5 of the Worst Places to Live in Tennessee

Photo byTodd DiemeronUnsplash

Most people choose to live in a place that ranks as one of the best areas, and they stay away from the worst areas. A weak, unemployable area, an area with high crime rates, and one that lacks amenities are typically classified as the worst areas. The state of Tennessee boasts a great deal of culture and history. One of the most beautiful states in the country, with friendly people, and great food. You could indeed do much worse when choosing a place to live. The Volunteer State is a good place, but is it all that good? You can't. Tennessee has its most minor desirable spots, just as every other state does. Following are some of Tennessee's craziest neighborhoods, as determined by the data from RoadSnacks.

Top 5: Sweetwater

Caves are the most famous feature of Sweetwater. There is an underground lake known as the Lost Sea in the Craighead Caverns. Adventure doesn't exist above ground. It might be tempting to hide in one of those caverns in Sweetwater when you are living day-to-day. Its unemployment rate is 8.1%, and its median income is $40,158. In the east-central part of Tennessee on the Tennessee River, Sweetwater is also struggling with housing, education, and crime issues.

Top 4: La Follette

One of the most important coal and iron companies in nineteenth-century Tennessee was founded by brothers Harvey and Grant LaFollette. Several decades later, it shut down, but the town named for them survives.

Is it possible to build a town based on the failed business venture of a century ago? You probably guessed it already: it's one of the worst communities in the state. With an unemployment rate approaching 20.4 percent and poverty approaching one-third, La Follette sports a staggering number. It is still a beautiful country in which La Follette is situated. You can use the town as a jumping-off point for the Cumberland Trail.

Top 3: Morristown

Experience the history of America in Morristown. Davy Crockett once ran a tavern in town. A replica of the Crockett Tavern can still be seen at the Crockett Tavern Museum.

What is it like to live in Morristown today? It's not as tasty as it sounds. There is a severe problem in this northeastern community, about an hour outside Knoxville. Almost a quarter of the town's inhabitants live in poverty. As a result of the 7.7% unemployment rate and $32,193 median income, this is the result. In the United States, education and housing are not up to par. Crime rates in the city are over twice as high as the national average.

Top 2: Ripley

The town of Ripley, Tennessee, has the highest unemployment rate of any small town in Tennessee. The average family earns $33,533, and one in seven people is unemployed. Within the Ripley city limits, you have a 1 in 66 chance of being raped, attacked, or murdered, and the crime rate is the 22nd highest in Tennessee.

Additionally, they're entirely isolated out here. When the nearest suburb of Memphis is an hour away, what do you do for entertainment?

Top 1: Covington

From Ripley, you can get to Covington in a matter of minutes. School funding in this area is among the lowest in the state. This isn't a good fit for someone who values a good education. In terms of per-student ratios and teacher-to-student ratios, children at Covington public schools rank 10th.

It has an above-average crime rate and a 5.0% unemployment rate, the 49th highest in the state. Covington has a large population of people living below the poverty line, as you might expect. If getting your children a good education is your priority, then you should not live in Covington. Underfunding and poor performance plague schools in this part of the country. Ripley is not the only area with similar issues, as Covington has both high crime and unemployment rates, making it an unattractive place to live.