LANCASTER – The cities of Lancaster and Palmdale turned up on a national magazine’s recent list of the “50 Most Miserable Cities in America.”
Business Insider said it used U.S. Census data to analyze 1,000 U.S. cities on criteria such as crime, drug addiction, population changes, job opportunities, commute times, household incomes, abandoned homes and effects from problems such as natural disasters.
Lancaster was ranked No. 50 on the list due to its “crime problems, both with meth addiction and neo-Nazis,” according to Business Insider.
“But Mayor R. Rex Parris is doing what he can to kickstart the city, including looking to China for investment,” the Business Insider article states. Read it online here.
Palmdale was ranked No. 36 on the list due to its “median commute time of 42.7 minutes, which is the highest on the list. It was at one point called ‘the foreclosure capital of California,'” according to Business Insider.
Lancaster and Palmdale were among eight cities in Los Angeles County alone that made the “50 Most Miserable Cities in America” list. Huntington Park was No. 10 on the list, Bell Gardens was No. 14, Lynwood was No. 21, El Monte was No. 22, Montebello was No. 40, and Compton was No. 41.
The most “miserable” city was Gary, Indiana, followed by Port Arthur, Texas, and Detroit, Michigan.
The magazine said cities on the list shared qualities, including few opportunities, devastation from natural disasters, high crime and addiction rates, and often many abandoned houses.
According to Business Insider, the state with the most miserable cities is California, with 10. New Jersey is close behind, with nine, and Florida comes in third, with six. Read the Business Insider article here. View the U.S. Census data used for the article here.
UPDATE: This story has been updated to include Palmdale, which made the list at No. 36.
Keith Frimbam says
All of these “most miserable” places have two things in common; Black people, and Mexicans. Palmdale was a nice place to live in the 80’s when the population was mostly white. The Metro Link is to blame for the homeless problem. Section 8 was to blame for the Great Black Migration of the 90’s. Liberal politics and corrupt Government. Sanctuary, people. Enjoy it while you can, because it’s only going to get worse.
Robert E. Lee says
Spoken, written actually, like a true racist. Did you happen to do Rex’s hit mailers against Johnathan Ervin which said Ervin was a gang candidate? Or the ones against Sileo making it look like his was from a mob family. Maybe you were the one who went after John Mayfield, an African American who ran in Palmdale. I bet you helped Rex come up with his plan to keep dead Muslims out of Lancaster. We all know how much safer we are now that he stopped that from happening.
How many confederate flags are hanging in your garage?
Steve R. says
Redneck racists were always a problem here in the valley. Nothing different today.
Tim Scott says
It’s nice to see someone who is a stomach turning disgusting racist but is at least not shy about letting people know up front just what a revolting pig they really are. Thanks Kieth.
Miserable Cities says
Make Slaincaster and Palmfail great again!
Matt says
Fake news! Lol!
Alby says
Meth and neonazis? Seriously? Maybe the meth. Whoever posted such nonsense probably has that “sit in back of the bus” complex. All i see in lancaster are illegals and tweekers
pushing carts and blacks with an authoritive complex that sweet talks goons with adhd and pats them on the hind end into being nosey up in other peoples business. And meth is in their mix. Who are the ones bumming around lanaster blvd and invading other peoples personal space asking for change? Accusing random strangers of steeling their drugs? Politicing others on their own property like if its part of their “hood”? Aint “neo nazis”. Some people are a little bit Country, some are a little bit Rock n Roll, and others are… hip hop. If people moved past other peoples racial differences and got over their inferiority complex without stepping on other peoples toes, they wouldnt be so miserable in a town that is actually nice and convenient to reside and abide in.
Cdl says
Not surprised. In the last 30 years Lancaster has gone from a quaint small community, to high crime, homeless encampments, drug dealing and everything else deplorable to a civil society. California’s law makers do not have the best interests of citizens at heart. They don’t care about their safety or wellbeing. They only care about their bottom line, what lines their own pockets. Elections are questionable regarding fair and honest. No longer a nice place to live, raise children or retire in.
Just Sayin’ says
The source article that the Lancaster information is based on is from 1997 and was one person’s opinion. I don’t call that good journalism and it makes all the rest of the article suspect.
Mary says
First of all lets get real people. AOC is 100% correct. First we need to put all illegals on welfare and also free health care. Next we also need to start up a “clean needle program” for all the homeless addicts in Palmdale and Lancaster, this will stop the spread of diseases caused by using dirty needles. As we all know addicts comprise nearly 90% of the homeless problem. I also think we should have a train that runs from Lancaster/Palmdale right down to the border to pick up and bring illegals/homeless people to the Antelope Valley. We need to open our hearts and minds to these people.
