Before the 1980’s and Reaganism, one could afford a modest but nice home with a modest income. Since then inflation has destroyed the Middle Class (with no help from corporations moving jobs overseas to exploit labor, there) and now you need two large incomes to buy a starter home. It’s disgusting. 😠
The thing about those houses those houses are not abandoned, the people who probably grew up in that house or lived in that house moved off the bigger and better things, it's not all gang related in drug-related. People move away and never return!
I grew up in the hood in Monroe. I’m in Monroe at this very moment. We just had a shooting ending in fatalities. I pray everyone here turn to GOD. It’s ALOT of civilized, hardworking, loving ppl and families here as well..
I live maybe 50 miles North of Monroe now and y'all are so correct. It was a beautiful city in the 60s and 70s. Those times are long gone. I'm only 65 now. So sad to see this now!
Yeah what group are you referring to? It has always been prominently black. I've lived here 55 yrs. All the funds for upkeep go to the YT side of town. There's a YT mayor now so what's the problem with the city? Jamie Mayo (black man) was mayor from 2005 til 2021. There's only 46k and some change in people West Monroe is less than 20 K. Idk what metro area this guy is talking about with over 200k.
Your channel is my world tour. I’m in England but have a lifelong fascination for the US. Always dreamed I’d find my American true love and move across for a new life…but wasn’t to be. I’m too old for such flights of fancy now but I can travel through my phone thanks to your wonderful videos. Just fascinating, soothing too…and I just love the cats you meet on the way xx thank you
I've been a truck driver for more than 40 years. I have spent the night in Monroe many many times. I never imagined crime was that bad. I'll definitely look at it differently now.
I live 30 minutes from Monroe and had heard this about it being the most violent. Although, I have never been on any of the streets he went down- I pretty much do my business and get on down the road.
Imagine living here in Monroe and not know about the crime rate. He's not far from my house. I live downtown Monroe. I cross that bridge over into West Monroe. I grew up in New Orleans and shocked Monroe is higher on the list than New Orleans, Shreveport and Baton Rouge. Weird, I thought this was a semi quiet little town 🤣🤣. I guess it depends on the neighborhood you live in. I have visited USA towns looking for a small town and settled here. I been here since 2014 and no problems. The only gunfire I hear is on the 4th of July and New Year's which is drowned out by the fireworks on the Riverfront.
@@chrissyg55 Going through Monroe on I-20. Going east. If you look to the right , there is a building with a small pink house on the roof. That has always got my attention when I drive through there. Do you know the history of that ?
I really feel for those who are working hard to keep their homes nice when they have complete eyesores next door that they can't do anything about. You can easily see what a pretty town it once was.
Watching your videos showing the poverty areas in America I just can't help but wonder how is America are able to give away $100 billion to Ukraine but have nothing for poverty in our own country!!!
Have nothing for poverty in this country? Do you have any idea how much we spend for the welfare of our poor people? Every city in this country spends a significant amount of money for welfare. Ukraine is doing the world a service by fighting Russia's sick dictator.
You realize that $100 billion wouldn't be used to rebuild Monroe Louisiana, right? It would probably just be added to the TRILLION dollar military budget, or else end up lining the pockets of politicians, lobbyists and CEOs
Wrong, politicians. Red, blue, or otherwise, they are the exact cause of this. If you haven’t noticed I’ll give you a hint, fragile child, voting and elections are fake as fake can be.
Went to college there. It was a culture shock for me. Living in ‘gunroe’ will make you appreciate wherever you came from. One thing that stood out to me when living there was the amount of stray dogs and missing street signs that never got replaced.
So out of all the things to notice about why Monroe is an extremely dangerous place, you chose stray dogs and missing street signs? That's the best you could do? "You gotta watch those MISSING SIGNS, they'll murder you on sight!! 🤡" Nice detective work, champ. Sherlock Holmes over here..
@@JakeKoenigI am born and raised in Louisiana. Pretty much the most dangerous state. Went to public school. Poverty everywhere, I’ve seen it. Just not on this level. Just an observation. The takeaway is that the city cannot afford the services to impound strays or change street signs. If you knew anything about geography and socioeconomics, you would know that these are the signs that it is in decay….
It's the poverty of morals that's the problem. The Mississippi delta is the poorest area in the US and has the best ppl. They are rich in spirit and humanity
Dude, love your video's! English is not my first language, but you talk clearly, slowly and it's soo easy to understand everything! This is great stuff and well organized! Continue your good work!
I was born in Monroe in 1971, lived on South 7th. Was a great place. I have been back several times over the years, it' appalling what it has become. You can't help those who refuse to help themselves.
Memphis TN was the highest for the longest time. This is a total shocker to me. What i love about Joe's videos is that he always has the map inserts pointing to the area he talks about. That way it gives some reference to where he is current in his drive.
