Four Florida cities ranked ‘worst place to live’ in America

Financial website Wall St. 24/7 is out with its ranking of the 50 Worst Cities to Live In — and four of them are in the sunshine state.

These cities tend to have high crime rates, widespread poverty, unemployment and little in the way of entertainment options or cultural attractions.

Here’s a look at the Florida cities that made the list:

50. Beverly Hills, Florida

> Population: 9,144
> Poverty rate: 32.9% (top 10%)
> 2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: N/A
> Median home value: $63,400 (bottom 10%)

Beverly Hills is one of the poorest cities in Florida. The typical household earns just $26,525 a year, less than half the $57,652 the typical American household makes. The low incomes are reflected in the city’s real estate values, as the typical home in Beverly Hills is worth just $63,400.

Low property values are also likely a product of the relatively few entertainment and cultural attractions in the city. The city has a far lower concentration of bars, restaurants, theaters, and museums than is typical nationwide.

36. Belle Glade, Florida

> Population: 19,175
> Poverty rate: 39.1% (top 10%)
> 2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: 1,234 (top 10%)
> Median home value: $111,400 (bottom 25%)

At least half of all households in Belle Glade, Florida, earn less than $26,000 a year. Those low-income residents face further financial strain because of the area’s high cost of living. Goods and services in the southern Florida city are about 6% more expensive than they are nationwide, on average. Housing is particularly expensive. The typical home in the area is worth $111,400, 4.3 times the area’s median income. Nationwide, the typical home is worth just 3.4 times the median income.

The low median income in Belle Glade is partially attributable to a lack of jobs. Over the last five years, an average of 8.5% of workers in the area were unemployed according to Census estimates, more than double the comparable national unemployment rate of 4.1%.

31. Immokalee, Florida

> Population: 25,686
> Poverty rate: 43.4% (top 10%)
> 2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: N/A
> Median home value: $99,700 (bottom 25%)

The typical household in Immokalee, Florida, earns just $29,308 a year. The city’s low incomes are in stark contrast to much of the broader metro area. In nearby Naples, half of all households earn over $90,500 a year.

Low-income households in the area are strained further by the city’s high cost of living. Goods and services are 8.5% more expensive in Immokalee than they are on average nationwide. Food insecurity is also a problem in Immokalee. Nearly 32% of Immokalee residents have low access to a grocery store or supermarket, well above the 22% national food insecurity rate.

2. Florida City, Florida

> Population: 12,149
> Poverty rate: 41.2% (top 10%)
> 2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: 2,276 (top 10%)
> Median home value: $110,800 (bottom 25%)

Florida City is the most dangerous city in the state. There were 2,276 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 residents in 2017 — nearly six times higher than the national violent crime rate. The city, located about 35 miles south of Miami, also has a high property crime rate. Property crimes include burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft, and there were 7,925 reported incidents of these crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2017, more than triple the national property crime rate.

High crime areas are often lower income, and the share of people living below the poverty line in Florida City is staggering. Florida City's 41.2% poverty rate is higher than in over 90% of all other U.S. cities.