Kiki says
Get this you are in lala land and have your dreams twisted. Fort of all illegals are not the problem it’s people like you who don’t know sh*** BUT wants to sound like a know it all but nop your wrong all the way around stop being racist and go so your search bioch.
Alex says
This article is obvious incorrect it’s made up of things that are not true I would like to see where they get their resource and information and see it for ourselves. This 2 cities don’t Have vacant homes no natural disasters and whatever problems as far as drugs and crime I am sure that in all of the cities in the US there’s no way these rank within the 1st 50…..GET YOU FACTS STRAIGHT AND UP TO DATE BEFORE YOU PUBLISH SUCH BS.
QH Holdover says
Another Rex paid for ad to promote himself over Palmdale. It’s the only way he can claim a moral victory. Sad and juvenile for a Mayor but we all know we are dealing with a immature individual.
AB says
This is a sad article to run highlighting problems that every city in California has. We are by far not miserable here in AV. Get your facts straight please..! Thank you.
Alby says
how bout you “nop your wrongs all the way” kiki.
Sick and tired says
Let’s move them all to your house, you can take care of them.
Pissst says
She is a nut job, and apparently so are you.
Ken says
Is this a joke?
Dennis says
Lancaster and Palmdale deserve that honor for many reasons. The most important reason is that it is in the state of California which is the land of high taxes, illegals and bums.
Is getting disgusting says
You are absolutely correct Sanctuary City alcoholics DUIs plus this is California in Palmdale and Lancaster with the desert area with all these gardeners and construction work is dumping their trash all over makes it look like it’s South of the Border
Lori says
My family moved there in 1968..dad retired there from the Navy.. I loved it there..small city..everyone knew each other.. however it gradually changed over the years..I left there with my husband in 2007.. I go back and visit family every so often.. it is not the same.. homeless people everywhere.. so much traffic.. its awful..glad I do NOT live in California any longer..
Kiki says
Ok no one cares that u are not here anymore one less hater in the av
Steve says
Raise your hand if you voted for the prison to be installed here!
Bamm .. the decline begins!
Parolee’s don’t leave.. we pay them to stay..
Prisoners section eight relatives moved in by the thousands.. and you property owners list Sec8 ! ..
Broken welfare system supports these animals that spit on you and litter your streets..
There was a time this was an isolated retreat .. it’s now a self created mecca for welfare supported living.
Dont trip says
You are 100% coorect
T.O. Miller says
Yup, you is correct Sir!
Shawn says
The reason why Lancaster Palmdale has so many homeless has it won’t let you live in a travel trailer a shed or nothing on the side of the property so they will come in around 2 and everybody out of those families walking the streets peeing and pooping behind bushes and the reason why they threw them out of their travel trailer because they didn’t want poop or pee around the houses so now they got to go behind every bush in town and complain about the homeless Hearts paris’s it’s not that smart of a man
yolanda says
The real reason why we have this new homeless population is because for a while LAPD was shipping them up to the end of the Metro line for years to Lancaster Blv with a one way ticket. They finally got caught and i’m assusiming it still happens.
David G says
The AV is crawling with illegal alien invaders…..all out in the open. Mr Parris is doing the best he can. Let’s tell the truth..CA has been taken over by liberal screwballs..open border lawless idiots.
Vic says
Parris is an idiot. He blames everyone and everything but himself. He and his sidekick Marvin claim 67 homeless people a day are being sent to Lancaster. Do the math. Sure Lancaster has a lot of homeless but in a year that is over 24,oo0 people. He got money from the County for the homeless shelter and the he closed the shelter. When he first became mayor he blamed gangs and killed thousands of pitbulls. That didn’t help. We just had a gang murder last night. Lately he’s been blaming he homeless and mentally ill for crimes when statistics show it is the homeless and mentally ill who are more likely to be victims of crime. We need a new leader.
commuter to SCV says
What about Santa Clarita, have you never driven through Newhall or Canyon Country, and some parts of Valencia. Illegals are everywhere in CA.
KJH says
I am not surprised to hear about Lancaster and Palmdale. Part of the problem is people not keeping up with property maintenance and beautification of their homes. People just let the grass turn into giant grass and later, tumbleweeds. It is sickening to see a brand new home lived in by responsible owners. A lot of problems are homeless in tents a rag-tag old RV’s parked out in the desert. Others just throw their trash on the side of the road instead of taking it to the dump. I have found and reported on multiple occasions, trailers without plates full of trash from a major move just two blocks from my house. How am I going to get a decent price on my home when I sell? Trashy people are moving into the Antelope Valley!
Spell check people!! says
“It is sickening to see a brand new home lived in by responsible owners”?? Yeah that’s awful!!
EDR says
Very sad that this city has received this reputation.
My family has been here for generations…since the 40’s when Bell came out to test their new XP-59 at Muroc. The folks who came out here built a nice community and we all fell in love with this desert.
