Baltimore Ranks On 'Worst American Cities' List

BALTIMORE, MD — The digital financial news and opinion company 24/7 Wall St. gave Charm City a blow this week, calling Baltimore among the worst places anyone could possibly choose to live. The “50 Worst American Cities To Live In” list ranked Baltimore No. 14.

"Baltimore is one of the most dangerous cities in the United States," the report says, noting the murder rate peaked in 2015 after the riots following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody, giving Charm City the notorious distinction of having the eighth highest crime rate among U.S. cities.

"The violence may have been partly fueled by the influx of drugs on the street following the looting of pharmacies during the unrest..." the report states. "Others blamed the record year in crime in the city on economic and social disparities."

The violent crime rate rate in 2015 was 1,536 violent crimes in the city for every 100,000 residents, according to 24/7 Wall St., which says the national rate is 373 reported incidents per 100,000 people.

Currently, the murder rate is trending higher than it was in 2015, as violence hits a fever pitch in Baltimore in 2017. Halfway through the month of June, the homicide count is above 150, a mark that it hit in July 2015.

That would support the theory that the city's violence is connected not to one single event but to the multifaceted economic and social picture.

According to the study, approximately 22.9 percent of the population in Baltimore lives below the poverty line, while 9.7 percent is the standard statewide and 15.5 percent is the national rate.

The survey incorporated income, poverty rates, home values, violent crime, education, proximity to work, leisure activities, among other factors, in its analysis of the worst places to live. Data came from the U.S. Census Bureau and the FBI, among other sources. Cities that had more than 65,000 residents in 2015 were included in the survey.

Topping the list was Detroit, Michigan; No. 2 was Birmingham, Alabama; No. 3 was Flint, Michigan; No. 4 was St. Louis, Missouri; and No. 5 was Memphis, Tennessee.

See the "worst American cities list" from 24/7 Wall St.

Is Baltimore one of the worst places to live or do you beg to differ? Tell us in the comments!

Photo of Baltimore's Inner Harbor at night by Austin Kirk via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons 4.0.