Vegas, but wouldn't wanna live there. Vegas also had the highest foreclosure rate during the great recession so idk if it's really that cheap to live there.
@@bob_frazier yeah, haven't been to PHX but spent a lot of time in Orlando, calling it the worst city in the US is beyond stupid. Yes there are tolls and a lot of newer developments, but there are some really cool parts to it. Downtown Orlando is pretty hip and Winter Park just north of downtown reminds me of New England. Yes there's touristy stuff but that also means theres endless things to do
I love your videos. They are well researched and informative.
The comments on PHX are spot on. It's one huge suburb with no there, there. I've always said it has the worst of LA (traffic, pollution, crime) but none of best (climate, beach, things to do). Still, I grew up in PHX and Tempe and had a good childhood. One positive thing tho is if you like day trips and long weekends, and like the outdoors, there's a lot.
I hear you on some of the Orlando beef. The toll roads are really frustrating. The largest city in the US to have only one Interstate (I-4), and basically the only other way to get around town is to pay for it. The nightlife is pretty solid though as so many of the people that live there are in the service industry and always ready to party. Some really good restaurants too if you are willing to drive around a lot (Boat House & Paddlefish were both in the top 50 for independent restaurant revenue in the US for 2020). Love the channel, keep grinding👍🏻
I lived in the out skirts of Orlando by way of southwest Florida and lasted 11months. You’re 100% spot on with the sterol feeling, very little soul and just about everyone is a transplant. It never gave a homey feel to it and in my opinion is over littered with brand new subdivisions. It also spreads well into Lake and Polk counties so it feels like “Orlando” is really about a 100 mile radius.
I feel like this also benefits other cities in Florida too. I live in the Tampa area and feel like the Tampa/St Pete area has so much more to offer than Orlando does.
I live in Polk County. Orlando is nice to visit for the day, but I sure feel good when I am coming home from Orlando and cross over my county line.
Way too many new subdivisions and mass suburban sprawl pretty much defines every city in Florida. Unfortunately in most Florida cities its almost impossible legally to build anything other than suburban single family homes because of zoning, and from my time doing construction work for a lot of these homes, the government literally hands developers tonnes of cash to keep building this stuff. I always tell people that they aren't building all these homes because it's in high demand, far from it, it's because it's the only thing they can build and build at a low cost due to state subsidies. I've noticed the same thing happening in Texas in the past decade.
@@macgobhann8712 good insights!
If you’re moving to central florida St. Pete is the way to go
A breath of fresh air for a St. Louisian
LOL same!! St. Louis gets a bad rap because of the crime statistics but I grew up there and moved away ans looking back it really is a decent place. For example places like the art museum and the zoo and Forest park are really amazing for a city that size and neighborhoods like soulard are gorgeous and unique!
I love it here
yes its an awesome city
but people usually just see it on the news for murders
no one focuses on the best parts of the city
i love living here also
I agree. I used to live in St. Louis. It is vastly underrated and misunderstood. It packs a punch way above its weight in culture, historic neighborhoods, dining, etc. for a lot less money than some more popular cities.
St. Louis is one of those American cities that used to be a lot more glorious than it is today, and it gets a well deserved bad rep for it. You can't ignore the urban decay in St Louis. But it's still a fun city with a lot of character
Hey buddy. I just found your channel and I absolutely love it. I've been to about a dozen US metro areas. My family and friends think I'm weird for naming Chicago as my dream vacation. I look forward to checking out more of your videos. Keep up the great work!
If you haven't already, my area has quite a gnarly side. East Vancouver.
Thanks brother!
Welcome to the channel!
I’m a geography and urban planning student graduating from ASU in a couple weeks. You nailed Phoenix. I’m hoping to change that in the next 10 years though!
Good luck
Good for you, mate! It's good to see the next generation of urban planners tackle the problems of America's cities. Best of luck :-)
I disagree with his comments on Phoenix.
Traffic is terrible though, he also didn't mention the huge raise of housing cost. But Phoenix has alot of things to do.
@@DrewBraaten lol 😂
@@mattmann06 not really. I’ve experienced it all in less than a year and I’m quite bored of Phoenix now.
Did I expect Rochester to be on here? Yes. Am I still upset? Also yes.
I was worried it would be top 3. I'm from CA and moved here. The rent is well under half what it was in CA. I live right by A lake Ontario beach.