This city was full of great people. A city made up of the aerospace community mainly. It was neat as a pin. We certainly had a lot of fun.
I still love this city and I often see a lot of the same old faces and families. We still work hard, raise our kids right, keep our properties in ship-shape. But it has been awfully sad to see the new element that showed up here in the ’90’s. There seems to be an enormous lack of pride and respect for our fellow man, our city, and our beautiful desert. To be honest, it isn’t fair for the old timers here, who worked so hard to make this city great; only to watch as it has ended up on a list such as this. I see a lot of old ghosts, old memories, and happy times in streets that are now run down and filled with crime.
It is also disheartening to see such bad attitudes and pessimism in the comments here. This sort of attitude will not help, that is to be sure. But I do understand how everyone feels. it is frustrating.
We have to do better. And we cannot tolerate the current state of affairs that has created this mess.
We can be better to our neighbors and each other, keep our places clean, raise our children to be loving, and get involved with the community. Pride and respect for our city, its history and heritage is imperative.
I’m still proud to tell people I live in Lancaster. After all, the aviation history, the records broken in these skies, and the people who made it happen are enough to give us a great standing in world history.
Kiki says
Lancaster has lots and lots of homeless people it’s so ugly they do nothing to better themselves they just want everyone to give them money in so tired of them take them back to were they came from.
I don’t care how they got to that point I hate seeing them EVERY WHERE!!!
Dee says
Lil secret:. Amongst lasd homicide the AV is referred to as Compton north.
Corneliu A Blidaru says
Sure hail to all the lackeys of 7ABC who started the denigration campaign behind the axe of the real estate community. And to the [removed] that live here and don’t like it go [removed] south to pay 6 to 7X per square ft tjr price of a family home. Go [removed] live with your 6+ family in a shoe box of 800 square ft in Torrance for a [removed] GI Bill single family that was chewed up by termites more often than Buzz Aldrin’s public reinforcement of the veracity of the Moon Landing.
evan says
Palmdale is 10x as bad as Lancaster, which is saying a lot. Being in Palmdale at night is like begging to be shot and robbed
Michelle says
The Business Insider actually links that unforgettable interview that Parris did for Vice magazine a couple years ago. That article made a mockery of us, all because of Parris saying things like “The Chinese and art gays will lower crime rates”. For The Business Insider to link such a ridiculous interview; they were clearly attaching evidence as towards one of the reasons why we made the list of “50 most miserable places to live”. As per usual, thank you Parris for your horrific representation of an otherwise beautiful community.
One City says
Now that Marvin and Rex are doing all the thinking for both cities it make sense they would drag Palmdale down the drain with them. We were warned and now here we are. Oh joy!!
MayorOfMojave says
Lancaster for certain needs to be on this list. It’s not uncommon to see people walk into my place of business with nazi symbols tattooed on them. Homelessness is definitely a problem, so many camps set up all throughout the area. BS that they included Palmdale for “long commutes”. It should be on there for the ghetto inhabitants of the east side, not the below average for LA commute time.
Finish the wall! says
The entire state of California is a s*hole!!!
Don says
COME ON, people. We can do better than this. Let’s shoot for NUMBER ONE! No excuses!
VIrginia says
We do have the power to change that, or we could continue to complain.
Outta Here says
So Virginia, what power do we have to remove all these gangsters out of AV? EVERY single time you step out of your car, some “too lazy to work” human scum or gangster scum asks for money or threatens you if don’t give them money. It’s ridiculous that I have to drive all the way to Santa Clarita to go grocery shopping, buy gas, etc…
So again Virginia, what power do honest, hard working people who merely want to go about their business in a peaceful manner, have to change this rathole? NONE!!! Because in California, the aforementioned human trash are the exalted ones, and innocent working people are the evil ones to our esteemed government officials.
Tom says
Neo-Nazis haven’t been in the AV in 20 years or more. Meth is EVERYWHERE!
And, Palmdale gets named because it has “a 42 minute commute” ????
So do places like Riverside, Temecula, Tracy, Modesto, Fairfield, Vacaville….and? What’s the big deal?
MayorOfMojave says
Wrong. I see them on a regular basis.
Matt says
The porn on your laptop doesn’t count !
Now, can we quit making things up for the sake of sensationalism?
BOBDOB says
But Not ROSAMOND !!!
KC says
A Vegas commuter train isn’t going to fix Lancaster’s problems
Jane says
Really sad to hear that. Lived there for many years. However, moved 7 years ago because it was already starting to decline. I think people need to start getting after the mayor and city council. No excuse.
Mark says
I think listing Lancaster as one of the most miserable cities in America is being too kind. Lancaster is, and always has been one big S*#@ HOLE!
Mark says
And don’t forget Palmdale!
Crossroads says
I love it Mark ……Biggest mistake in my life was moving to Palmdale …..