What Happened to The Nation's Fastest Shrinking Cities?

14. Flint, Michigan

Mid-century Flint was once an American success story. Its population exploded after General Motors Co. was founded there in 1908. In 1936 workers at the factory initiated the country's first major sit-down strike, leading to the unionization of the auto industry and higher wages. However, today Flint is a shell of its former self. For years, Flint has ranked among the most poverty-stricken cities in the US. The water crisis has also left a devastating mark. Flint’s population fell below 100,000 for the first time since the 1920s. In the 2020 census, Flint’s population was listed at 94,762. In 1960, the city’s heyday, the population peaked at more than twice that number - around 196,900.