Maine residents have fled to other states searching for better job opportunities, with Bangor suffering the most significant shrink. Bangor is recognized as the “Queen City” of Maine. Around 3.2% of Bangor’s residents have left since 2010, essentially due to the limited job market.
Six of Bangor’s leading paper mills had no other choice but to shut down in recent times, meaning lay-offs for thousands across the city. Once the paper industry started to decline, it was only a matter of time before residents would search for employment in other cities.
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
There was a sneaky rush of people to Pine Bluff after the Second World War, and the town reached its largest population during the 1970s of 57,400. But due to outbound migration, the Arkansas city sustained a loss of 10,592 residents between 2010 and 2018, with the advancement of technology believed to be a significant contributing factor.
The city is one of the lowest-paid in the United States, and as a result, people are leaving to find better-paying jobs elsewhere.
Spartanburg, South Carolina
South Carolina's main cities are swelling, but Spartanburg defies this expansion; it's the only South Carolina city to experience this slump. Since the 1970s, Spartanburg experienced a 15.5% loss in their populace, while the other major cities in SC grew by at least 9%.
Some cities increased their population by 50% during this time, meaning Spartanburg is dawdling far behind. A generous pledge of $27 million by the Tindall Corporation to develop its operations in the city could give Spartanburg the boost it needs.
Goldsboro, North Carolina
We can't blame anyone who lived in Goldsboro for leaving after two hydrogen bombs were dropped on the city back in the 60s. Fortunately, neither of them detonated and while one was retrieved, the other has still not been found.
Goldsboro's residents learned in 2013 that three out of four switches that prevented the device's detonation from going off failed. With this kind of risk, 6% of Goldsboro's population has concluded that sticking around wasn't exactly worth it.
Hoquiam, Washington
Washington has experienced some of the most notable inrushes of people, with over a million new residents relocating since 2010. As so many people have migrated in, many cities and towns have received a boost, but not all.
One city that has struggled to keep hold of its existing residents, never mind attracting new ones, is Hoquiam. This city has witnessed its population fall since 2000 to 8,596, with poor job prospects the main cause for people leaving Hoquiam behind.