have you ever driven through a town and immediately realized that you've entered a place where crime Decay and despair cling to every corner a town where businesses are closed the air feels heavier and the locals look at you as if they know something you don't these are the towns that need warning labels and today we're going to count down 10 such towns stick around because some of these places are worse than you think number number 10 barow California imagine this you're driving on the highway between Los Angeles and Los Vegas eagerly anticipating the bright lights
ahead when your gas tank runs dry you pull off at a small Dusty exit called Baro California immediately the heat hits you like opening the door of an oven the blinding sunlight beats down on cracked sidewalks and Tumble weeds lazily roll across the road as if they're the only things still moving around here once a major stop on historic Route 66 and somewhere along the way progress left it behind now Barstow is little more than a collection of gas stations truck stops and fast food chains surviving on the wallets of passing Travelers surprisingly though some
people actually live here barow lies deep in the Mojave Desert where summer temperatures often climb above 110° fah the heat is not only uncomfortable it's suffocating step outside in July and you'll feel like opening an oven door right into your face not only that water is scarce and according to the California state Water Resources board Baro has struggled with high levels of perchlorate pollution a chemical found in Rocket Fuel that can affect thyroid function and then there's crime according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report report the violent crime rate in Barstow is 194% higher than
the national average rates of theft assault and even murder remain concerning even though the town's relatively small population is around 25,000 people for many people moving here may initially seem like a cost-saving measure are all the average home prices about $267,000 much cheaper than Los Angeles or San Francisco but when you factor in the high crime rate extreme temperatures and limited health care options suddenly that affordability comes at a steep price even worse Barstow is not only geographically isolated but also feels isolated apart from a Walmart Super Center a few fast food outlets and a
couple of small diners scattered about the town doesn't offer much beyond the truck stop lifestyle and for anyone considering retirement that's a major red flag access to Quality Health Care is crucial but the nearest full service hospital is an hour away in Victorville and if you think barow is bad the next town on our list it's even worse number nine Pine Bluff Arkansas if you're searching for a place where the American dream seems to have completely shattered Pine Bluff Arkansas is that place once a thriving agricultural Hub this small town has become a shell of
its former self once the pride of cotton fields and railroads Pine Bluff is now just a collection of abandoned buildings with businesses that were once bustling now left to rot but Pine Bluff struggle doesn't stop at the abandoned buildings this town is a dangerous mix of crime and environmental hazards where even the air and water are threats Pine Bluff is home to one of the largest toxic waste dumps in the United States for decades this town has faced pollution affecting its land Water and Air the locals know this and it's a part of their everyday
reality if crime doesn't kill you the chemicals will one resident says what about crime Pine Bluff is ranked as one of the places with the highest crime rates in the country especially violent crime the town's violent crime rate is 34 40% higher than the national average and property crime is rampant making rebuilding even more difficult now imagine the feeling of driving through Pine Bluff as you pass row after row of boarded up houses you can't help but wonder what happened to all the people what happened to the dreams that built this place this town was
once full of Hope and hustle but now it feels like a graveyard of forgotten opportunities so if you're a retiree on a fixed budget Pine Bluff might seem appealing at first glance with an average home price under $100,000 it looks like a bargain compared to larger cities however when you factor in health risks crime and the lack of any real opportunities the question remains is this really where you want to spend your retirement next we will explore another town that may shock you with the information we reveal and if you are curious about that place
let us know by liking this video subscribing to our Channel and turning on the notification Bell number eight Gallop New Mexico imagine you're driving through New Mexico where the landscape is adorned with breathtaking desert views towering red rock formations and vast Open Spaces that make you feel like you're on top of the world the horizon and stretches endlessly everything is expansive and incredibly beautiful but as you reach Gallup New Mexico you'll quickly realize there's a stark irony etched into this place this town is rich in history a place that preserves the vibrant Traditions arts and
