A Ranking of the Toughest Places to Live in the U.S.

To say the “South Side” paints a broad brush is an understatement—this vast Chicago region includes many suffering neighborhoods. Roseland, Greater Grand Crossing, and others face unemployment, disrepair, and gun violence.

Still, over half a million people live here, with stories as diverse as the blocks they inhabit. It’s not all bleak—some areas have seen reinvestment—but the legacy of segregation, redlining, and urban divestment is hard to ignore. Here, resilience is part of the DNA, but so is caution.