Pennsylvania is a state with a lot of history, a rich culture, and beautiful scenery. When it comes to safety and wealth, the state’s cities are all over the place. A lower quality of life, crime, poverty, and unemployment are just some of the problems that 12 towns in Pennsylvania have to deal with in this story. We judge these places based on four main factors:
- The number of people who live below the government poverty line, which in 2021 was $12,880 for an individual and $26,500 for a family of four.
- Based on figures from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the crime rate is the amount of property and serious crimes per 1,000 people living in the area.
- The unemployment rate is the number of people who are actively looking for work but can’t find a job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- According to U.S. News & World Report, quality of life is a total score that takes into account things like health, education, nature, social harmony, and personal well-being.
Here is a list of the 12 Pennsylvania cities with the biggest problems, from most acute to least acute:
1. Yeadon
With 11,471 people, Yeadon is in Delaware County and has a high crime rate of 23.04 crimes per 1,000 people. Also, 19% of people there are poor, the quality of life number is 4.5 out of 10, and 7% of people there are unemployed.
2. Ambridge
With a population of 7,050, Ambridge is another place in Beaver County that has a problem with crime. The crime rate there is 22.55 per 1,000 people. Along with that, 24% of people there are poor, the quality of life score is 4.6 out of 10, and 6.9% of people live without jobs.
3. Philadelphia
Philadelphia, with 1.6 million people, is the state’s biggest city and also has a lot of problems. The crime rate in Philadelphia is 19.67 per 1,000 people, and most of the crime happens in North and West Philadelphia. With a jobless rate of 7.4% and a quality of life score of 5 out of 10, it has a lot to deal with.
4. Pottstown
With 23,412 people living in it, Pottstown is in Montgomery County and has a crime rate of 19.61 per 1,000 people. It has a quality of life score of 5.1 out of 10 and a jobless rate of 6.8%. Twenty.9% of its people live in poverty.
5. Reading
Reading, with 95,000 people, is one of the poorest towns in Pennsylvania, with a poverty rate of 36.4%. It is in Berks County. It has a high crime rate (18.81 per 1,000 people), a low quality of life score (5.2 out of 10), and a high jobless rate (7.2%).
6. Johnstown
With 18,411 people, Johnstown has a high crime rate of 17.42 per 1,000 people, making it the most dangerous city in Cambria County. The number of poor people living there is 35.9%, the standard of life is 5.3 out of 10, and 6.7% of people are unemployed.
7. Harrisburg
With 49,271 people living in it, Harrisburg is the capital city of Pennsylvania and is in Dauphin County. It does have a high crime rate, though—16.67 crimes per 1,000 people—mostly property crimes like theft and burglary. 30.6% of people in the city live in poverty, the quality of life number is only 5.4 out of 10, and 7% of people work.
8. Lancaster
The city of Lancaster in Lancaster County is home to 60,433 people and is known for its Amish community. However, the city also has its problems. With a crime rate of 16.51 per 1,000 people, it has a lot of serious crimes like attacks and theft. Not only that, but 25.2% of people there are poor, the standard of life is only 5.5 out of 10, and 6.6% of people are unemployed.
9. York
With 44,132 people, the city of York in York County is another economically troubled place, with a 34% poverty rate. It also has a high crime rate (16.25 crimes per 1,000 people), a low quality of life score (5.6 out of 10), and a high jobless rate (6.5%).
10. Allentown
With 121,442 people, Allentown is the third-largest city in Pennsylvania and the county seat of Lehigh County. It has a high crime rate of 15.76 per 1,000 residents, which includes major crimes like murder and burning. It also has a poverty rate of 26%, a jobless rate of 6.4%, and a quality of life score of 5.7 out of 10.
11. Scranton
With 76,653 people, Scranton is the largest city in Lackawanna County. It may be famous for being the setting for the TV show “The Office,” but it also has its problems. At 15.64 crimes per 1,000 people, the city has a high crime rate that includes rape and serious attack. A quality of life score of 5.8 out of 10 and a jobless rate of 6.3% are also things that it deals with.
12. McKees Rocks
With only 6,046, this small town in Allegheny County has the unfortunate title of Pennsylvania’s most dangerous city, with a crime rate of 40.57 per 1,000 people. The country has a high rate of poverty (35.4%), a low quality of life score (3.9 out of 10), and a high jobless rate (7.5%).