Detroit and Cleveland Named Neediest Cities in New Report

Title: “2017’s Neediest Cities”

Organization: WalletHub

Summary: Cities in the Rust Belt and Deep South scored highest in human need, according to data analysis by WalletHub, a website that offers financial tools and advice. The findings suggest which urban areas most need philanthropic support.

Researchers analyzed data from 182 cities, weighing information such as rates of child and adult poverty, unemployment, homelessness, food insecurity, consumer bankruptcy, foreclosures, crime, and suicide, as well as the share of homes with inadequate plumbing or kitchens (such as those without refrigeration or stoves). The report comes on the heels on a previous WalletHub report ranking the most charitable states in 2017.

Among the findings in the new report:

n Detroit was ranked the neediest city in America, with a score of nearly 65 on a scale of 100, with 100 indicating the highest level of need. The Motor City was followed by Cleveland (a score of 59), Newark, N.J. (54.4), Memphis (54.1), and Jackson, Miss. (53.6).n The largest city among the top 10 neediest was Los Angeles, at No. 8, with a score of 53.n Detroit and Cleveland also ranked highest in child poverty, followed in order by two other Rust Belt cities — Rochester and Buffalo, in N.Y. — and Birmingham, Ala. n Cities with high average housing costs — Honolulu, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Washington, and Atlanta, in that order — were cited as having the highest rates of homelessness.n The least needy city was Columbia, Md., with a score of 26.