Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama, is probably most famous for its involvement in the civil rights movement, which included several marches across the infamous Edmund Pettus Bridge. However, the city was suffering from high unemployment long before the pandemic struck. Workers in Selma, even those who are employed, are primarily low-wage employees; the median household income in the city is $24,820. Although most businesses in town are now family-owned, according to a statement published in the Selma Times-Journal by its executive director, the children of those families have expressed no interest in remaining in the city for the foreseeable future. It’s possible that this has something to do with the scarcity of entertainment options in Selma. There is only one movie theater in the city, and it only has one screen.
Manchester, New Hampshire
Despite the fact that New Hampshire is a wealthy state, homelessness remains a serious issue in the state’s largest city as a result of a scarcity of affordable housing. New Hampshire has experienced some of the most significant increases in income inequality in the United States, and nearly 15 percent of the population in Manchester lives below the poverty line, according to the Census Bureau. Despite this, the median household income in this city is $60,711, which is higher than the median household income in the other cities on this list. Residents with a high level of education have fared well, whereas the decline of traditional industries such as paper mills has left many working-class people being unable to pay for the necessities of life.