This City Has Been Named the Worst City to Live in Tennessee
Tennessee has a lot to offer, such as beautiful scenery, friendly locals, and a long history of country music. Still, not every part of the state provides incredibly desirable living conditions.
According to Road Snacks, a website that ranks cities according on a number of criteria, Ripley is the least attractive city to live in Tennessee.
About Ripley
About 8,000 people live in Ripley, which is located in Lauderdale County and is on the Mississippi River, about 50 miles north of Memphis. With a history shaped by Civil War battles and roots in the early 19th century, Ripley is known for its yearly Tomato Festival, which showcases the region’s agricultural industry.
Ripley is not the best place to live in a residential setting due to a number of major issues that exist despite its historical value. First and foremost, it has the unfortunate distinction of being Tennessee’s jobless capital, which ranks it among the worst locations to live in the state.
In Ripley, the unemployment rate is about 8.4% of the total population, and working families’ median annual household income is about $31,209, far less than the $68,703 national average. This economic suffering fuels a chain reaction of societal problems that include increased rates of poverty, crime, and inadequate educational attainment.
The crime rate in Ripley is 88% higher than the national average, and the rate of violent crime is 165% higher. There is a 1 in 179 risk of suffering a violent crime and a 1 in 22 possibility of being victims of any crime for locals.
With a startling 28.9% poverty rate, Ripley has almost twice the national average of 14.9%. Furthermore, the percentage of individuals with a college degree is very low, at 13.9%, compared to the national average of 32.6%.
Unfortunately, Ripley is not the only person in Tennessee facing these difficulties. Cities with high rates of crime, low salaries, and bad quality of life metrics include Memphis, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Kingsport. But Ripley is the most severely hit, with exceptionally high rates of unemployment, poverty, and violence.
Read More: This City Has Been Named the Murder Capital of Tennessee
How Does This Compare to Tennessee’s Other Cities?
When compared to other cities in the state, Ripley is among the poorest and smallest in Tennessee, experiencing significant inequality. To give an example:
- With a median household income of $31,209, it has the lowest income relative to the national average of $68,703.
- At 11.9%, Ripley has the highest unemployment rate in Tennessee out of all the cities, significantly higher above the 5.4% average for the country.
- Additionally, the city has the highest rate of violent crime in the country, which is startlingly 165% higher than the national average. At 13.9%, Ripley has the lowest rate of college degree attainment whereas the national average is 32.6%.
Surprisingly, La Follette, with a population of 7,346, is the only city with fewer residents than Ripley. However, La Follette outperforms Ripley in terms of wealth, crime, and level of education.
Major Tennessee cities such as Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Clarksville have greater entertainment, cultural diversity, and economic prospects than Ripley. However, these metropolitan areas face their own set of problems, such as social inequality, pollution, and traffic congestion.
According to Niche.com, Franklin, Brentwood, Germantown, Collierville, and Farragut are the top cities in Tennessee to live in.
These cities are known for their great schools, high wages, low crime rates, and general high standard of living. In contrast to other cities, they are also distinguished by higher cost of living, less variety, and a more suburban feel.
As a result, in comparing Tennessee’s cities, Ripley appears to be a less desirable place to live. For the city’s present and future prospects to improve, more funding, development, and assistance are required.
Read More: This City Has Been Named the Murder Capital of New Jersey
To Conclude
Even while Ripley has certain advantages, such as its historical significance, cultural events, and welcoming locals, these benefits are insufficient to make up for all the problems the city faces.
To improve the economic, social, and environmental circumstances in Ripley, immediate attention and involvement are needed. Ripley remains the least attractive city in Tennessee to live in until these reforms take place.