Danville is in the heart of the rust belt, and its population has been steadily declining for years. The area is full of people who simply can’t afford to live anywhere else. With that being said, you can buy a house there for less than the price of a new car… But then, you’d have to live there.
More than 5,000 more people moved out of Danville alone, contributing to a 5.9% overall population decline. It seems that Danville’s loss is a microcosm of a more widespread problem across Illinois, over half a million people left Illinois since 2010!
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur has been said to have a funky smell, which comes from the crops grown on farms and processed in its many agribusiness industries. This put Decatur on the map, so in a way, the city is lucky to have what you call funky smells, or is it? Those reeking smells didn't stop residents from leaving! Who wants to live in a smelly town?
Imagine every time you have guests over you have to apologize for the smell and explain how it's not you, it's the crops down yonder. They won't say anything, but they'll be thinking, "Sure it is..." with an unconvincing smile.
Weirton, West Virginia
Welcome to the land where the hillbilly was born and is still going strong. No wonder people are leaving Weirton; there is little opportunity for career growth, extremely conservative beliefs, little diversity, poor healthcare, and horrible school systems all make this terribly small town a nightmare to raise a family in.
On top of all that, Weirton has an aging population, with more than one in every five Weirton residents 65 or older. With nothing to do except go to Wal-Mart if you want anything to do after nine pm, we'd also want to scoot on out if we lived here.
Beckley, West Virginia
Many people are leaving Beckley, as there's always a dark cloud over this place. The only thing there is to do in Beckley is to eat sketchy food or shop at makeshift stores, in other words, it's not a diverse place at all.
Even the cops, supposedly there to protect you, will rip your vehicle to shreds looking for any reason to arrest you. Happiness is not allowed here, so it would be best to stay far away from this dreadful place. Just like the rest of West Virginia, Beckley needs help to overcome its opioid epidemic.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit grew considerably over the first five decades of the 20th century – from 285,704 in 1900 to 1.85 million in 1950, becoming the fifth-largest city in the country. Just as heavy industry growth helped Detroit become the flourishing motor manufacturing capital, rapid declines in the sector led to heavy job losses and its population's mass exodus.
As is generally the case, Detroit struggles with high violent crime and poverty rates. Nearly 40% of the city's community lives in poverty.