People, especially the youth, will move to cities with more jobs, which means that some less competitive cities in the states will lose their population. Here we've listed 20 fast-shrinking cities that you may want to make a swift exit from.
1. Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama had a population of 28,385 in 1960, while in 2010, the number dropped to 20,756. According to the U.S. Census, there was another 13.8% drop to 17,886 residents in 2018. The shrinkage is likely to continue in future years.
2. Anchorage, Alaska
Though Alaska took methods to attract people to move there, its population is still dropping. Anchorage, for example, has seen its population reduced from 297,613 to 291,538 in three years.
3. Douglas, Arizona
In 2010, Douglas had a population of 17,378, but the number dropped to 15,978 in 2018. Some have claimed the shrinkage is because the city is close to Mexico where there are many crimes, but the fact is that the crime rate there is much lower than that of big cities.
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii, has continued to lose its population since 2010. The biggest reason may lie in the high cost of living there—about 30% higher than in Austin.
5. Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington has lost roughly 2.8% of its residents since the 2000s, 23% of which are younger people aged 28 to 34, according to Delaware Online. Despite being a shrinking city, Wilmington actually has some of the best schools in the nation, which might attract parents to move here for high-quality education.
6. Pine Bluff, Arkansas
As a lower-income area in Arkansas, Pine Bluff has been losing its people for the last couple of decades. In 1990, the population was about 57,100, but the 2018 estimate was 42,271.
7. Gladeview, Florida
Gladeview was a part of Miami before it gave up jurisdiction during the Great Depression. Unfortunately, it becomes smaller every year due to a shrinking population. In the '80s, it's population was 18,919, and the 2010 estimate was 11,535.
8. Cordele, Georgia
Cordele has attempted to stop population decline, but it doesn't seem to be working. In 2000, the town had 11,608 people, and the number dropped to 10,638 in 2018. The city's next attempt to keep people is to deduct tax for those who move to rural areas. That might work well because, according to Fox Businesses, the population will see growth in lower-tax areas.
9. Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield lost its people around the 1980s when General Electric decided to leave the city. Residents had no choice but to move outside for more job opportunities. Luckily, the city saw a little growth when its largest employers, Berkshire Health Systems and General Dynamics, increased employment numbers.
10. Fairmont, Minnesota
Fairmont Minnesota has lost 5.4% of its residents since 2010. Two possible reasons: rents have increased by 49% more than income, and the percentage of people in poverty rose from 11% to 14% since 2012, which has led to a fast shrinkage.
11. Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore's population has been dropping since 1950, and there are approximately 1.2% left, and 3% have fled since 2010. According to the 2019 census, Baltimore has lost tons of residents, making it one of the biggest population losses in one year since 2001.
12. Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island had a population boom once upon a time, but that had already become history. Its population losses were at 3.4% between 2010 and 2018. As well as Rock Island, many cities in Illinois are struggling to keep and attract people.
13. Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich had a 12.1% population growth before 2018, but it saw an estimated loss of around 3.4% in 2018. Luckily, the city is seeing job growth because of submarine manufacturing by Electric Boat, which will attract more people to move here in the future.
14. Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls has seen a severe population loss, and it has lost more than half of its residents since the 1950s. The problem was even worse when 2018 estimates put the population at 48,144, which was another 4.1% loss. A decline in heavy industry may have led to this problem.
15. Gary, Indiana
Gary has steadily lost people since 1960. Recent estimates showed that it had a 21.98% loss in 2010 and an estimated loss of 6.2% in 2018. The Guardian recently reported that Gary, Indiana, is dying. The main reason for its shrinkage is the vanishing industry.
16. Clinton, Iowa
As a small city, Clinton has been losing people since the 1970s. Its population had dropped from 34,719 to a mere 25,184 in 2018. Clinton is now losing an estimated 6.3% of its residents, which is the biggest drop in the city's recent history.
17. Coffeyville, Kansas
Coffeyville has lost an estimated 9% of its residents since 2010. The city used to be home to an Amazon warehouse until the employer pulled out in 2014, taking away about 10,000 jobs. Besides that, the Southwire closed, and a further 200 were gone. All the things mentioned above have likely caused a population decline here.
18. Newport, Kentucky
Newport has been losing people since the 1950s and has lost 10.4% of its residents between 2000 and 2010. 2018 estimates put the city at losing 1.7% more. Newport tried to attract people by revamping the historic district, and citizens have welcomed this method. We hope it will work out well for them.
19. Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport's population has been dropping since 2010. But officials seemed not to be worried about this issue. Its mayor said that "We are diligently working to obtain accurate population numbers and will be able to understand our population trends better once this process is complete."
20. Corcoran, California
According to the 2019 report, California has had the slowest growth in recorded history. That may be because a city like Corcoran drags it down. Corcoran lost an estimated 12.6% of its residents, dropping to 21,676 as of 2018. High taxes there might be one of the reasons for the population decline.
Source: buzzaura.com