When I was a kid, (late sixties early seventies) my mother would get a AAA TripTik for road trips. I was the navigator, keeping track of the exit numbers, scenic stops, and tourist attractions. I loved those maps. 😊 I do love my Google maps too.😂😂
@klwthe3rd - the cities tend to trade places every year or so. Last year, it was East Saint Louis. The year before, it was Detroit. Oakland, Baltimore, and Kansas City often take the lead.
Sad to see this. My job took me from my suburban Chicago home to Monroe for two days back in the late 90's. Outside of working hours, I made a point of getting out and around. I found the people far more friendly than people in and around Chicago ever were. Not everyone was outgoing, but everybody I met seemed to be at least respectful towards strangers -- and usually kind. (No, I didn't just go to the "nicer" places, either.) I will always fondly remember Monroe for the people in my experience there. I hope that the crime problems get under control. Most people there deserve so much better.
The south is generally more friendly - overall. I was born in New Orleans. There seems to be less friction between "factions" than in other parts of the country. Maybe it is superficial - I don't know.
The South gets stereotyped to no end. The people down there are generally very friendly. I’m from Mpls, and I feel the same way. The military took me to the south for a year, and the people seemed a lot more down to earth than people from my home city.
Home sweet home!!! Welcome to "Funroe"!!! I've lived here for the past 13 years... moved here from Houston, TX back in 2011. After 13 years, if I had to choose, I'd stay here. Not saying it isn't bad here, but its not as bad as this in all areas. If you'd spent more time on the north side of town... north of Forsyth, that would have been more evident. Glad to see you did end the video with a lunch Fontenot's! Just had dinner there Thursday night. Great place. Loveed the video and do enjoy your channel.
I have enjoyed living in Monroe in the last 10 years. I won't say it doesn't have its problems but I think a lot of them could be solved if the attitude was different.
Same here, I bailed out at 18 also, I lived in Natchitoches parish, but not the town, just very rural, way in the country, loved it, but nothing to do, what’s so sad to me is most of my friends still live there, just doing nothing, living day to day, no inspiration to do anything with their lives, I live in Houston, great life
Louisiana has alot of ungodly problems, i dont blame you. State has so much culture and potential but has been mismanaged into the ground to the point its usually top 3 in political corruption.
I was driving along I-20 and stopped at the mall in Monroe just to pick up a few things. I was so frightened inside that mall. I felt I was being followed or stalked and that people were going to mug me. I found a security guard in a shop who walked me to my car. Thank you SIR...I've never stopped again in Monroe. Truly felt safer in NOLA!
I felt that way in a mall in Indianapolis in the early 90's. It even seemed like if someone started something, the stores' employees would jump in. My husband and 2 little boys (3 & 5) were with me. We got out of there quickly. It may have been the last time I went in any mall in any town I have been to since!
You know a city is bad when someone feels safer in New Orleans. That's like escaping a Grizzly bear cage and getting in a tiger cage. It's technically a little safer because the bear is the larger carnivore, but you're still probably going to die.
I never go to that Mall…. Too dangerous …. There are certain areas that I travel in …. Sorry you had to experience that…. Monroe has been classified as one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S….so sad…..
Monroe is my hometown. It used to be much safer in the 90's. Some things to add: most of the gun violence is unfortunately young people in their teens and early 20's. Lack of resources (limited public transportation and jobs) adds to the crime rate. Another thing to note is that while it is a high poverty area, our tax rate is 10.999% with city, state and federal tax. We also had a surplus in city funds, but I'm not sure what projects it went into. As for all of the trash, there is no city recycling center, and it is why Monroe lost the bid for a Toyota plant years ago. I love my hometown, and I hope it will improve someday.
My family is from Louisiana and this is VERY accurate! Whenever my mom was angry with me growing up, she would always threaten to send me back to Louisiana...great to visit, but horrible to live.
I have several cousin's and an aunt from Louisiana. One lives in Vegas now, and my aunt and her two daughters live in the San Francisco bay area. I don't think any of them have ever been back to Louisiana. Can't say I blame them.
I had a run in with the KKK in Monroe in 1967 at a nite club I was playing at. We had a black singer in the band which was taboo at the time. We were on stage in the middle of a song and 5 members of the clan came in, in full KKK attire, they walked right up to the stage and told us to get that you know what outta here. If he's not gone in one hour, you guys will never see him again. Needless to say we packed up our eqiprment and left.
Houston, Tx 1974. A black man came into a club with a white woman. They were dancing and the police came onto the dance floor, picked up the black man and carried him out of the place. Must have been 50 witnesses to totally silent cops remove a human being. Bartender said he called the cops because he ain't having any of "them" in his place. It shocked me. I didn't live there. Blatant racism. Then a Sheriff told me access to the river is why crime is low.... "Bad folk can't swim." America still has much healing to do....and education. God created us all.