cultures of Native American communities the annual Gallup intertribal Indian ceremonial Festival draws large crowds with stunning dance performances music and sacred rituals showcasing the strength of Native American Community however for the other 364 days of the year Gallop resembles a deserted stage with tumble weeds rolling across empty streets and the occasional flickering neon sign in the window of a pawn shop signaling that the town is barely hanging on but it's not just the physical emptiness that unsettles you it's also the overwhelming sense of Despair the town's econom is built around the bustling streets filled with
pawn shops offering jewelry that's supposedly heirloom quality alongside payday loan offices where locals are desperately selling their belongings just to survive and here's the catch according to the US Census Bureau gallup's poverty rate is over 30% much higher than the national average ironically while tourists leave Gallop with cheap jewelry those who have lived here for Generations struggle to afford basic necessities alcoholism is another major issue as New Mexico has one of the highest alcohol death rates in the United States sadly Gallup is no exception the town has gained a reputation for its high alcoholism rate
adding further strain to the local economy and Community well-being now imagine you decide to retire somewhere with a low cost of living to stretch your savings at first glance Gallop seems appealing especially with housing prices that hover around $244,000 but what do you get for that price limited Services minimal job opportunities a town where the air is thick with dreams that never come true this is a place where real opportunities are as rare as rainfall and while the cost of living is lower the quality of life is not number seven Camden New Jersey Camden New
Jersey this city is just across the river from Philadelphia but when you step into Camden it feels like you're entering a completely different world this small City Once a proud industrial Powerhouse now struggles with some of the highest crime rates in the country it's a place where abandoned buildings stand like silent monuments to what the city once had now nothing more than reminders of collapse and economic decline the crime rate in Camden is so high that it's almost a reputation in itself violent crime is rampant and property crime rates are no less concerning according to
the FBI's Uniform Crime Report Camden is one of the most dangerous cities in the United States this is a place where simply walking down the street you could feel as though you're in a war zone not in one of the historic sites with fascinating Museum artifacts but in a real life battle the main attractions in Camden The Adventure Aquarium and the USS New Jersey Battleship museum both are iconic but there's a bitter irony here the neighborhoods surrounding these attractions are not places where tourists should Linger The picturesque Riverfront and the city's historic landmarks are overshadowed
by the constant whale of sirens and the sense that something dangerous might be lurking around every corner so here's the question is there hope for a place like Camden how can a city like this survive when its school system is collapsing and its primary growth factor is its crime rate the schools are barely hanging on and many local residents struggle with a lack of opportunity and daily safety concerns I recently spoke with a local resident a retired teacher who is lived in Camden his entire life he said I stayed because I thought the city could
Rec cover but when the factories left the Hope left with them now all we have are abandoned houses and all I can do is bow my head and hope tomorrow is safer number six East St Louis Illinois if you think Camden New Jersey is tough then East St Louis will take you to a whole new level this small town located just across the Mississippi River from St Louis could also be a world apart the Divide isn't just a river it's the difference between a city trying to hold on and a place that is given up
once an industrial Hub East St Louis is now just a crumbling shell of its former self ravaged by poverty crime and Corruption that have eaten away at it for decade even something as ordinary as going to the local McDonald's feels like a gamble in East St Louis you don't just have to worry about the food but also about your safety in fact some locals joke about having a special Escape Route for driver who accidentally find themselves in East St Louis if you take the wrong bridge and find yourself in East St Louis you'll quickly turn
around one resident explains you don't even need to enter the city just turn around right away and head back to St Louis trust me you'll want to do that imagine driving into a fast food restaurant and instead of focusing on getting your meal you're scanning the streets for danger East St Louis is not only harsh but also dangerous the crime rate here is consistently higher than the national average and violent crime is not uncommon now let's set the scene the infrastructure here is collapsing empty streets vacant lots and abandoned buildings scattered across the landscape like
a ghost town in a place that once thrived with factories the remnants of old Industries stand silent a reminder of an economy that's gone factories closed jobs left and then the people followed when the wave of white flight surged in the mid 20th century East St Louis became a place where opportunity slowly died leaving behind a desperate and disillusioned population struggling to survive for those searching for affordable housing East St Louis might seem appealing at first cheap homes with the average home price around $36,000 but what do you really get with such a low price
