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

Once a jewel in the Motor City’s crown, Highland Park has become one of its most distressing cautionary tales. Encompassed by Detroit, this 2.9-square-mile enclave has fewer than 10,000 residents, and nearly half live in poverty.

Its streets feature more vacant homes than occupied ones, and streetlights—literally—have been removed due to unpaid electricity bills. Car theft, assault, and gun violence persist, while the city itself struggles to keep basic services running.