America has changed significantly since the end of the 1960s, but one of the changes with the greatest impact has been the economic shift away from a manufacturing economy and toward a service-based one. It’s a change that has resulted in millions of jobs that used to be the bedrock of the American middle class moving overseas and leaving little in the void they left to support working families.
If you live somewhere that depends on industries that haven’t taken a hit, this might seem like a more remote problem. However, if you live in one of the major American cities that has been truly left behind in this race to the future, the consequences of this shift are a daily reality you can’t ignore — a long process of it getting harder and harder for people to make ends meet.
To highlight this, GOBankingRates has taken a closer look at which American cities are losing economic ground over time. The study highlights how per capita income, median household income, poverty rates, and population have changed from 1970 to present, scoring each category to determine which city has seen the biggest declines (and increases, in the case of poverty rates) overall.
So, which city has had it the hardest during the long decline of American manufacturing? Here’s a closer look at which places in America are getting poorer.
30. Las Vegas
- Change in per capita income: $6,513
- Change in median household income: -$8,583
- Change in population: 500,847
- Change in poverty rate: 79.55%
29. Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Change in per capita income: $9,898
- Change in median household income: -$6,496
- Change in population: 70,585
- Change in poverty rate: 55.12%
28. Fresno, California
- Change in per capita income: $4,505
- Change in median household income: -$524
- Change in population: 356,305
- Change in poverty rate: 42.33%
27. Reno, Nevada
- Change in per capita income: $6,645
- Change in median household income: -$6,441
- Change in population: 169,773
- Change in poverty rate: 69.41%
26. Stockton, California
- Change in per capita income: $3,206
- Change in median household income: -$1,710
- Change in population: 196,323
- Change in poverty rate: 42.36%
25. Kansas City, Missouri
- Change in per capita income: $8,952
- Change in median household income: -$7,290
- Change in population: -25,670
- Change in poverty rate: 71.88%
24. Columbus, Ohio
- Change in per capita income: $7,237
- Change in median household income: -$7,968
- Change in population: 327,951
- Change in poverty rate: 90.65%
23. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Change in per capita income: $10,253
- Change in median household income: -$12,909
- Change in population: 59,399
- Change in poverty rate: 41.57%
22. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Change in per capita income: $8,984
- Change in median household income: -$9,851
- Change in population: 108,445
- Change in poverty rate: 64.39%
21. Memphis, Tennessee
- Change in per capita income: $7,269
- Change in median household income: -$9,417
- Change in population: 29,718
- Change in poverty rate: 30.10%
20. Minneapolis
- Change in per capita income: $14,229
- Change in median household income: -$8,877
- Change in population: -18,379
- Change in poverty rate: 197.01%
19. Anaheim, California
- Change in per capita income: $2,559
- Change in median household income: -$3,869
- Change in population: 182,967
- Change in poverty rate: 133.85%
18. Tucson, Arizona
- Change in per capita income: $3,436
- Change in median household income: -$8,806
- Change in population: 276,283
- Change in poverty rate: 64.79%
17. Pittsburgh
- Change in per capita income: $11,686
- Change in median household income: -$10,605
- Change in population: -216,530
- Change in poverty rate: 125.26%
16. Miami
- Change in per capita income: $4,989
- Change in median household income: -$14,683
- Change in population: 116,355
- Change in poverty rate: 71.13%
15. Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Change in per capita income: $5,309
- Change in median household income: -$15,821
- Change in population: 86,381
- Change in poverty rate: 130.67%
14. Baltimore
- Change in per capita income: $8,462
- Change in median household income: -$12,595
- Change in population: -291,059
- Change in poverty rate: 92.92%
13. Indianapolis
- Change in per capita income: $5,294
- Change in median household income: -$15,830
- Change in population: 113,013
- Change in poverty rate: 117.05%
12. St. Paul, Minnesota
- Change in per capita income: $7,194
- Change in median household income:-$12,785
- Change in population: -7,220
- Change in poverty rate: 197.01%
11. Chicago
- Change in per capita income: $10,265
- Change in median household income: -$13,671
- Change in population: -648,402
- Change in poverty rate: 109.68%
10. St. Louis
- Change in per capita income: $7,349
- Change in median household income: -$18,942
- Change in population: -310,963
- Change in poverty rate: 122.02%
9. Cincinnati
- Change in per capita income: $8,492
- Change in median household income: -$19,472
- Change in population: -152,167
- Change in poverty rate: 156.60%
8. Santa Ana, California
- Change in per capita income: -$5,425
- Change in median household income: -$11,538
- Change in population: 176,898
- Change in poverty rate: 172.31%
7. Philadelphia
- Change in per capita income: $4,648
- Change in median household income: -$18,071
- Change in population: -373,087
- Change in poverty rate: 149.00%
6. Toledo, Ohio
- Change in per capita income: $666
- Change in median household income: -$25,688
- Change in population: -105,625
- Change in poverty rate: 178.26%
5. Buffalo, New York
- Change in per capita income: $2,810
- Change in median household income: -$23,847
- Change in population: -205,250
- Change in poverty rate: 232.97%
4. Milwaukee
- Change in per capita income: $129
- Change in median household income: -$26,016
- Change in population: -120,213
- Change in poverty rate: 236.71%
3. Newark, New Jersey
- Change in per capita income: -$6,229
- Change in median household income: -$33,346
- Change in population: -101,954
- Change in poverty rate: 207.69%
2. Cleveland
- Change in per capita income: -$3,396
- Change in median household income: -$37,290
- Change in population: -363,505
- Change in poverty rate: 284.44%
1. Detroit
- Change in per capita income: -$6,393
- Change in median household income: -$42,100
- Change in population: -834,327
- Change in poverty rate: 328.24%
Methodology: GOBankingRates determined which U.S. cities are now poorer than they were by analyzing 78 major cities in terms of the following factors: (1) per capita income in 1969-1970, adjusted for inflation; (2) per capita income in 2018; (3) difference between the 1970 and 2018 per capita incomes; (4) median household income in 1969-1970, adjusted for inflation; (5) median household income in 2018; (6) difference between the 1970 and 2018 household incomes; (7) population in 1970 vs. 2018; and (8) poverty rate in 1969-70 vs. 2018. All data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. 2018 data was taken from the American Community Survey and data for 1969-70 was taken from historical reports and archived data. All inflation calculations were performed using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI inflation calculator. World Population Review was used for population data for those places with no Census Bureau data on population available. All data were collected on and up to date as of June 24, 2020.