Last updated on April 22, 2015
After a recent drive through Cairo, Illinois (article forthcoming), and seeing the effects of decades of racial segregation and violence, and then economic decline and population loss, I wondered what other major and minor cities in the United States has experienced such steep and dramatic losses? Besides Cairo, Detroit and Wheeling, I asked my Facebook readers of other examples.
After a recent drive through Cairo, Illinois (article forthcoming), and seeing the effects of decades of racial segregation and violence, and then economic decline and population loss, I wondered what other major and minor cities in the United States has experienced such steep and dramatic losses? Besides Cairo, Detroit and Wheeling, I asked my Facebook readers of other examples.
Cairo, Illinois
- Peak Population: 15, 203 (1920)
- Recent Population: 2,831 (2010)
- % Change: -81%
- Timeframe: 90 years
Detroit, Michigan
- Peak Population: 1,849,568 (1950)
- Recent Population: 713,777 (2010)
- % Change: -61%
- Timeframe: 60 years
Buffalo, New York
- Peak Population: 580,132 (1950)
- Recent Population: 261,310 (2010)
- % Change: -55%
- Timeframe: 60 years
Wheeling, West Virginia
- Peak Population: 61,659 (1930)
- Recent Population: 28,486 (2010)
- % Change: -54%
- Timeframe: 80 years
Clarksburg, West Virginia
- Peak Population: 32,014 (1950)
- Recent Population: 16,578 (2010)
- % Change: -48.2%
- Timeframe: 60 years
New Orleans, Louisiana
- Peak Population: 627,525 (1960)
- Recent Population: 343,829 (2010)
- % Change: -45.2%
- Timeframe: 50 years
Huntington, West Virginia
- Peak Population: 86,353 (1950)
- Recent Population: 49,138 (2010)
- % Change: -43%
- Timeframe: 60 years
Charleston, West Virginia
- Peak Population: 85,796 (1960)
- Recent Population: 51,400 (2010)
- % Change: -40%
- Timeframe: 50 years
Rochester, New York
- Peak Population: 332,488 (1950)
- Recent Population: 210,565 (2010)
- % Change: -36.6%
- Timeframe: 60 years
Fairmont, West Virginia
- Peak Population: 29,346 (1960)
- Recent Population: 18,704 (2010)
- % Change: -36.2%
- Timeframe: 50 years
Gary, Indiana
- Peak Population: 178,320 (1960)
- Recent Population: 80,294 (2010)
- % Change: -54.97%
- Timeframe: 50 years
Do you have any other examples of cities that have seen such loss? Feel free to chime in below with the city or on the Abandoned Facebook page!
St. Louis
856,796 (1950)
319,294 (2010)
% change: -62.73%
Time Frame: 60 years
East St. Louis
82,366 (1950)
27,006 (2010)
% change: -67.21%
Time Frame: 60 years
Galena, IL
14,000 (1850)
3,429 (2010)
% change: -75.50%
Time frame: 160 years
Prypiat, Ukraine
50,000 (1986)
0 (1986)
% change -`100.00%
Time frame: one week
What are the numbers for Scranton, PA?
Mike
143,333 (1930)
76,089 (2010)
53% loss. Their population has stabilized, so I would expect that with their ongoing redevelopment projects that Scranton will see an increase for 2020.
Youngstown, Ohio
Peak population: 170,002 (1930)
Current population: 66,982 (2010)
% change: -60.60%
Timeframe: 80 years
Cleveland, Ohio
Peak population: 914,808 (1950)
Current population: 396,815 (2010)
% change: -56.62%
Time frame: 60 years
East Liverpool, Ohio
Peak population: 26,243 (1970)
Current population: 11,195 (2010)
% change: -57.34%
Time frame: 40 years
Welch, West Virginia
Peak population: 6,603 (1950)
Current population: 2,406 (2010)
% change: -63.56%
Time frame: 60 years
Shenandoah, Pennsylvania
Peak population: 25,774 (1910)
Current population: 5,071 (2010)
% change: -80.32%
Time frame: 100 years
I'm headed up toward Cairo next week and appreciate your photos and purpose. I plan to do some shots and wondered if you have any advice or things I need to consider about shooting there. Your commitment to this cause is both admirable and valuable.