Top 10 U.S. Cities Everyone's Fleeing in 2025

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Stop leaving yourself vulnerable to data breaches. Go to my sponsor aura.com/briggs to get a 14-day free trial and see if any of your data has been exposed

[@michaelm8460]

Toledo?

[@mikeysuzefour]

My birthplace San Francisco, CA doesn't surprise me at all, but I thought the # was higher of ppl leaving...

[@a.grimes4202]

Detroit also saw an increase in population in 2024, not just 2023. It was the first 2-year stretch of population increase since 1956-57. It’s these very slight inaccuracies in your videos which have slowly eroded my trust in your channel, sir. Please be more thorough in fact-checking in the future, as all of the fancy stats and shiny numbers mean nothing if not precise.

[@bingobangoboingo.6787]

I left St Louis in 2022 because of the crime. After 9pm I would hear gunshots throughout the night like it was Call of Duty

[@ronica2623]

3 decades ago my co-worker and I were at a conference and stopped at a 7-11 to get a Soda. I looked at a parked car and said “are those bullet holes?” the car was riddled with them. Yikes. So yeah…as bad as you made it sound…seems like it’s the city living

[@devinnelson5292]

That’s actually badass

[@kevinwalz6022]

Left 20 years ago, best thing I’ve ever done.

[@anthonyw5261]

People still pay taxes after moving which is insane 😳

[@stalebread5887]

I’m here in St. Louis as a travel nurse until next month. Seeing the arch once was cool. Will not be returning. 😂

[@katekrylov]

"Too many people causing too many problems And not enough love to go round" Genesis.

[@dispatchdebbie]

👍🏼✌🏼

[@zackmaxie7681]

Its ok now superman is back

[@katekrylov]

@@zackmaxie7681 Really? Where?

[@jenniferburchill3658]

A land of confusion, indeed.

[@TheTrumpReaper]

The video for Land of Confusion scares the los angeles out of me.

[@SolracCAP]

New York City being #1 is not surprising. Being the biggest, it can lose a lot of people in absolute numbers but how about as a percentage? Would like to see a list based on percentages.

[@Rgtmgtm]

Exactly lol

[@bit1733]

You're right. Absolutes don't give context to make sense of or make meaningful any comparison.

[@ggjr61]

NYC population dropped 1.95% in 2024

[@ycplum7062]

@@ggjr61 0.3% for 2025, which is the year the video is comparing. As a percentage loss, I think it puts NYC below everyplace else on the list. I suspect NYC's loss would be below several other cities not on the list.

[@ycplum7062]

The next largest city, LA, has less than half NYC's population. Chicago, a thiird. St. Louis is smaller than NYC's smallest burrough, Staten Island.

[@AnyahEMB]

I was born and raised in New York City. Most of those who can leave eventually do. The quality of life almost anywhere else is better. There will always be people moving in to replace those who leave.

[@john-o1g9p]

got a job outside nyc [just off the gw bridge on the jersey side] in englewood. lasted 6 months. holy god i thought, every, damn. day.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

100% correct. I cannot wait to escape, but the money's good so I'm saving to get an easier start somewhere else.

[@Violator225]

Migrants

[@RandomRabbit007]

I moved to NYC (Queens) from California (near the Bay) 2.5 years ago (my wife is completing her medical residency here). CANT WAIT to leave back to California the DAY her residency is done (Mid 2025). NYC is a sick place, people are wayyyyy to aggressive, stressed, anxious and anti-social. Also the weather sucks the majority of the year (but hey the pizza is good lol). See 1 skyscraper you've seen them all, concrete jungle is not the way humans are intended to live. I miss the rivers, lakes, hills, mountains, beaches, forests, etc. You couldn't pay me enough to live in NYC.

[@Violator225]

@ California sucks I’d argue worse and I’m a native

[@TheMidnightCloak]

I’m one of the people who fled Los Angeles because of the cost of living. If rents ever go down I’d be happy to move back, but I’m not holding my breath.

[@seanmcdirmid]

Enough people will leave and arrive so rents are barely affordable, they will reach an equilibrium.

[@sciagurrato1831]

“rents ever go down”,,,.lol

[@JB-sg1vy]

rent high all over and jobs pay less other places so i still here... id leave over crime and trash before cost of living and to many peeps lol

[@michaeljeffery7466]

My friend was from Long Beach, moved to ATL never looking back.

[@louisjohnson3755]

Atleast in nyc you can live without a car

[@loose-arrow-garage]

I too grew up in L.A. Even as a kid I hated the city and couldn't wait to get the hell out. As soon as I graduated high school and turned 18, I left and never looked back!