a high crime rate an unstable economy and a constant sense of danger next we'll move on to another town marked by its own unique challenges stay tuned number five Flint Michigan Flint Michigan you may have heard of it the Water Crisis that made it Infamous but did you know that it's still hasn't been fully resolved that's right the headlines faded years ago but for those who live there this is still an ongoing battle imagine waking up every day knowing that something we all need the most clean drinkable water isn't safe that's the reality for many
people in Flint even after all the public outcry Flint's water supply still hasn't been completely fixed but the Water Crisis is just the beginning unemployment rates in Flint are Sky High with many people relying on low wage unstable jobs or struggling to make ends meet with no opportunities for advancement poverty has a grip on the town so tight that even when people want to leave there's nowhere to go the city's economy is hanging by a thread and it's hard to imagine how people can rebuild when the town's Foundation is crumbling but the real tragedy lies
in the future of the younger generation according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention lead poisoning can cause long-term damage to the brain kidneys and nervous system in Flint lead levels in the water reached dangerous levels and many children have been exposed to lead even after the Water Crisis made national headlines it still hasn't been fully fixed and every day the problem continues the damage becomes irreversible for too many families Flint was once the pride of the automotive industry it was home to to General Motors the heart of manufacturing in the United States but
when the factories closed and jobs were sent overseas the city collapsed it became a town where poverty and crime were part of everyday life a town where the dream of prosperity was left behind in the rearview mirror and All That Remains is Rubble it's like a sibling to Detroit but even more tragic number four Gary Indiana Gary Indiana it's hard to describe this town without using words like abandoned forgotten or even postapocalyptic imagine driving through a place that was once a thriving industrial Hub but now looks like the remnants of a battle lost long ago
the abandoned factories lying the streets like tombstones of a once great economy decaying houses are scattered everywhere and the Stillness of the night is only interrupted by the sound of wildlife rumaging through the streets there's no hustle and bustle of life here only the Eerie quiet of a town Left Behind the decline of Gary is hard to miss the steel mills that once powered the city's economy are gone and so are the workers who used to man them more than half of Gary's population has left in the past few decades today the City's population hovers
just over 75,000 people down for more than 180,000 at its peak that's a lot of empty space a lot of lost potential crime rates are high and the job market is almost non-existent Schools they're struggling too Gary's education system is in disarray and the city's residents face an endless battle to improve their lives against overwhelming odds you get the sense that even the city has given up there are even street lights out leaving the streets dark and unwelcoming this is a town where hope hope is hard to find and even harder to hold on to
for those looking for an affordable place Gary might seem like an appealing option after all you could stretch your retirement savings further here the average home price is $81,000 a fraction of what you would pay in more desirable areas but what happens when your new home is surrounded by buildings slowly crumbling with little or no hope for real economic change have you ever been to Gary share your story with us in the comments number three Stockton California when you think of California images of beautiful beaches expensive homes and Wealthy cities may come to mind but
what about Stockton that's the other side of the Golden State while the coast and large cities May shine Stockton is where the state's darker side truly shows it's a town that doesn't fit the typical California story a place where the dream of opportunity is clouded by economic hardship and ongoing struggle once a prosperous City Stockton's economy has slowly crumbled making it one of the largest cities in the United States to file for bankruptcy and unfortunately things haven't improved much since then there's an almost tangible sense of decline as you drive through the streets broken windows
empty storefronts and just a few people trying to make things work what's worse is that Stockton isn't just struggling with poverty and unemployment it also has gang issues on par with some of the larger cities across the country according to an FBI report gang violence is a persistent problem here and this isn't a place you'd want to wander alone after dark or even during the day with Stockton's crime rate being 65% higher than the California average and 81.5% higher than the national average Stockton has become notorious as one of the most dangerous cities in the
