New Report Ranks This City 'Worst' In Connecticut

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A new report by 24/7 Wall Street finds that Bridgeport is the "worst" city to live in Connecticut. To compile the list, researchers for the publication created an index of over two dozen measures to identify what they consider to be the least-desirable cities to live in for each state.

While many cities listed in the report were included based on issues such as violent crime rates, real estate values and unemployment rates, some in less populous states are on the list due to less-serious issues like their distance from the nearest hospital or lack of local entertainment options.

Here are some key statistics researchers listed for Bridgeport:

• Population: 147,586
• Median home value: $170,300 (state: $270,100)
• Poverty rate: 20.8 percent (state: 10.1 percent)
• Violent crimes per 100,000 people: 900 (state: 228)

"More than 20 percent of the population of Bridgeport, Connecticut, lives below the poverty line, more than double the 10.1 percent state poverty rate. The widespread financial hardship is partially attributable to a weak job market. The Census estimates that an average of 9.3 percent of the labor force in Bridgeport was unemployed over the last five years, well above Connecticut's 4.8 percent average unemployment rate over that time. Bridgeport residents – even those living below the poverty line – face additional financial strain due to the city's high cost of living. Goods and services are 30.8 percent more expensive in Bridgeport than they are nationwide," the report reads.

Click here to read the entire report.

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