[@YTJJ-z3i]

Hi! In which city did you move?

[@scorpioguy94]

Good decision I fell the same way I'm deciding moving to Phoenix soon!

[@Cyrus992]

@@scorpioguy94why Phoenix?

[@Gypsygirl9]

From what I hear, people are leaving Phoenix too. Crazy traffic, 700& electric bills, no way.

[@OjiiChan-x2h]

Ditto my thoughts of San Francisco!

[@s.cosmin306]

take care Briggs and everyone and have the best new year 2025

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

You as well.

[@DialloMoore503]

Thanks! You as well.

[@BankC6969]

Happy New Year to you and yours! 💯⛄️⛄️⛄️

[@michaeljeffery7466]

​@@WorldAccordingToBriggsThis needs to be slightly updated because Miami should be on this list. The Hurricanes/Insurance catastrophe is causing large amounts of people to leave, it's leading to a property market collapse similar to San Francisco & Chicago.

[@missingrighty]

"The Wire" was not just based on Baltimore but filmed there as well. They used real cops as some of the actors. It's incredibly realistic

[@user-hr1ci1gq8i]

As a long haul trucker who has been through all these areas night and day I can say you are right on brother! Keep up the good work sir.

[@EndTheSimpademic]

Katy, Texas picked up 34,000 evacuees from New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina. Two thirds of them never returned.

[@biggmike1293]

Aaaand increased the houston area crime rate with it

[@bukboefidun9096]

And Katy went downhill

[@TonyBenton0728]

Atlanta did also .

[@EndTheSimpademic]

@bukboefidun9096 yes and no. The FEMA checks were enough to pay rent in Alief and SW Houston, but weren't large enough to pay Katy rents. Those evacuees were forced to get jobs. And Katy has always had a service industry staffing shortage due to a shortage of transit options (a wise decision of regional leadership imo). Igloo hired a small handful as well

[@WindyMarrant]

and they came here too...our crime went through the roof and never got better. They came into my tattoo shop wanting their FEMA checks cashed and demanding free crap

[@aKulex]

Tell me you've never been to Cleveland without telling me you've never been to Cleveland. What a joke, the city is light-years better than its been in years

[@intallpines]

Great ariels of NYC! You are certainly not kidding about Scams, Briggs. They are everywhere and thriving! Happy New Year 2025!

[@wreckim]

I live in Southern California -- Ventura County. I visit LA all the time, and also the central areas like Santa Barbara, San Jose etc.. I don't care how many people allegedly move out, every single month, rents go up, Home Values go up, and there's nothing, and I mean, NOTHING vacant when you drive around. I don't know who is leaving, and what trucks they are renting, but there are no abandoned homes anywhere that I have EVER seen in any kind of good shape. You can rent, literally, your garage with an electric stove for $2,500/mo around my home. And people actually do.

[@OjiiChan-x2h]

Along with they keep building new homes/apartments🙋🏼

[@Beyza_nur_merve19]

Because california got 800.000 new people moved to the state in 2024. Dont believe these videos

[@PallasAthena-d4b]

As someone from up of the northern border that visited St. Louis, New Orleans and San Francisco, my heart bleeds for these cities. They really have their unique charm. Unfortunately, I don’t see how they can pick up and get better.

[@Gypsygirl9]

It's thel8cal governments that ruin the cities they ate supposed to be maintaining in good standing. Should be illegal what they do. Pockets gotta be getting lined.

[@Dimythios]

I stopped going to SF when crime, drugs, and the homeless was so bad it wasn't safe to shop in the daylight.

[@jd2011mmd]

My Aunt and Uncle left Chicago because of the crime. They have two little kids and they witnessed too much violence and didn't feel safe raising their kids their anymore.

[@christophejergales7852]

Here's the top ten cities over a 5 year span from 2017-2022 by percentage: 1 Paradise, Nevada −22.03% 2 Jackson, Mississippi −12.69% 3 East Los Angeles, California −10.02% 4 Aurora, Illinois −9.98% 5 El Monte, California −9.30% 6 San Francisco, California −8.59% 7 Hialeah, Florida −8.10% 8 Detroit, Michigan −7.83% 9 Santa Ana, California −7.76% 10 Birmingham, Alabama -7.70%

[@user-wc8fp4cx6c]

Thanks for posting a much more informative list than this channel's content creator.

[@TheTrumpReaper]

Santa Ana is as bad as los angeles with a higher percentage of bigots and general idiots.

[@OjiiChan-x2h]

Goes along with my post. The percentages are minuscule (2024], yet I’m happy for any reductions.

