These Two Carolina Cities Rank As Most Miserable In Their States

If you've ever wanted to experience the 'South', than there are two states that are likely sure to give you that 'down-home' feel. North and South Carolina both fit the bill. However, not every city in those states can boast of offering that warm and fuzzy happy feel.

In fact, according to an article in Travel.Alot.Com two cities rank as Most Miserable City  -- one in North Carolina and the second in South Carolina.

I've never been to this small town in the eastern part of the Tar Heel State. But, it's quite a ride from the Queen City --  a little over three hours. But based on some basic statistics from the latest U.S. Census, Rocky Mount is not the next up and coming city. In fact, it's population has been declining since 2010—by 6%.

Despite the fact Rocky Mount is known as the “City of Medicine” because of its five hospitals, it has a high unemployment rate. It stands at 7.7% which is 65% higher than the national average. Over 54,000 residents live in the city, but more than 22% of them live below the poverty level.

And as if that isn't enough, residents there have to deal with a high crime rate. How high? U.S. Census data shows those who choose to live in Rocky Mount have a 1 in 28 chance of becoming a victim of a crime.  It's crime rate is 43% higher than the national average.

If I didn't mention education, there's a reason. The test scores are not that stellar. The average test scores from the schools in the city are 46% below the national average. That is another indicator that Rocky Mount may not be the best place to raise a family.

In Sumter, the car and bike culture is big. Folks, organizations and groups come from neighboring towns to check out the city's car, motorcross or racing events. And it helps that the Darlington Motor Speedway is only 30 miles away.

While many visit Sumter for the fast cars, many aren't flocking there to live. And why would they? The U.S. Census data shows more than 20% of the city's population lives below the poverty rate. And they aren't gainfully employed either. The unemployment rate is more than double the national average at 7.3%.

If you're looking to get ahead economically in Sumter, you will be challenged. More than 20% of the city's population lives below the poverty rate. So, between the high crime rate, few jobs, and low pay, this is why Sumter is the most miserable city in South Carolina.

Source:  U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts

There is nothing more important than personal safety. Especially as a woman. Like it or not there are just certain things I won't do. Things like pumping gas at night, rolling my window down in my car for any reason other than a drive-thru, or engaging with anyone I don't know who approaches me in places like a parking lot. Most apartment complexes won't rent first-floor apartments to women either. These are just some things guys don't have to worry about. And I wish I didn't either. But unfortunately, the world we live in makes women have to be super vigilant and aware of our surroundings. My personal safety just takes priority. Even though most of the Carolinas are fairly safe, bad things can happen anywhere. But there are some places where crime is more common than others. So what are the most dangerous cities in South Carolina?

NeighborhoodScout conducted the research to answer that question. And it may not be the answer you are expecting. Their research highlighted the 100 most dangerous cities in America. These are cities with a population of 25,000 or more people. The rankings are based on the number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents.  For the purpose of this list, Neighborhood Scout considers violent crimes to be rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault.  According to their methodology, "the data used for this research are the number of violent crimes reported to have occurred in each city, and the population of each city."

A total of 9 Carolina cities made this list. 4 of the most dangerous cities were in South Carolina, while 5 were in North Carolina. The most dangerous city in the US overall? That was Bessemer Alabama, followed by Monroe, Louisiana. You can read the full list via Neighborhood Scout here or keep reading to see the South Carolina cities that made the list.

The most dangerous city in either Carolina? Spartanburg. This South Carolina city has a violent crime rate of 15.2 and a 1 in 65 chance of being a victim.

Coming in at number 36 on this list is Florence. This town, which you drive through to get to the next city on our list, gives you a 1 in 75 chance of being a victim and a 13.1 rate of violent crime.

If you've been to downtown Myrtle Beach, are you surprised? There are great areas of this vacation destination, but also some not so great. The "Dirty Myrtle" boasts a 12.1 violent crime rate and a 1 in 82 chance of being a victim.

It's North Charleston which is our last SC city on this list. Not to be confused with Charleston proper, North Charleston has a 1 in 95 chance of being a victim and a violent crime rate of 10.4.