California Listed 27 Times on WalletHub’s 2021 Study of U.S. Neediest Cities
Fresno ranks #4, Los Angeles ranks #6 in the country of neediest cities
By Katy Grimes, December 31, 2021 8:02 am
As California labors under a growing homeless vagrant population, the state has achieved yet another dubious honor: the Golden State is listed 27 times on WalletHub’s 2021 study of the county’s Neediest Cities.
And out of the 182 U.S. cities on the list, Fresno ranks 4th and Los Angeles ranks 6th in total score between economic well-being and health and safety.
WalletHub reports “in 2020, 11.4% of the U.S. population lived in poverty.” WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 28 key indicators of economic disadvantage, such as adult and child poverty, food insecurity and uninsured rates.
Fresno, Los Angeles and San Francisco made the list of cities with the “Highest Homeless Rate.”
San Francisco even tops the list of “Highest % of Homes With Inadequate Plumbing,” and “Highest % of Homes With Inadequate Kitchens,” along with Glendale and Los Angeles on the kitchen listing.
Included in the 27 Neediest California Cities and their ranking are:
6: Los Angeles
24: San Bernardino
37: Oakland
39: Stockton
45: Long Beach
57: San Francisco
59: Bakersfield
84: Sacramento
89: Modesto
92: Anaheim
94: Oxnard
98: Santa Clarita
110: Santa Ana
123: Garden Grove
125: Santa Rosa
130: Riverside
131: Fontana
132: Glendale
134: Moreno Valley
146: San Diego
149: San Jose
151: Oceanside
158: Chula Vista
165: Rancho Cucamonga
172: Huntington Beach
173: Irvine
176: Fremont
The Complete List of Neediest Cities in America
Overall Rank* |
City |
Total Score |
Economic Well-Being |
Health & Safety |
1 |
Detroit, MI |
63.79 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
Brownsville, TX |
57.11 |
7 |
7 |
3 |
Cleveland, OH |
57.02 |
6 |
8 |
4 |
Fresno, CA |
56.51 |
2 |
57 |
5 |
Gulfport, MS |
55.91 |
18 |
3 |
6 |
Los Angeles, CA |
55.38 |
5 |
28 |
7 |
Newark, NJ |
54.87 |
4 |
46 |
8 |
Baltimore, MD |
54.52 |
3 |
55 |
9 |
New Orleans, LA |
54.02 |
10 |
31 |
10 |
St. Louis, MO |
53.74 |
21 |
9 |
11 |
Laredo, TX |
53.64 |
27 |
12 |
12 |
Shreveport, LA |
53.13 |
9 |
51 |
13 |
Miami, FL |
52.94 |
19 |
25 |
14 |
Memphis, TN |
52.73 |
22 |
18 |
15 |
Jackson, MS |
52.68 |
13 |
50 |
16 |
Birmingham, AL |
52.41 |
41 |
4 |
17 |
Philadelphia, PA |
52.28 |
12 |
69 |
18 |
Richmond, VA |
52.01 |
11 |
71 |
19 |
Hialeah, FL |
51.64 |
26 |
35 |
20 |
Augusta, GA |
51.24 |
17 |
62 |
21 |
Chattanooga, TN |
51.20 |
40 |
14 |
22 |
Indianapolis, IN |
51.14 |
14 |
89 |
23 |
Atlanta, GA |
51.03 |
8 |
107 |
24 |
San Bernardino, CA |
50.78 |
23 |
49 |
25 |
Baton Rouge, LA |
50.56 |
31 |
45 |
26 |
Mobile, AL |
50.35 |
38 |
22 |
27 |
Little Rock, AR |
49.47 |
64 |
13 |
28 |
New York, NY |
49.43 |
15 |
120 |
29 |
Fort Smith, AR |
49.10 |
84 |
6 |
30 |
Corpus Christi, TX |
49.00 |
93 |
5 |
31 |
Toledo, OH |
48.97 |
43 |
36 |
32 |
Dover, DE |
48.60 |
16 |
124 |
33 |
Houston, TX |
48.55 |
69 |
10 |
34 |
Rochester, NY |
48.54 |
29 |
102 |
35 |
Albuquerque, NM |
48.52 |
46 |
33 |
36 |
Las Cruces, NM |
48.48 |
56 |
30 |
37 |
Oakland, CA |
48.37 |
37 |
58 |
38 |
Dallas, TX |
48.19 |
65 |
20 |
39 |
Stockton, CA |