[@2069evertry]

Thank you, using percentages is much more informative and realistic.

[@j.ahayward7245]

To all of you people Paradise is Las Vegas.I know because I live in LV, I think it's stupid to use these little sections here and call it cities.I don't use it,it's just plain Las Vegas.

[@dracphelan]

A few months ago I was in New York. I found myself thinking "How can people stand to live like this?" Apparently, some of the people there feel the same way. But, different people have different ideas of the ideal place to live.

[@andrealmoseley6575]

I thought that in the 80s

[@john-o1g9p]

@@andrealmoseley6575 i hear ya babe. was there in 86. l;asted 6 mos.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

Yea, I cannot fathom how anyone can actually enjoy this life. Crowded sidewalks, trains, and buses. Crazy traffic and blatant disregard for rules of the road. Tons of trash and filth everywhere. Rat and roach infestations. It's disgusting. 🤮

[@donaldwert7137]

I flew to Boston once and, at one point I looked at the window and said "Good God!" Buildings as far as the eye could see. I felt that it had to be NYC, but I don't know that for sure. I did know it wasn't a place I would like to go.

[@RandomRabbit007]

Yeah it sucks here. NYC is a mentally ill place. Cant WAIT to leave back to California. NYC is great if you love aggression, anxiety, stress and an impossible cost of living with some terrible weather mixed in.

[@breakingthechainusa1007]

Myrtle Beach, Orlando and Las Vegas growing like crazy

[@michealhughes9413]

and Atlanta!!!!

[@A_Lion_In_The_Sun]

Climate change is gonna mess them up. Myrtle beach will be under water, the humidity in orlando is unbearable already, las vegas is having water supply issues and Atlanta is apparently open to getting hit by hurricanes now.

[@JB-sg1vy]

Charlotte and Raleigh too

[@MJ-rl7pj]

Three places that are terrible.

[@Freakshow789-b5w]

Why are they so terrible been to all those places. They were all nice I personally wouldn't live in Nevada but that's a personal choice

[@paulayala4816]

Back in the 80's and 90's I noticed a lot of people moving into California from Michigan. It seems they came out because Michigan State was playing in the Rose Bowl, and they noticed it was warm enough to go to the beach in January. Now at retirement age, all those people are moving out, realizing it is expensive to be a retiree here in CA.

[@deloreangriffin8104]

Detroit is doing better than ever nowadays

[@MrKgBizzle]

Since the 70s maybe. It’s still a steaming pile of shit. 💩

[@tirepunk7367]

there was no other way to go when rock bottom is your place.

[@funky-puppet]

Doubt that very much!

[@enkinightmare3881]

Come on Lions. Let’s get that #1 seed!

[@JdeC1994]

"Detroit is doing better than ever nowadays" Uh, no. 🙄🙄

[@kennethross786]

Good ole Memphis. I began to lose confidence that they were on the list as the countdown went on, but they didn't let me down. I find it interesting that three of the cities on this list (New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis) are all on the Mississippi River. These cities won't completely die, because the river is still a viable means of transportation, but with trains & trucks the river's importance is certainly less than it once was.

[@geraldobrien7323]

Well, all three have another thing in common.

[@BankC6969]

This might be one of the best comments sections I’ve seen on KZbin! Thanks everyone and Briggs and Co! 💯💯💯

[@PrepareToTakeoff]

lets gooo new briggs upload!!

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Let's Goooooooo!

[@alexanderpeterson3864]

The music you use to introduce the cities is both deeply unsettling yet hilarious

[@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5]

It’s peanuts to lose even 50,000 people when there is 8.3 million people! Even Los Angeles that 20k loss is actually helping them

[@labased2539]

As long as its mostly transplants that go back, I'm fine with it.

[@djavalo77]

Left Chicago in 2023 after 46 years. Moved my family to Texas. Didn't leave because of crime. Left because chicago was too expensive, too corrupt, and too cold lol. Now we have better quality of life.

[@Grogu01]

What part of Texas and how are you liking it so far? Still debating Texas but I hear health care isn’t as good, and property taxes are high

[@djavalo77]

@Grogu01 I'm in the Dallas area, about 30 minutes north of Dallas. Love it here. Hate the drivers, though. Terrible drivers here. Medical has been fine for me and my wife. About the same as it was in Chicago. Homes and property taxes are criminal here. However, there are no state taxes. So with good money management taxes aren't too bad an issue. They have many different utility providers, too. You can shop around until you find one that works for you. Our electric is on the higher side because we have a pool. But not much more than it was in Chicago without a pool. Just make sure you do your homework. There are other states with lower cost of living. Dallas is a bit expensive, but not as much as Chicago.

