You may have heard about Flint, Michigan, but you probably haven’t heard about Newark, New Jersey. Unfortunately, Newark is in a similar position. The city struggles with significant problems due to lead in their water, leading to many sick residents. It used to be one of New York’s highlights, but not anymore.
In addition to the tainted water, Newark also suffers from violence and riots as a result of the extreme racial tension in the city. It has one of the highest levels of prejudice and narrow-minded people. On top of lead poisoning and hostility, 28% of the city’s 282,000 residents live below the poverty line.
Huntsville, Texas
Texas still supports the death penalty, and that decision has a profound impact on Huntsville. All executions in Texas are carried out at the Huntsville prison. On the positive side, the Department of Criminal Justice does provide around 7,000 jobs to the Huntsville area, making it the city’s largest employer. But let's put that aside: who wants to live in a place where so many people die under unnatural circumstances?
Unfortunately, with such a morbid reputation, not many companies want to move to Huntsville, so the unemployment rates in this city are sky-high. On top of that, 35% of the population lives in poverty.
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton used to be the center of the industrial world; however, many things have changed in the past few years. The city that once thrived has since become somewhat of a wasteland. With the changing times, production in Trenton faced a massive decline, and instead of producing new things, it collected all the things other states doesn't want.
The shifting landscape greatly affected the city, and it’s now plagued with a high crime rate. Gang activity is an everyday occurrence in the area, as are issues with gun violence. Suffice it to say Trenton isn’t exactly a safe place to live.
Passaic, New Jersey
Sex education is incredibly important, and Passaic is proof. The city’s youth council claims that the sex education programs in schools across the city are incredibly inadequate. In fact, many schools provide no sex education at all. The lack of information creates severe problems with teenage pregnancy in Passaic, and teen pregnancy rates are escalating.
On top of that, roughly a third of the population lives in poverty, so having underage families does not help the city's situation one bit. With little hope for a bright future, illegal substances and violence have become prevalent problems in Passaic, so we can only hope for better days there.
Miami Gardens, Florida
When you hear Miami, you automatically think of the sun, sea, sand, tropical drinks, and party vibes. Miami Gardens, however, is a little different. The water in the city is supplied by a plant owned by the City of North Miami Beach, which pushes water prices in Miami Gardens through the roof. Subsequently, the entire cost of living in the city is sky-high.
The city also implemented a stop-and-frisk policy that led to about 57,000 people being frisked between 2008 and 2014. The system creates severe tension in the city, especially among residents who are the targets of stop and frisk.