Lol, I'm from Rochester and I'm not surprised that Rochester was on the list, but I'm surprised they didn't also include Buffalo or any of the cities in New Jersey
I heard Buffalo has some cool stuff Rochester doesn't. It has the Bill's and lot's of independent vintage record stores. I used to live in Santa Cruz CA and they did as well really cool. I still think Rochester gets A bad rap but haven't seen A lot of the city.
Great videos - and have to shout out your album covers. From Too $hort to X to Grateful Dead to Jethro Tull and so much more. Fn love it
Another great video, Kyle. You did exactly as you said making this a quite different video.
One I would of added is Chesapeake Virginia. It’s a suburb of Norfolk, and has a population of almost 250,000 making it the 2nd most populated city in the state. The main problem here is that there’s nothing to do. We don’t have any sort of downtown, little night life and bars, and very few unique shops and restaurants. We only really have a mall (well technically we have 2 but ones dead), and also bunch shopping centers with like Walmart and target. Most people drive over to Virginia Beach or Norfolk on weekends because there’s more stuff to do. Also traffic here is horrible, since like half the interstates are under construction here, and a barge also hit a pretty important bridge that connects the northern and southern parts of the city, which resulted in the bridge being closed down for god knows how long.
Traffic is especially horrible during the summer time, since all the tourists form up north have to drive through our crappy 4 lane expressway to get to the outer banks. The only good thing about it is that most of schools are good, which is why people are moving here. I realize that the city is essentially a suburb, but I feel like it should at least have something fun and unique for having a population of almost 250,000 people. When the most exciting thing in your city is Walmart, then there’s something wrong.
Dude, you need to start a club or something
As you said near the end it and most of Virginia Beach are bedroom communities to raise a family, and at least as far as this video goes it seemed to be about the big cites of their metro area which chesapeake is not.
Hi! Chesapeake (Western Branch) resident here. You're right, this place sucks. There's nothing to do outside of Norfolk or VB.
The whole tidewater area is drab TBH, not just Chesapeake. Unless you’re into boating there’s little to do, little public space. The residents seem dispirited.
@@DavidSaundersPosts Im not sure what you mean by dispirited and little public space. Off the top of my head public space whise theres first landing, fort story, oceanfront ,ocean view, sand bridge, chicks beach, dismal swamp, back bay, williamsburg, etc. I'm currently in SoCal, a block off the beach in one of the main cities and love it here, yet cant wait to get back to Hampton Roads to settle down, because in the end the "cost-benefit analysis" I constantly due in my head always swings in favor of Hampton Roads. And FWIW I've never owned nor do I ever plan to own a boat haha.
With that said, I did here quite off from non-local who moved there, that they didnt think there was enough to do, which I always found strange but I was born and raised there with not much to compare it to
You sure got #1 right. I only visited, but *everyone* there seemed so unhappy.
Brilliant video GK. very informative, cheers
Enjoyed this and all your others. Thank Kyle.
Thank you for taking a more nuanced spin on this type of list!
As a Portlander I often see my city on these types of lists for issues that are often blown way out of reason. I always love your videos and can't wait for the next upload!
I lived in Portland (Tigard) for three years about 20 years ago. It has problems (like all cities), but it has character. THe people are interesting and generally friendly. I agree with GK because Phoenix, Dallas, LA really lack a character or personality that people enjoy in Portland (and Seattle).
Really great video! That first note is a great point
I love that you have an album behind you in each video. X! Great band.
Thank you for that opening. I've seen some of those views that only look at 1-2 negative features and decide that's all that matters.
I lived in Rochester and loved my time there-- one of my favorite cities... but I can't disagree with you. You are spot on about its shell of a downtown and Park Ave and Monroe not making up for the size of the city. I will say it has the best bike paths in Upstate NY though. Oh and I explored that Sykes abandoned building you showed! Was in the Urban Exploration club...great thing to do in that city lol.
LOVE your approach to this ranking and I completely agree. You have done a great job in analysing bad cities in ways everyone else overlooks.
The winters suck. Too long, no sun. Great suburbs and golf...for 5 mos.
When I heard your criteria, I had a feeling my hometown Birmingham would make the list, haha. In our defense, as little as there is to do in the city now, it's SOOO much more than it was when I was growing up. Though I do fear that the progress has slowed in recent years. You mentioned Southside (Five Points South), but next time you're here, check out some of the restaurants and breweries in the trendy gentrified area in and around Avondale.
