Illinois City Makes List of U.S. Cities ‘On the Brink and Getting Worse’

Let's be honest, every year there is some new list that comes out about where you want to be and where you don't want to be. Well, one of the latest articles from Retiredom does just that with some former great American cities. It puts the microscope over a certain Illinois border town, claiming it's only going to get worse there.

The city: East St. Louis, Illinois

Once a buzzing industrial powerhouse with more than 82,000 residents in 1950, East St. Louis has seen a staggering population plunge to under 18,000 at one point, representing a nearly 80% decline from its peak.

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The article states that poverty is pervasive there. As of the 2023 Census, roughly 32% of residents live below the poverty line, more than double the statewide rate of about 12%. Among children, the situation is even more dire: approximately one in every two kids is estimated to live in poverty, compared to about 16% statewide.

Financial markers are bleak too. The median household income is just under $31,000, while per capita income hovers around $32,000. Those are both well below the Illinois median of about $78,000. Homeownership clings at roughly 54%, significantly lower than the state average of 67%.

Infrastructure shows signs of serious neglect, with many city blocks dotted by vacant lots, abandoned buildings, and streets that often feel deserted. The historic Pennsylvania Avenue district, once home to elegant early‑20th‑century residences, has seen nearly all of its grand homes vacated or demolished.

East St. Louis’s decline began with the exodus of industry in the 1960s and 70s, when the city lost nearly 70% of its businesses. From 1970 to 2000, it lost another 55% of its population and thousands of jobs. This left nothing but a shrinking tax base and deteriorating public services for those who would remain.

Today, racial segregation and systemic disinvestment remain deeply rooted issues, intersecting with high rates of unemployment, declining education outcomes, and concentrated poverty.

In the Retiredom write‑up (listing East St. Louis at #4 among U.S. cities “on the brink”), these realities aren’t abstract; they’re visible. Bottom line? After driving through East St. Louis very recently, I must say, the articles harsh spotlight on the city isn't overblown. Behind the #4 spot lies a real story of population collapse, economic hardship, and crumbling infrastructure. Despite its proximity to the prosperous St. Louis, MO, this Illinois town remains cut off from growth, as its decline continues to unfold.