From armpits of the state to middle fingers of the country—some of the cities in the US are known for being the least attractive urban settlements. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so not everyone finds NYC or New Orleans pleasing, and perhaps some negative experiences would have influenced one’s preferences. But there are definitely a few cities that stand no chance at not being called ugly and we are hoping that you are not living there.
A curious user u/teddyjr32378 on the popular Reddit community r/AskReddit decided to find out ‘What is the ugliest city you have ever visited?’ and below are what the users came up with with, so you can let us know if you agree.
More info: Reddit
#1
Vegas. Although I wouldn’t call it much of a city; it was more of a clusterf*** of buildings, neon, and wasted lives all stitched together smack in the middle of bumf*** nowhere.
Image source: doc360noscope, Flickr
#2
Bakersfield, CA – Never in my life have I seen such a sour sight. Oil wells as far the eye can see that it almost looks a heard of stationary ants humping the soil.
Image source: This_Apparatus, Wikimedia Commons
#3
Gary, Indiana. The entire city was gray. No color. I thought I had gone color blind until I got to Chicago.
Image source: jDubbaYo, Flickr
#4
Youngstown, Ohio. Pure depression.
Image source: ThomasGeofferson, Flickr
#5
After I visited Aberdeen, Washington I felt like I understood Kurt Cobain better. The natural surroundings are stunningly beautiful, but in the middle of it there’s this gray, dark, depressing town built on a swamp that feels like it’s sucks the life out of you. If a town could have feelings, this one would be utterly, hopelessly depressed.
Image source: audiate, Wikimedia Commons
#6
Bakersfield, California, always gives me a headache when I visit it.
Image source: zerox133, Flickr
#7
LA. depressing concrete s***hole and I’m glad I visited nicer cities in the USA. everyone was so angry/sad there.
Image source: rzor89, Friscocali
#8
Modesto, CA. It should be a crime to make a city as ugly as Modesto in a state with so much beauty.
Image source: Abracadaver2000, Unsplash
#9
El Paso, Texas, depresses the hell out of me.
Image source: sincerelyln, Flickr
#10
Birmingham, Alabama. Half the city is just bland brown brick buildings from the 80’s, and the other half is basically abandoned ruins of bland brown brick buildings from the 80’s
Image source: quantipede, Wikimedia Commons
#11
Johnstown, Pennsylvania… You can almost feel that the city is dying a slow, unsettling death…
Image source: RXIXX777, Jon Dawson
#12
Albuquerque, NM. Let me paint a picture. In a rental car after 14 hours of driving I make it about halfway into town. And need gas badly. I pullover to a pretty empty gas station. Just Some oily cardboard sheets spread out here and there. Trees pretty much envelope 3/4s of the sides of the building itself. I get ready to slide my card in the reader when 6 individuals start exiting the cover of the trees. Three guys take up sitting or lying down on the strewn cardboard and three women/girls of questionable age somewhere between 16 and 40 I ballpark approach my car and try to hem and haw and cough to get my attention. I pull my card back, say “aww s***, declines. F***.” Get back in my car and speed away. In my rearview I see more people keep coming out of the trees. They didn’t look pleased.
Image source: COGspartaN7, Wikimedia Commons
#13
Independence, MO. — meth capital of the United States. Even the buildings look like they smoke rocks.
Image source: BongTravolta, Doug Kerr
#14
Gary Indiana is the best reason ever to remove speed limits from freeways. So you can enter and exit Gary in the shortest possible time.
You know a city is bad when the local government boasts there’s been less than a dozen murders and less than 20 dead crack babies this month!
Things are Lookin’ up for Gary, Indiana!
Image source: WimbleWimble, Wikimedia Commons
#15
‘City’ would be generous, but take it upon yourself to never stop in Stark or Waldo, FL.
Image source: ems_telegram, Wikimedia Commons
#16
Abilene, Tx. just empty buildings, ghettos, and more churches than i’ve ever seen. the churches are doing well. the city, not so much.
Image source: donaldtrumpshearts, Wikimedia Commons
#17
No one has mentioned Watertown NY so I guess I’ll make the case for it. I grew up in the Watertown area. Have since traveled all over the US many times. I’ve seen some downright awful places but I’ve yet to see a place that captures the same kind of energy that Watertown does.
Watertown is unique in that it has the perfect combination of a depressed economy, dilapidated infrastructure and poor weather. It gets positively hammered with snow in the winter due to its proximity to Lake Ontario and often sets records for snowfall and low temperatures. The winters are brutal and sometimes start as early as October and can last into May. It exists in what was once the bottom of an ancient glacial lake so the low elevation means constant cloud cover which makes it gray and bleak during the summertime.
On top of that, almost any art or music that is written about the place is about how bad it is. Frank Sinatra’s album Watertown is depressing as hell. Harry Chapin wrote the song “A Better Place To Be” while he was in Watertown. There are more examples too. It’s so depressing that it inspires people to write about how depressing it is.
Image source: arisoncain, Wikimedia Commons
#18
Albany, NY just feels like a really big Greyhound bus station to me. In the summer it’s kinda gross, but in the winter it’s a muddy gray sh*tpile. Whenever I’ve found myself there I’ve felt like I need to escape it – probably in an old school bus with razor wire strung around it with sharpened broomstick handles protruding from the windows.
Image source: vapidhooker, Flickr
#19
Cleveland Ohio. That place irritates my soul
Image source: Sad-Addendum-6488, Wikimedia Commons
#20
Stockton, CA is some big yikes. Maybe not aesthetically ugly, but definitely socioeconomically ugly.
Image source: QuadraKev_, Wikimedia Commons
#21
Laurel, MS. The try to doll it up on the HGTV show, but it’s a cesspool. Upgraded to the most violent city in Mississippi last year, if I’m not mistaken.
Image source: SethofaSalesman, Wikimedia Commons
#22
Oh my god. Why has no one said Houston yet?
Image source: texastek75, Flickr
#23
I can’t believe no one had mentioned Rochester NY, Anything past Culver road. The worst parts are near Lyell and Monroe Ave. Place is a sh*t hole.
Image source: Calm-Extent5513, Flickr
#24
Blyth California
Image source: chieftaom6, Wikimedia Commons
#25
Lawton, OK also. Only been on a few quick in and out missions into the town, but by golly does look like a mess.
Image source: SethOfASalesman, Wikimedia Commons
#26
Stockton California no doubt.
Image source: hereforthearticle, Wikimedia Commons
#27
Terre Haute, IN. Truly the armpit of the state.
Image source: summers_last_sunset, Wikimedia Commons
#28
Cañon City, CO. The Royal Gorge is lovely, but as it’s also home to multiple prisons, the rest of it is bleak as hell.
Image source: Beyond__Words, Wikimedia Commons
#29
Spokane,WA. It feels like it got left behind in the late 80s when Seattle became a major destination with no vibrancy or anything attractive about the city in general. Just bunches of residential neighborhoods with a few upscale eateries to keep it just out of last place.
Image source: CashgrassorNopass, Wikimedia Commons
#30
Niagara Falls, NY.
Image source: Jezzmund, Wikimedia Commons
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