I appreciate that you made the effort to be original by using different measuring sticks than are typical for this type of list, but it still feels weird to not see Cleveland or Detroit on here, haha!
Great analysis considering many things that others do not, just as you mentioned.
👏 👏 👏 👏
I watch Kyle to restore my sanity, and to see what shirt he's wearing. Never let's me down on either. Love you buddy
I’m convinced Kyle and I find the same sales when it comes to shirts
😂😂😂😂😂😂
I'm from Alabama and I'm gonna be mad if Birmingham isn't on the list.
Roll Tide
Its on my worst 10, if that makes you feel better.
Birmingham is awesome I live there it's super clean
It was on the list
I grew up in Dallas, TX and have moved out to Philly to live with my husband now. You are so right that Dallas doesn’t feel like a city for its size. Everyone is spread out in the suburbs and the actual city is very boring with very little draw to it besides Deep Ellum. The traffic is atrocious there too! All the homes and buildings are new and there are very few historic sites. However, I still miss my home town sometimes.
but dallas is at least better then most texan citites
Haha that’s how I love my Texas all spread out and nobody on top of each other 😂
I went to Dallas/Arlington for the Cotton Bowl and intensely disliked the endless sprawl, the ugly prefab architecture. It’s a soulless place.
ROI- a really great concept to evaluate cities. Thank you.
I've lived in Las Vegas for 21 years, I think you missed on this one. I grew up on farm near a small city in North Dakota, went to school at Cal in the Bay Area, lived and worked in Los Angeles, Orange County (CA), and Santa Barbara. What I like about about Las Vagas:
It's the thriving town, a union town, an everybody town. People are friendly, they're accepting. It a live and let live place. There is no pretention, no snobbishness. The people in all those suburbs have jobs that pay a decent wage. They're happy, and all the dining, entertainment, sports, outdoor activities, camping, hiking, rock climbing are at there fingertips. Golf courses are everywhere. There is Lake Mead, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Mt Charleston and the whole state of Nevada for outdoor activity. We have the Raiders and the Golden Knights, and will soon have other professional teams. And, prices are very reasonable away from the Strip. There is no state income tax. Travel to anywhere is available at reasonable prices through major airport paid for by tourism. The only adverse weather is summer heat, and that is very manageable. There are no hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, snow storms, or flooding. And, the humidity is low. You don't feel like you have to take another shower almost immediately after you've taken one. When something needs to get done in Las Vegas, it gets done, and quickly. When the feds were dragging their heels on funding the beltway, the county took over and built it in a year. City and county services are not politically driven. They just get done. You don't feel like there is a class structure here, like in many other cities. When there is a recession, no matter how deep it is, Las Vegas will come back quicker that any other city in the country, because Las Vegas are doers, not talkers. We work together, we're not a bunch of competing tribes. It's a great place to live.
When people think living in Las Vegas they just think drunks and prostitution but in reality Vegas has some of the nicest suburbs of any major city, they are so clean and very family oriented. There is so much more to Vegas than the strip but people don’t realize it yet. Also Vegas will definitely have all 4 pro sports in 10 years or less.
Elwood, as a Las Vegan for 52 years, I was ready to defend the area but I can't add more than what you said except that the tourism agency has done such an effective job on creating an image for the city that it's hard for outsiders to see that normal living goes on here as well.
This is well stated guys, thanks. I still haven't been yet but I think that looking in. Nice to hear from folks living there
Good reply.
@@anthous6ouq637 Las Vegas still has to compete with places like Charlotte, Portland, and Montreal to land an MLB team, and that's only if MLB actually expands within the next 10 years, which isn't at all certain to happen. Your best chance may actually be convincing the Tampa Bay Rays to move there.
why are u not on 100k subs yet. u really deserve it
You have one of the BEST albums ever in your background. That's worth subscribing
Brilliant video ….really appreciate this kind of analysis
Great video. As someone from SJ, CA, I'm surprised it didn't make this list. Talk about punching below one's weight in both population and housing cost.
Probably never heard of it; so much for being a geography king.
Kyle, as always thanks for another video. Been watching your channel for a while and I always look forward to the next upload. Thanks for all the work you put into these, we appreciate them!
Btw, consider letting us get some Geography King merch!
A brave video indeed, Kyle. I enjoyed it tremendously.
I have that X album your displaying. Great video, i have been binge watching since I've sub'ed.