[@arthuradonizio7762]

Better quality of life? In TexAss? I doubt it.

[@MJ-rl7pj]

​@@Grogu01Know that utilities are high and you'll run the AC 9 or 10 months.

[@corrosivedevourer]

@@djavalo77 Yes, drivers in Texas are so bad! lots of reckless speeders and road rage!

[@melsyr10]

Great video Briggs!! I always give you a thumbs up 👍 before watching

[@lindajacquot5391]

Me too

[@thomasdeansfineart149]

Cleveland may be cold, ugly, and shrinking, but it has one of the country’s great art museums and a symphony orchestra that has long been among the very greatest on the planet. It’s not fair to judge the city by its sports scene. The arts bring in far more money to a community than sporting events and attended/visited by more people (according to The Hill newspaper). It’s great to have sports and arts, but judge Cleveland on its arts not its sports.

[@hakeemsd70m]

Cleveland has a lot of problems, and nearly all of them are from city government management. If the government wasn't so divided, backwards, segregationist, and corrupt, Cleveland could flourish. The city has mass potential. I personally love Cleveland, and my heart feels for their struggles.

[@truck_yeah_440]

Grasping at straws are we? Nobody gives a shit about a freaking orchestra except a select few pretentious hoity-toity types. I was born and raised in Northeast Ohio and lived downtown for the past 4 years. I work as a trucker and drive all over the city all day long. It is a rundown rusted weathered ugly drab gray doomy gloomy dreary depressing crumbling negative hopeless ghetto trash dump. Take a trip to Miami or L.A. for one day and see just how far behind Cleve-Burg is. It's looks like how I would imagine Eastern Europe and Mother Russia look.

[@michaeldavis5918]

Another great video Briggs and I just got to say in general for all of your videos thank you kind sir for all that you do I feel like I learn alot from your videos :)

[@djohnson9083]

Just started listening to your channel. I like it!

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Glad you do!

[@JeanStAubin-nl9uo]

Suckage - you crack me up with the words you use/invent. Thank you!

[@NihilistSolitude]

I'm in the outskirts of a GOP run city and it population has been growing by nearly 1% every year since the 00s. No idea what your talking about on GOP run cities shrinking.

[@mtgpackrat7945]

For New York City, you forgot the sky high crime that might be causing people to leave. If you are not religious, you might end up being religious after you move there. Praying to make it home safe every night.

[@recordcastle1118]

Philthydelphia, Pa has gotten progressively worse since the 1980s. Except for two small areas that are a few miles in diameter, 90 percent of the city keeps deteriorating. Fiscal mismanagement/waste, defunding/crime and attitude, in that order, are the prime culprits. Those same issues seem to plague most cities these days.

[@coldjay6421]

Center City and the surrounding neighborhoods, South Philly, University City, northwest Philly, and the northeast are doing fine. The city is going to finish this year with one of its lowest homicide rates since the 1960s. Sounds like you are clueless about Philly

[@chrisradano]

I've lived my entire life in the 'burbs. With all of Philly's problems, it's not on this list. My whole life, I've heard people from all over dump on Philly. But after all, Philly avoids a quite a few of Briggs' sh*t lists.

[@brandyrodgers4329]

I'm north of Pittsburgh, n Pittsburgh is getting worse as well

[@arnoldjones2435]

I’m very surprised Seattle isn’t on this list. The homelessness went up by 18% (according to the Seattle Times). They have 8 months of gray, it’s not friendly and the rent and taxes are increasing because. Of the light rail expansion, you can make good money but. For me it wasn’t worth it anymore.

[@BankC6969]

It’s still growing would be my guess? I know that Washington is one of the fastest growing states still. I left Denver (I miss it bad!) to live near family in Chicago. I’m making the best of it. Schools are absolutely amazing here and the union jobs are great around here. It’s blue collar mixed with white collar and the “class” difference is striking. Ok, off the soapbox! lol 😂

[@joshuasanders6375]

Even with all the problems Seattle has, it’s still gaining in population. It has everything people are looking for, high paying jobs, stable economy, culture, night life, diversity and endless bikini baristas

[@franciscobuenrostro3891]

Seattle is still growing. I like in the Bay Area and I knew several people who’s goal was to move to Seattle

[@genxtechguy]

It has its problems, but it has a strong economy and is still growing.

[@andyjay729]

@@joshuasanders6375 Wait until Boeing collapses. Yeah, they still have Amazon and Microsoft, but one of the big employers disappearing will still be a disaster.