48.14 |
32 |
100 |
40 |
Tulsa, OK |
48.09 |
77 |
11 |
41 |
Columbia, SC |
48.07 |
34 |
94 |
42 |
Springfield, MO |
47.87 |
114 |
1 |
43 |
Huntington, WV |
47.69 |
45 |
52 |
44 |
Wilmington, DE |
47.64 |
28 |
118 |
45 |
Long Beach, CA |
47.56 |
30 |
122 |
46 |
New Haven, CT |
47.50 |
20 |
134 |
47 |
El Paso, TX |
47.45 |
63 |
34 |
48 |
Columbus, GA |
47.42 |
57 |
41 |
49 |
Tucson, AZ |
47.37 |
62 |
37 |
50 |
San Antonio, TX |
47.33 |
68 |
26 |
51 |
Montgomery, AL |
47.29 |
39 |
87 |
52 |
Buffalo, NY |
47.08 |
42 |
78 |
53 |
Milwaukee, WI |
47.07 |
44 |
76 |
54 |
Akron, OH |
47.01 |
49 |
61 |
55 |
Providence, RI |
46.90 |
25 |
127 |
56 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
46.71 |
79 |
24 |
57 |
San Francisco, CA |
46.62 |
75 |
23 |
58 |
Knoxville, TN |
46.60 |
71 |
39 |
59 |
Bakersfield, CA |
46.59 |
54 |
59 |
60 |
Lewiston, ME |
46.35 |
101 |
17 |
61 |
Las Vegas, NV |
46.13 |
53 |
77 |
62 |
Kansas City, MO |
46.11 |
82 |
32 |
63 |
Lubbock, TX |
46.04 |
102 |
21 |
64 |
Glendale, AZ |
45.69 |
67 |
64 |
65 |
Phoenix, AZ |
45.69 |
66 |
65 |
66 |
Fayetteville, NC |
45.64 |
60 |
83 |
67 |
Fort Lauderdale, FL |
45.55 |
52 |
96 |
68 |
Cincinnati, OH |
45.48 |
48 |
101 |
69 |
Honolulu, HI |
45.10 |
80 |
48 |
70 |
Norfolk, VA |
45.04 |
35 |
132 |
71 |
Portland, OR |
44.91 |
87 |
47 |
72 |
North Las Vegas, NV |
44.82 |
55 |
106 |
73 |
Manchester, NH |
44.49 |
74 |
73 |
74 |
Wichita, KS |
44.45 |
108 |
27 |
75 |
Jacksonville, FL |
44.43 |
73 |
82 |
76 |
Washington, DC |
44.42 |
33 |
155 |
77 |
Chicago, IL |
44.38 |
51 |
123 |
78 |
Spokane, WA |
44.29 |
129 |
15 |
79 |
Bridgeport, CT |
44.20 |
59 |
115 |
80 |
Amarillo, TX |
44.16 |
117 |
16 |
81 |
Greensboro, NC |
44.14 |
91 |
56 |
82 |
St. Paul, MN |
44.11 |
61 |
114 |
82 |
Boston, MA |
44.11 |
24 |
167 |
84 |
Sacramento, CA |
43.85 |
50 |
129 |
85 |
Newport News, VA |
43.84 |
81 |
93 |
86 |
Grand Rapids, MI |
43.74 |
95 |
66 |
86 |
Nashville, TN |
43.74 |
89 |
75 |
88 |
Salt Lake City, UT |
43.66 |
133 |
19 |
89 |
Modesto, CA |
43.54 |
47 |
137 |
90 |
Charleston, WV |
43.38 |
124 |
29 |
91 |
Winston-Salem, NC |
43.28 |
72 |
105 |
92 |
Anaheim, CA |
43.16 |
105 |
60 |
93 |
Reno, NV |
43.15 |
121 |
40 |
94 |
Oxnard, CA |
42.96 |
70 |
113 |
95 |
Denver, CO |
42.70 |
98 |
85 |
96 |
Tampa, FL |
42.67 |
85 |
104 |
97 |
Tallahassee, FL |
42.66 |
58 |
139 |
98 |
Santa Clarita, CA |
42.66 |
36 |
166 |
99 |
Jersey City, NJ |
42.63 |
94 |
92 |
100 |
Grand Prairie, TX |
42.57 |
119 |
53 |
101 |
St. Petersburg, FL |
42.54 |
106 |
79 |
102 |
Orlando, FL |
42.48 |
86 |
108 |
103 |
Anchorage, AK |
42.36 |
143 |
38 |
104 |
Huntsville, AL |
42.34 |
103 |
91 |
105 |
Garland, TX |
42.30 |
109 |
72 |
106 |
Fort Worth, TX |
42.26 |
112 |
67 |
107 |
Salem, OR |
42.19 |
128 |
70 |
108 |
Columbus, OH |
42.08 |
78 |
125 |
109 |
Seattle, WA |
41.89 |
122 |
63 |
110 |
Santa Ana, CA |
41.88 |
96 |
109 |
111 |
Rapid City, SD |
41.83 |
120 |
86 |
112 |
Des Moines, IA |
41.75 |
90 |
119 |
113 |
Tempe, AZ |
41.66 |
107 |
98 |
114 |
Louisville, KY |
41.59 |
110 |
90 |
115 |
Ontario, CA |
41.39 |
99 |
110 |
116 |
Arlington, TX |
41.32 |
125 |
80 |
117 |
Mesa, AZ |
41.30 |
97 |
117 |
118 |
Omaha, NE |
41.26 |
115 |
88 |
119 |
Tacoma, WA |
