What's the most depressing U.S. town you've ever visited?

[Anonymous]

Zanesville, Ohio, just because I collect art pottery which was made in that area and it's been so economically devastated. Much of Ohio on the drive to Cleveland was like that, Very sad.

Also, Key West, probably because I had high expectations

[Anonymous]

So much of this is subjective. Tehachapi CA is objectively a bad place, but I have family there so there are some positive memories. In contrast, I visited Ely NV by accident without a place to stay and it felt absolutely desolate.

I went to grad school at UM and found basically every MI city ugly and depressing, even Ann Arbor. There's something about the low power lines and age of the buildings that screams economic depression.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gary, Indiana

I came to say Gary, Indiana also. The saddest place I’ve seen.

[Anonymous]

Butte Montana. There is literally a mine in the center of town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, a lot of northern VA really depresses me. Saw Dumfries for the first time the other day. That was rough.

A friend of mine calls it “Damm Fries”

[Anonymous]

Gary, Indiana by far. Was always sad to drive by it on way to Illinois.

One I visited in last 5 years... Billings, MT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kansas City…. I just can’t remember if it was Missouri or Jansas. Driving cross country. I’d been there years before so cute. But this time (just before Covid) so sketchy and barren

Kansas City was just named one of the best places to live.

[Anonymous]

The only place more depressing and third world IME is Cairo, Illinois. Lots of racism too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WV is super depressing.

East St. Louis

Large parts of it, yes. But not all of it. Jefferson County (Shepherdstown and Harper's Ferry) has a median household income of $83,000. Not wealthy by any means but not poor either. Basically the same income as PG County, but prettier and with lower housing prices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kansas City…. I just can’t remember if it was Missouri or Jansas. Driving cross country. I’d been there years before so cute. But this time (just before Covid) so sketchy and barren

Kansas City was just named one of the best places to live.

There's a big difference between KC KS and KC MO. This poster didn't spend a lot of time in either if she doesn't know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, a lot of northern VA really depresses me. Saw Dumfries for the first time the other day. That was rough.

A friend of mine calls it “Damm Fries”

And not far from Man Asses

[Anonymous]

Flint, MI and this was before the water crisis. I saw a guy carrying a handgun in his hand, just walking down the street- wtf. My friend called their convenience stores the "stop and rob" instead of "stop and go". Lots of homeless and drug issues.

Poorest would be when I went to Warm Springs, GA to visit Roosevelt's Little White House. Driving through the streets to get there was really enlightening. Dirt roads, tiny shot gun houses, trash everywhere outside the homes and just poverty.

I also worked on several Indian reservations (I am Native), but I hate to point them out specifically. There are a lot of issues there. I see a lot of discussion regarding how they don't have running water or electricity and that's true for a lot of homes there, but a lot of homes also live traditionally by choice.

[Anonymous]

Ashburn/South Riding - no character at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Took a trip to go rafting on the New River in West Virginia when I was in my mid-twenties. I felt like I was in a third world country - there were literal tin shacks on the side of the road. It was shocking.

I actually live in Morgantown now (city in WV) and it’s really funny to see people from “north central WV” - where I am - take pains to distinguish themselves from “southern West Virginians.”

(I think WV generally sucks BTW. Husband brought me here and we make so much comparative to the COL it feels stupid to move, but honestly some stereotypes are kind of true and I am so lonely.)

Could you start a book club in Morgantown?

NP but yes you could. There is a large university (west virginia university) which supports research, hospitals, etc. There's a popular gay bar/club in downtown.

[Anonymous]

My hometown.