[@ajsimms3683]

Happy New Year Briggs! Thank you for a great year of interesting facts, entertainment, and laughs! 🎉🎉🎉

[@user-sk5nq7dk6i]

Briggy, just another Masterful work by your genius.

[@oldrrocr]

big cities - BAD! ... yep, pure genius.

[@AA_dagr8t]

You should do a video about the worst and best roads in the country, that would be interesting.

[@rbworleywrites]

Waco, Texas would have to be on that list.

[@Freshamker23]

Detroit actually did change their outlook as far as budget and population very recently

[@ratbrat9978]

As a Minnesotan, after being forced to work in new Orleans for 14 months, I call it the "Big Sleazy".

[@Cam-vz2zk]

Honestly parts of Minneapolis are not much better....less humidity though.

[@Tay-xd7wb]

We relocated from Iowa to New Orleans and love it.

[@RoseGrace100]

@@Cam-vz2zkMinneapolis has turned to slums and crime.

[@BtmBoy-q7l]

Great video thx for posting

[@MazinAlyasiry]

High cost of living, high taxes, high crime rates, increasing homelessness, failure to contain natural disasters. All of these reasons can be solved by the government.. But the government is interested in the absurdities around the world, and forgets all these problems!!

[@BlakeFerret]

Looking to the government to solve these problems is the reason almost all of these problems persist.

[@r.pres.4121]

The military industrial complex controls the government so the priorities is starting more wars and ignoring all other serious problems.

[@Julia3455-r5l]

I am fleeing Las Vegas. It's too crowded and loud. I still prefer NYC over Vegas.

[@hectorcardenas2171]

How dumb! No one can “contain natural disasters”! 😂

[@boethius1812]

Government can contain natural disasters?

[@PCAGA2298]

St. Louis, it was dying 20-30 years ago. Can’t even imagine what it is like now 😢

[@theoryofclubs-bv8gy]

Honorary Mention: Shreveport, LA Why I bought a house here? I'm sure even I'll never know.

[@scotthackman861]

Thanks for mentioning San Francisco having less homeless. They have really improved that lately.

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

You're welcome.

[@njnikusha]

NYC is absolutely insane. One bedroom in BK runs 2K on average

[@enkinightmare3881]

Should be higher. I am guessing low wage/skill jobs pay like what an hour? Rent should match.

[@AK47BLACKice]

You sure it’s not more than that? In south Florida, it’s more than that.

[@tylercanton3836]

Thank gentrification. A 2 bedroom in Brooklyn back 20 years ago in 2005 was 850. A one Bedroom on average is $2,000, hell even a studio is like $1,700 or better.

[@sequence54]

As you partially alluded to after your initial mistake, Detroit is not losing people. It has been slowly gaining people for at least 3 years (read what Duggan came forward with regarding census problems and estimates vs. postal data) more likely 4 years, and it's accelerating. And it's not just downtown that is really nice these days - even Midtown was completely renewed and beautiful 8 years ago, and today, there are at least another nine major neighborhoods that are fully rebuilt, clean, well-policed, and gaining young college grads. Is Detroit's comeback a slow process? - absolutely. You try bringing back a city that was in population decline for 66 years, job decline for decades, and that's bigger than San Francisco, Manhattan, and Boston combined, that lacks the tax base of even one of those cities. Does Detroit deserve to be on your list? - absolutely not.

[@RCMPoui]

Those Duggan numbers are sketchy at best. There is no “acceleration” growth in Detroit. The majority of the nearly 1800 or so new residents in Detroit are migrants. I love my home town but I’d love to see some real progress, not bad promotion by the city.

[@JdeC1994]

Do you actually live in Detroit proper?🤔 Or are you yet another booster that's never actually lived in Detroit (and never will)?🤨

[@RCMPoui]

@@JdeC1994 From 7 mile and Southfield. Any other questions? You should stop by and tell me how much change has happened.

[@JdeC1994]

@@RCMPoui My questions were for VanguardShags.

[@JdeC1994]

@@RCMPoui I wasn't asking you.

[@mattstansbeary3068]

Can not wait for 2025. That being Said Happy Holidays Briggs.

[@davidtardio9804]

What I am still trying to figure out is how so many people can leave a city like San Francisco or Chicago and yet the home prices don’t go down. The same could be said about cities not on this list, like Portland, OR

[@davidgreenhow7811]

I live in Seattle which will probably be on Briggs' list if he does a similar top 10 video next year. He addressed this issue when he was talking about New York. It will probably take decades before rent prices actually fall due to population loss; in the meantime, the best we can hope for is that they will increase by decreasing percentages.