41.25 |
148 |
44 |
120 |
Irving, TX |
41.22 |
126 |
83 |
121 |
Minneapolis, MN |
41.17 |
83 |
131 |
122 |
Missoula, MT |
40.97 |
157 |
42 |
123 |
Garden Grove, CA |
40.83 |
113 |
103 |
124 |
West Valley City, UT |
40.61 |
145 |
74 |
125 |
Santa Rosa, CA |
40.51 |
76 |
146 |
126 |
Nampa, ID |
40.49 |
134 |
95 |
127 |
Austin, TX |
40.40 |
140 |
81 |
128 |
Worcester, MA |
40.09 |
92 |
141 |
129 |
Colorado Springs, CO |
39.88 |
138 |
99 |
130 |
Riverside, CA |
39.65 |
123 |
121 |
131 |
Fontana, CA |
39.36 |
88 |
154 |
132 |
Glendale, CA |
39.26 |
136 |
111 |
133 |
Charleston, SC |
38.98 |
100 |
147 |
134 |
Moreno Valley, CA |
38.68 |
104 |
145 |
135 |
Fort Wayne, IN |
38.55 |
116 |
140 |
136 |
Pittsburgh, PA |
38.50 |
132 |
128 |
137 |
Charlotte, NC |
38.45 |
127 |
135 |
138 |
Aurora, CO |
38.19 |
142 |
126 |
139 |
Burlington, VT |
38.13 |
111 |
144 |
140 |
Vancouver, WA |
38.07 |
163 |
68 |
141 |
Billings, MT |
38.06 |
171 |
54 |
142 |
Juneau, AK |
37.88 |
177 |
43 |
143 |
Durham, NC |
37.63 |
141 |
133 |
144 |
Lexington-Fayette, KY |
37.13 |
130 |
149 |
145 |
Portland, ME |
36.96 |
150 |
136 |
146 |
San Diego, CA |
36.50 |
131 |
158 |
147 |
Yonkers, NY |
36.29 |
137 |
159 |
148 |
Lincoln, NE |
36.07 |
154 |
130 |
149 |
San Jose, CA |
35.87 |
118 |
170 |
150 |
Port St. Lucie, FL |
35.81 |
147 |
148 |
151 |
Oceanside, CA |
35.80 |
139 |
165 |
152 |
Cheyenne, WY |
35.74 |
167 |
112 |
153 |
Casper, WY |
35.64 |
173 |
97 |
154 |
Boise, ID |
35.52 |
168 |
116 |
155 |
Cape Coral, FL |
35.30 |
149 |
153 |
156 |
Henderson, NV |
35.23 |
146 |
162 |
157 |
Pembroke Pines, FL |
34.96 |
152 |
150 |
158 |
Chula Vista, CA |
34.86 |
135 |
172 |
159 |
Peoria, AZ |
34.69 |
158 |
142 |
160 |
Cedar Rapids, IA |
34.62 |
153 |
157 |
161 |
Scottsdale, AZ |
34.37 |
156 |
152 |
162 |
Aurora, IL |
34.29 |
144 |
173 |
163 |
Raleigh, NC |
34.21 |
151 |
164 |
164 |
Chandler, AZ |
33.33 |
161 |
156 |
165 |
Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
32.99 |
155 |
169 |
166 |
Chesapeake, VA |
32.67 |
160 |
168 |
167 |
Sioux Falls, SD |
32.60 |
170 |
151 |
168 |
Fargo, ND |
32.37 |
174 |
138 |
169 |
Nashua, NH |
31.76 |
169 |
160 |
170 |
Gilbert, AZ |
31.20 |
172 |
163 |
171 |
Madison, WI |
30.98 |
165 |
176 |
172 |
Huntington Beach, CA |
30.96 |
162 |
177 |
173 |
Irvine, CA |
30.89 |
159 |
181 |
174 |
Plano, TX |
30.76 |
178 |
143 |
175 |
Virginia Beach, VA |
30.53 |
166 |
179 |
176 |
Fremont, CA |
30.15 |
164 |
182 |
177 |
Warwick, RI |
28.67 |
176 |
175 |
178 |
Overland Park, KS |
28.29 |
180 |
161 |
179 |
South Burlington, VT |
28.15 |
175 |
178 |
180 |
Bismarck, ND |
27.15 |
182 |
171 |
181 |
Pearl City, HI |
26.70 |
179 |
180 |
182 |
Columbia, MD |
26.26 |
181 |
174 |
This list loses some credibility when I see Irvine and Huntington Beach on there. Irvine is one of the safest cities in the country.
I agree with Cathie, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Santa Clarita are pretty ok… even Bakersfield tops SF, plenty of
Clinia Sierra Vista’s for low-income, immigrant healthcare (wonder who subsidizes?), no open needle use on the streets…. at least they try!
I bet a lot of the neediest cities have democratic leaders for generations.
How many run by the Left?