A Ranking of the Toughest Places to Live in the U.S.

Orange Mound has soul. It also has scars. One of the oldest African-American neighborhoods in the U.S., it brims with history and pride—but also the wounds of disinvestment and crime. Gunfire is a nightly reality for some.

Many businesses have shuttered, leaving residents with few food, healthcare, or economic mobility options. But it’s also a place of defiance: block parties, backyard barbecues, and murals speak to a community unwilling to surrender its legacy.