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

Abandonment defines much of the North Side. Drive through, and you’ll spot elegant brick homes now riddled with broken windows and ivy. It was once prosperous, then came white flight, redlining, and economic collapse. Crime is high; hope feels rationed.

Streets crumble, bus routes vanish, and public services limp along. The residents, mostly Black, are accustomed to promises that never land. Still, churches open every Sunday, barbershops hum, and activists keep showing up. This part of St. Louis is not just underserved—it’s misunderstood.