United States I think of the Diaz brothers two UFC fighters from Stockton who are incredibly tough these guys didn't make it to the top by playing it safe they got there by standing their ground and taking hits until their opponents couldn't keep up they're some of the toughest guys in the game and they'll tell tell you themselves you've got to be tough to get out of Stockton and if your game plan in the UFC is to stand right in front of your opponent and knock them out until they can't fight anymore you've got to be
really tough that's Stockton where you can't afford to let your guard down because the world around you is constantly challenging you but let's be honest is that really the life you want in your golden years number two Atlantic City New Jersey Atlantic City New Jersey this place was once the jewel of East Coast Resorts famous for its flashy casinos bright neon lights and bustling Boardwalk Atlantic City was a mustsee destination for visitors seeking the thrill of gambling live shows and Beachside fun but today it's a ghost town especially during the off season imagine empty boardwalks
the ocean breeze cutting through the deserted streets in neon lights flickering on the fronts of old storefronts it feels like stepping into a time capsule of Faded Glory a place holding on to memories of the past but seemingly unable to recapture the magic that once made it famous in the winter it's especially Eerie the crowds have vanished and the streets are nearly silent save for the seagulls homeless people and the occasional strange sighting I remember walking down the boardwalk during the off seon the energy was completely gone it felt like a deserted High School in
the middle of winter no students around just empty lockers and cold hallways that's Atlantic City during the off seon a place where the sound of crashing waves is drowned out by The Emptiness and the biting cold winds what happened the golden days of the Atlantic City gambling boom are long gone when gambling was still a novelty in excitement tourists flocked to the city but as it became more popular and people realized they could lose money elsewhere Atlantic City's luck began to fade the casinos are still here but now they're sandwiched between crumbling neighborhoods and Shady
characters the economy has stagnated and foreclosures are rampant according to data from the US Census Bureau Atlantic City has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country you can still find home deals here but they come with a warant the town's declining appeal for those on a tight budget it's tempting to think you can buy a home here and live out your days near the beach but what's the point of owning a house when the place feels abandoned the streets are unsafe and the community is deteriorating number one Monroe Louisiana Monroe Louisiana a place
where the weather feels as if a wall has slammed into you it's not just the Heat it's the humidity surrounding you like a wet blanket thick enough that you could chew it imagine stepping outside and immediately feeling your skin stick because of the heavy muddy air you could feel the sweat start to form before you've even taken 10 steps mosquitoes they swarm around like they're hunting for blood Relentless and unforgiving making it nearly impossible to enjoy the outdoors without a cloud of insect repellent foll you Monroe might seem like a place where you could escape
to live cheaply but the weather is an additional tax you must pay just to survive here and it's bad the temperature the humidity and the insects aren't the only things that make Monroe harsh poverty seeps through the town touching every street every Home Monroe has a high unemployment rate and the local economy has shown little progress for decades the infrastru structure feels like it's stuck in the 1, 1970s with crumbling roads and outdated buildings reflecting the consequences of years of neglect this leaves many Monroe residents struggling to survive with basic needs like affordable health care
and job opportunities in short supply the city's Reliance on Old Industries has caused it to fall behind as the world around it moves forward when I made a video about Monroe several years ago I mentioned how the surrounding area had one of the highest rates of people fishing for dinner every night not because they wanted to but because they had to when the local economy has little to offer people adapt in the most basic ways just to feed themselves and their families it's a way of life born out of necessity not choice and let's talk
about the lack of cultural attractions if you're someone looking for charm or a cozy atmosphere Monroe isn't the place for you sure this is where the famous Duck Commander from the show Duck Dynasty is located but beyond that there's very little for tourists or residents to enjoy Monroe doesn't feel like a destination it feels more like a place you pass through a place you wish you were somewhere else if you found today's video interesting don't hesitate to hit the like button and subscribe to my channel your support is very important to us be sure to
check out the next video appearing on your screen you're sure to love the content we bring please leave a comment about which country you'd like us to explore next thank you for watching and see you in the latest video thanks for being with us on this great journey leave your thoughts in the comments and like to help us remember to subscribe for more see you soon