THANK YOU for addressing the incredibly skewed metrics and city/metro inequities that make most “worst” and “dangerous” lists complete trash. Well done!
Great video! A suggestion I have is top 5 places to live in California, so many people talk trash about it but I think that there are some hidden gems in the state
Nobody ever talks about non-LA/non-SF things it sucks. Like I’ve seen so many LA people move right next door to the IE.
Your state is trash get over it
My list would be something like this:
1. Santa Barbara
2. Monterey
3. San Diego
4. Oceanside / San Clemente
5. San Luis Obispo
@@decapitated_supremacy4481 Jealousy is a sin, apparently.
@@jimsalmon5158 You mean white baby boomer cities.
Nice job with this video! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Kyle, I enjoy your videos and share your love of Pittsburgh (I'm considering moving there). I like your expanded criteria when you analyze cities/areas but I'd really like it if you added access to public services and health care. For example in DC there are lots of hospitals and health care resources nearby and, I believe, above average free access to mental health care and provides insurance copay coverage for low income people. There are community resources for the elderly and several neighborhoods are part of the "Villages" network. I'm sure there's lot's more. I suggest, at a minimum, you include if the state is part the Affordable Care Act. Thanks! ☮
Thank you for commenting. I probably won't go into too much detail, but I think I will add some info on the local health care to future city profile videos.
Nicely done Kyle! Novel and interesting approach. My birthplace of Birmingham, Alabama deserved to be on this list. I much prefer nearby Atlanta, my adopted hometown away from home.
Birmingham definitely has a lot of problems with poverty and now the population is declining.
Being located in a regressive republican state like Alabama doesn’t help matters any for Birmingham.
Insightful again, thank you.
Request: could you try to rank best/worst U.S. places to live without a car? Criteria could include for example commuting by bike or public, transportation pedestrian-friendly downtown areas, retail and entertainment not concentrated in malls at the outskirts of towns etc.
Good video but the real highlight for me was seeing the X album behind your right shoulder. “Come back to me” is my all time favorite song and it’s on that album. X.....what great memories that brings back.
Just a compliment on ALL of your videos. Interesting, well documented and presented in a very logical and timely fashion. No fluff, just great information. Keep up the great work.
Thank you!
Love your simple approach in making Geography Videos.
No music, and no excessive animations.
Keep up this theme in your videos.
Man, people really put a crapton of weight on a city's nightlife. I don't know many people that are out partying that often.
I’m assuming we both like in Arizona so I think we can agree that there is absolutely nothing to do here but I still don’t think that makes it bad
Boils down to 'where can I get a drink'?, because a ton of people are obsessed with alcohol and borderline, if not actually, alcoholics.
I don't see nightlife as important on it's own so much as what it says about the culture of a city. If there's a lot of young people with the disposable income and time to go out to fancy restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. that's a good indicator that the city has good job opportunities and is attracting young, educated people.
for young people. young people give life to a place. Thats why suburbs are dead
That's because extroverts gravitate towards going out and introverts gravitate towards youtube comment sections. The two don't often meet.
Thanks a lot for your Videos, really interesting stuff
Sir,, you are truly awesome 😎 thank you for your time and information...
You’re on your way to 100 thousand subs. It’ll be nice to see that plaque on the wall. 👍
My dad lived in Polk County, FL in the late 50’s and early 60 ‘s and loved the area. His dad grew citrus and shipped it around the south. Our family sold all of our property around Orlando in the 1970’s after several land disputes with developers. I spent several summers there as a child but my dad took me to Walt Disney World a few weeks after it opened and got so pissed about the crowding that we never went back.
I don’t even recognize the place now. Almost nothing remains from my childhood and like you said everything looks the same. If I lived there, I’d probably need a GPS just to find my house. 😎
I love a different approach to this overused topic, great video!
Listening to your channel I just subscribed I find it very informative and interesting
Hot take! I love it and concur. Like you said, it's refreshing to see a "Worst Cities" type video that doesn't have St. Louis or Memphis as #1.
The into to this video is excellent. I am one of those people who likes to live in cities. It's true, it comes down to so much more than housing costs and crime, I'm glad that you explicitly pointed out the inconvenience to benefit ratio that city dwellers make.