[@alexphilipose1351]

1. Illegal immigrants 2. Restrictive Zoning laws that prevent new housing from being built

[@austintrousdale2397]

@@alexphilipose1351 Private equity upvoted your comment

[@bigbud8182]

@@alexphilipose1351Other poor people are the biggest problem? Not private equity and Wall Street? Not to mention we still haven’t recovered from the 08 crash when it comes to building houses, and now a lot of these firms are buying up the houses and charging disgusting amounts for rent.

[@elwoodblues9613]

I echo what others have written: percentage change says more. A city of 3,600K losing 20K isn't as big as a city of 400K losing 7.8K.

[@michaeloptv]

I was awaiting Philadelphia, was surprised it never came! 🤔😧😬

[@HowerShawn]

Cleveland is losing population, but definitely not dying. People who move in are bringing in more money.

[@christopherdieudonne]

Exactly! I hear that while the city is losing population, the downtown area is increasing

[@CarnalDustin]

The suburbs are doing well too. I’m in Lakewood and they treat asking prices on the houses like a starting bid.

[@vinauttv7167]

I miss you saying “Stop typing.” That phrase is iconic.

[@StephenAcree-e9c]

I have lived in the City of St. Louis for most of my life. The streets do suck but I have never been the victim of a crime and I live in a beautiful Victorian neighborhood. I love both Baltimore and New Orleans. I guess it takes all kinds!

[@WilliamKilduff-d4i]

Who the HELL can worry about sports in times like these.

[@Gypsygirl9]

Briggs, keep an eye on what's happening in FL. The next 2 years will see people leaving in droves due to unafforadable home owners insurance.

[@PCAGA2298]

Not surprised about Cleveland, Ohio either 😢

[@truck_yeah_440]

I'm surprised it was that low on the list. Should easily be at least top two if not number one. Cleveland has the combination of all the negative things of other cities. Took a weekend trip to Miami recently and found a place that is the polar opposite of Cleveland in every way.

[@420BlackBird-r6q]

I live in NYC since 1984 and each year it gets more and more crowded. I was so happy during COVID lockdown. The peace and quiet was unlike anything I feel before living and working here. I use to hate getting on the subway or bus because it is a madhouse. It still is but less so. I love it now. But the prices are way too high. And the CCP Chinese took over Flushing. I hate that. Use to be more Tawanese and Hong Kong venders.

[@A_Lion_In_The_Sun]

I think they moved out to little neck.

[@laomei1855]

Escape from New York Trivia - it was filmed in downtown St. Louis and they didn't have to set the stuff on fire. It was already burning. You can actually make out Union Station as the Duke's base and the boxing ring with barbed wire ropes fight scene was filmed inside the Fox Theater which was derelict at the time.

[@edljnehan2811]

Show you right😅 I was going to bring up that movie Escape to New York was actually St Louis. When I need a break from the crime and violence I take a vacation by leaving St Louis and going to Chicago which is only around 300 Mi away😅

[@SeedlessWatermelon]

Not concerning the metro area, Lincoln, NE is now more populated than St. Louis.

[@ingridjenner6946]

I was raised 60 miles east of st Louis in Illinois, I would rather live in the bfe than the city

[@freestateofgrizzy1937]

You probably live in Litchfield or Stauton IL. We already know what you look like.

[@TheMightyCookieShow]

My wife and I went to New Orleans I don't know about 10 years ago couple years after Katrina came through we were considering moving their. It became an immediate no-go for me. I did not feel safe at any moment when we were in this town and I had a constant feeling that I was being watched.

[@jondoe5338]

I was there a couple years ago. Heard some good things, was excited for downtown bar scene. But that place is a dump. Endless potholes, heavy traffic, and so many places I feel like I needed a bullet proof vest to walk through

[@mattdunn1644]

You weren’t in the right parts then.

[@LASLOEGRI]

Thank you for posting chapters!

[@jerryrichardson2799]

Animaniacs: "Are we dead? Or is this Ohio?" My sister lives in a Cleveland suburb and teaches at a public school in the city.

[@scotthackman861]

Your images of LA were beautiful.

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

Thanks!

[@ericknutson7837]

Sadly Internet Shopping, retail theft, and lack of appeal destroyed Large City Retail. Travelers would go to these cities for shopping and the experience. Chicago Marshall Fields, Carson Pirie Scott. New York Barneys. All relics of a time gone.

[@cur244]

Americans would be better off listing to the first 30 seconds of this video. It's pointless to say blue cities blah blah when 96% of cities are blue. States are far more split and of course cities with 3million people will have more crime than towns of 300. It's basic logic, but the vast majority of Americans have no life and that's why they obsess with politics. The truth is both parties have a ton of problems.