I’m from Phoenix, and while I understand why it’s ranked high, I think that a lot of the people who live here would say they value the nature. One of the most underrated benefits of living in Phoenix is how accessible outdoor activities are for such a big city. Hiking, off-roading, kayaking, skiing, snowboarding, hunting, fishing, just about anything you can ask for that’s not on the ocean is available either within the city, or within a 1-2 hour drive. The mountains in the city are gorgeous and have an abundance of trails. No snow in the winter is also a huge benefit for such a big city. I think Phoenix is the most unique place as far as being able to have a combination of big city amenities and outdoor amenities. Personally, our family is huge on hiking and off-roading, and Phoenix is probably the most ideal big city in the country for us to pursue those hobbies. I really love it here!
Thanks for the video, they’re always great!!
Phoenix one of best cities to live 23
My dad used to say of PHX: "This ain't a valley, it's a fn hole." Not very eloquent but he wasn't wrong.
I like to hike, but not when it's 115 degrees.
Kyle. When you come near Albany give me a holler. I'd love to swap stories with you about the places I hate in this country. You certainly hit the nail on the head with your take on Vegas and Orlando. Keep up the great work!
As ex Los Angelino, I 100% agree with your assessment Kyle. The traffic and high cost of living definitely factored into why I decided to leave. It really is sad when I listen to my own grandparents tell me how living in LA used to be and how the area has gone downhill during the past few decades. I just hope for the sake of my friends and family that are still living there that the situation improves.
"Alec Villanueva," " . . . how living in LA used to be and how the area has gone downhill during the past few decades . . . " What's sadder than that spot-on declaration is that it DIDN'T have to be this way; turn out this way. Too many residents turned a blind eye to ineptitude, self-serving, selfish, criminal behavior.
Traffic, endless reality and BLIGHT of homelessness, graffiti, enormously high housing costs, income inequality, seemingly endless stream of corrupt /ineffective / unqualified politicians and dismal sheriff's and police departments, unchecked crime, over-building, dismal / inadequate / poorly-thought-out public transportation.
Lonely, major pluses are the high rankings for medical care offered by Cedars-Sinai, UCLA Health, Keck Medicine of USC; plus the obvious that none of the other litany of detractors from excellence could screw up: the appealing weather.
Another interesting video. Thanks for keeping us thinking.
Also graduated from UCF and i absolutely loved living in orlando. Im a big theme park enthusiast so there might be some bias in there. I am also from south florida so having a large latin community helped to feel like I am still at home. You're right about the traffic, getting to work is definitely a hassle, it's never been a deal breaker for me because there's always toll roads in florida so it's just something I'm used to. It's fairly well centered to the rest of florida, so you're never too far from everything else the state has to offer. So in between the attractions, the nearby springs and beaches, the rise in our mls and college football team, that has really helped give us something to root for, I love O-town and I'm hoping to move back in the future. Seems like I'm in the minority though. Love your work, so glad I stumbled across your channel.
I trust this channel more than any other channel of the same genre.
I'd enjoy a video rating governors' official residences. I bet some are a lot better and more interesting than others. Maine's is pretty blah.
Scott,
According to New England cartoonist Don Bossquet, Maine's Governors Mansion is a 1950's trailer with pink flamingos in overgrown grass.
😁
That would be interesting. There are several states that don't have one, but that doesn't preclude ranking those that do.
Kyle, I think you mostly nailed it! I live near Baltimore and appreciate parts, warts and all, but it obviously has a ton of negatives. For me, it’s all of the abandoned row houses. I might have included Albuquerque instead of, maybe Dallas but you said at the outset that you weren’t going to include the entire metroplex of a city. But overall, you picked great examples
I disagree with his opinion about the positive and negative balance of Baltimore. I've lived here for 20 years and I've never been a victim of a crime. Why? (1) I don't do drugs. (2) I don't buy drugs. (3) I stay out of areas with open air drug markets. Because I have no business being there. (4) I am alert and vigilant if I walk alone at night. so far that has worked for me well in 20 years.
What did happened to me though in the 90s was getting robbed at gunpoint in Knoxville Tennessee. A supposedly low crime area.
In the end, it's never been a hassle to live here, as it's no different than any other big city I've ever been in.
Why are the abandon row houses an issue for you? Is it a problem? Yes. But how does it affect you personally? It is an eyesore. That's all. But I think all the freeways of Los Angeles and Dallas are an eyesore.
I believe that there is more to a city and region than lower taxes, because I have lived in NC, California, and NY, and can find pro's and cons' about each place. But your rankings and comments make a lot of sense, glad to see someone that has a soul!
really enjoy your vids thank you