[@GringoGeorge]

I spent most of my life in the Cleveland area and only recently escaped. I'm 62 and it has been in a state of continuous decline my entire life. My father worked downtown and it was nice back then. They had plenty of department stores downtown and it was reasonably safe. Those nice stores have all closed up a long time ago. They put a casino in one of the empty ones. The city is rundown and lots of crime. The mafia used to make sure that Little Italy was safe so that people would go to all the restaurants there. They apparently gave up because street crime has moved in. The sad thing is the decline is spreading. The inner ring suburbs where I spent my childhood used to be safe and have good schools. Now, the violent crime in these areas mirrors that of Cleveland. People are even getting carjacked in their own driveways and at shopping centers. I talked with the owner of a chain of tuxedo stores. He told me he closed his outlets in these areas due to due to the crime and decay. The rot all keeps moving out. And don't even get me started on the city of East Cleveland. lol

[@DiscoveryGlobeLifeDocumentaryY]

It’s surprising to see so many people leaving these U.S. cities in 2025, raising questions about what’s driving the exodus. Whether it’s skyrocketing living costs, rising crime, or lack of opportunities, each city seems to have its own story of struggle. This documentary only highlights the reasons behind these departures but also sparks ideas for improving the quality of life and retaining residents.

[@gew9487]

Beyond sickening how the destruction is occurring! 🤬🤬

[@shabushi1997]

Thanks for time stamps

[@LeonNikkidude]

30k out of over 8 million is not a big loss of population!

[@williamwilkins3084]

If the trend keeps on going and growing it will be.

[@A_Lion_In_The_Sun]

​@@williamwilkins3084not if texas and florida keep sending their migrants up to us.

[@user-wc8fp4cx6c]

The man has to get clicks.

[@daveteixeira9195]

He’s doing overall numbers not percentages, so it is a lot of people.

[@LeonNikkidude]

@daveteixeira9195 30k strait number out of 8.1 million strait number is just not that much people as portion of the total NYC population

[@JR-gh8lp]

As a New Yorker, this is welcomed news ❤

[@john-o1g9p]

raised in columbus. cleveland was always known as the mistake on the lake and the football team was the cleveland bungles. good to see they are carrying on the traditions.

[@brandyrodgers4329]

😂😂😂😂😂 mistakes on the lake 😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@hakeemsd70m]

I thought Bungals was the nickname for the Cincinnati Bengals.

[@kyledrexel]

I lived in Baltimore for one year. It's the only place I would never, ever willingly live again. I very nearly got crimed by random guys in a van who were looking for trouble, and the girl I was with pissed them off (a first date... gone wrong).

[@user-pw3ki4hx6l]

Thanks! You Rock..So informative

[@firemarshal24]

Your assessment is wrong. You forgot Jacksonville, FL; Miami, FL (sinking into the ocean); Little Rock, Arkansas; Dallas,TX; Oklahoma,OK; Knoxville, TN; and Mobile, AL. All poor cities with no industry and infrastructure. Florida road infrastructure is a huge mess. Highways are parking lots instead of roadways.

[@lissfirefly9517]

I live in a small-ish city, the whole metro area is about 700,000 people. I wouldn't want to live in a place any bigger than this. But with the rise of remote working, people are willing and able to leave the large cities.

[@blakerascon7745]

Some cities I would add are: Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Milwaukee, and Portland.

[@kingbeezy7396]

I live in Milwaukee and it’s actually growing and kinda rapidly… they’re building so many expensive apartments condos and houses everywhere… so many jobs that’s hiring here too

[@washingtondc9290]

DC Population is growing again

[@chadcolton528]

I had the fortune of going on 2 tours of the entire North American continent during 2007-2010 during which I visited every city (for 1 week each lap, so most cities 2x). It becomes very clear which cities have possibility and which cities are on an unrecoverable downward spin. It’s interesting to note which cities recovered then vs which are still on this list and won’t be coming off any time soon. I recall noticing in 2007-2010 that Charlotte, Greenville, Grand Rapids MI, Colorado Springs, Boise, Knoxville, Columbia SC, Omaha, and some others were on an upswing and not just one based on the booster campaigns run by the local chamber of commerce. Other cities like Jacksonville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Des Moines, and Tampa has a lot of potential to offer and time continues to tell. Some places like Memphis, Detroit, Cleveland, Baltimore, and the big cities (LA, CHI, NYC, STL) have nowhere to go but down. The main takeaway I found then which hold true today is that it takes a lot of time and effort to bring a city up, but they can go down in just a couple years 😢

[@decolonizeEverywhere]

I imagine it might be difficult every once in awhile to rent a U-Haul or a moving truck in La seeing as how so many people are doing it just to live in them because they can't afford their apartments. Kind of puts a new Twist on the phrase rent with the option to buy.

[@TrevorRobertKelk-bq6zn]

Mr Briggs love your descriptions!! And excellent voice, and very sarcastic tones!!! Hahaha much love to all from Trev in Yorkshire ❤😂😂😂😂😂❤

[@r.pres.4121]

The good news is that Cincinnati OH, Pittsburgh PA, Buffalo NY, and Newark NJ didn’t appear on this list. Also Boston MA didn’t appear on this list as well.

[@aidanschram9652]

Cincinnati is a pretty decent place to live. Moved there from California 3 years ago and I’ve been fairly happy living there. It may not satisfy people who are used to all the entertainment of a big city though

[@hakeemsd70m]

​@@aidanschram9652It's very expensive to live in Cincinnati right now and the job market straight up sucks. The transportation system is a joke, and wealthy people killed any chance of commuter rail, which this city desperately Nashville has a train you can get around on, but Cincinnati does not? Huge problem. Also, local businesses can't seem to stay open. The death of Frisch's is one of the city's greatest mistakes. The segregationist policies haven't changed much either. Life is better in the Cincy suburbs though.

[@vlads.9972]

I think it would be more appropriate to compare the percentage - people leaving in relation to the city population, i think Memphis would be #1 Chicago wouldn't even make the list. Still enjoyed the video though.

[@BankC6969]

As a fellow Chicago resident I think that the suburbs are shrinking but Chicago seems to still be growing…

[@rossengland2024]

Looking good Briggs

[@dvferyance]

Not even the 49ers play in San Francisco anymore.

[@WorldAccordingToBriggs]

There are a lot of teams that don’t play in the actual city they are named for.

[@AJ42K]

Tampa Bay Rays play in St. Petersburg- uhhh...I mean now Homeless.

[@A_Lion_In_The_Sun]

​@@WorldAccordingToBriggsthe Jets, the Giants...

[@nothat0therguy992]

Now here's a city video I'm interested in

[@joshuagarner1654]

I feel ive seen this topic tens times already

[@Sunset-chaser777]

😂right?

[@JTSLJR]

I clicked on this and thought I accidentally landed on Faux news…

[@iosadiaye]

😂

[@Zenas521]

About Detroit, when are they going to get Robocop?

[@MrKgBizzle]

Soon we all will have them

[@Zenas521]

@@MrKgBizzle I don't think their are enough Murphys to go around.

[@MrKgBizzle]

@@Zenas521 there are once Elon gets the chips in heads and robotics in every household

[@Mr.Condoluci]

And literally everyone moved to Colorado so now I have to move out. Thanks all you on the top 10 xD

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

I have not been to the USA, nor, therefore, to Cleveland. Nevertheless, I maintain FAITH in the city. The Cleveland Symphony remains one of the finest orchestras in the world. That must count for something positive, something significant in Cleveland's favour. People who go to LA to become famous are very naive. They were naive in 1930 and they are naive now in 2024. Thank you for the video!

[@Susan-id5xj]

Yep, it's a nice city. I only travel to Cleveland for concerts, plays, sports, gaming, and shopping. Living in a rural area, the only problem I've had was parking. I got ticket but it was only $25! So much cheaper than Minneapolis and Denver for example.

[@VERT1220]

As a Clevelander I hated my visit to Detroit lol

[@hollywoodteee]

I knew Memphis would make the list

[@xuke3cn]

Absolute numbers are not a good measure. The number of loss as a percentage of population reflects the reality much better

[@judeshort9447]

Lots of people in St. Louis are moving to the suburbs like 30 to 45 minutes outside downtown. Lots of great things to do in the city, people just don’t like living close to downtown

[@timothykeith1367]

Saint Louis suburbs can be very nice

[@truthBreal2030]

I don’t like St. Louis or its suburbs. It’s pedestrian and backwards. I also think the vibe is weird and slow. One of my least favorite cities.

[@e-rock6946]

Same with Cleveland. Some stay in the city of "Cleveland" but move out of downtown or further away from it, or they move to the suburbs. The question should be is "Where are these people going?" They may be staying in this area, but just moving out of the main city

[@sjambler]

To paraphrase Yogi Berra: nobody lives there any more, it's too crowded.

[@joelclaus288]

If you are LA and have 3 million people, 20,000 moving out isn’t in the same percentage-wise as Memphis losing 20,000 people.