Don't travel any more, but I've always preferred the road less traveled, the mom and pop cafes, and coming into cities on the old roads. It's always interesting to look at old buildings and recall or imagine what they were like in their heyday...Your videos have carried that on into my later years and I greatly enjoy them... My dad as a teen made two trips to California from Indiana, with his large family in their Packard, on the brand new Route 66 in the 1920s. I think of the things he saw that are gone or in ruins today, and the places he saw before the ruins we see today were even built...
It's taking me 2 days just to load my SUV but road trips are great, but less frequent. Found the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, Tx. Small town, excellent food. Bought their cookbook for the pie secrets. Then a year later they got a National award for the Best in USA cafes. Never know what the backroads will show you. America is so awesome.
Years ago there was a mall cantina, in Pie Town New Mexico,great food,and the lady that ran the place could of been a movie star,this was thirty years ago,we were elk hunting!
We travel RTE 5 from CT to New Hampshire. The places we've found to eat and shop we would never have found on the highway. We even came across a Drive-In movie theater in Vermont.
Man, we’ve always known that Monroe was bad, but it was always home. I’ve since moved after graduating from LaTech in the Summer of ‘23, but there’s always a part of me that wants to go back. Hopefully we’ll start to see real change at some point, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Thanx Nicole and Joe 4 another informative road trip. Never ceases 2 amaze me what happens in the cities across this country. Very sad on some occasions. The food did look good . B safe on ur travels.
Two different gang members ran into each other and started shooting. Both had stolen guns. MSM didn’t give a description so I know they. Weren’t White. If they were white you’d know for sure. If you don’t believe this start paying close attention. They’ll get labeled too !
Members of two gangs ran into each other. Both had stolen guns. Started shooting. No description so I know they weren’t White. MSM always tells you if they’re White. Start paying attention, you’ll see .
You are my favorite youtube channel for this type of content. You don't try to degrade the towns you visit you just state the facts. You narration is also informative ane relaxing. Keep up the good work. I also love it when you point out the cats.
Really impressed with your presentation. So many other touring videos seem to throw in a bunch of local trivia just for the sake of filler, but the stuff you include is actually quite interesting. Also nice, clean, smooth camera work and clear narration.
As you start the film, you pass by locomotive that was painted in Kansas City Southern colors to honor fallen flag railroads. It is really quite beautiful.
I had to look into this after reading your comment. The Kansas City Southern still passes a few miles from here, with the name on the locomotives. I guess they will paint them soon. I saw a couple a few days ago. They've done with the trains what they've done with every type of business... everything is blah now.
I grew up in this town… moved to Calif… spent 30 yrs there moved back to Monroe.. and was in for a rude awakening upon returning…. Thanks for always being mindful of the people who live in these towns… Your videos are a great source of information and you always capture the essence of the towns/cities/states that you and Nick are visiting!! Another Thumbs up!!!👍👍👍
@@zenajeans2698 - the shantytowns and astronomical crime rate. Businesses are fleeing some cities, resulting in plummeting real estate, both commercial and residential. Soon, those cities will be like Detroit, where the real estate is worthless.
louisiana is far more terrible than any california city lol. the corruption, racism, insane heat, guns and crime, poverty, lacks of jobs, the list goes on!@@AuroraBoarder1
I have relatives in West Monroe, who moved there from Monroe in the late 70's. My Aunt Rose Marie used to work in an office in the high rise building at 5:10. State Farm had a regional office there, and she was employed by them until about thirty years ago. Her family left early during the flight to West Monroe. When I was in high school it wasn't a bad place. Urban decay.
also this video is very a helpful for anyone who wants to go on a road trip / Vacation and who just happens to go through one of these cities to take extra precautions. Very informative. Thanks for sharing brother. stay safe out there man 👍
About 23 years ago I stayed the night in Monroe at a hotel. It was off the hook then with hookers, druggies and thieves. Someone tried getting into our room and some punk ass kid wanted to buy my pit bull from me. That’s one circus I will never stop at again.
I have watched a great number of your videos.They are clear, clean and unbiase. Only the facts, as they are presented. It has uncovered a lot of questions regaring the run of many of these cities and towns. My husband and I wish we could do something like this. You are showing America to the world. The nitty gritty! This is award winning work! Thank you both for your hardwork. Thank you!
Thank you again Joe for what you do! The Living Stats are necessary as part of your show. Sad and hopefully I’ll turn around! Still love the sound of the song birds at anytime in late winter and the birth of Spring around the corner! Take care and Drive safe!
A great video ! Some beautiful and unique looking buildings and homes ! The history of these cities and towns is always so fascinating ! Thanks so much, Joe and Nic, very much appreciated !😊❤
Another great video. You’re still my favorite travel channel on this web thing. LoL you show what other people don’t. I love it they way you show the good the bad the ugly. And as usual it’s all the stats, facts and trivia that does it for me. No one else does this. Though my personal favorites are the ones out west and especially my beloved west Texas. And the southwest. Please don’t change your format. Yours is unique and I like it. Safe travels my friend. Keep videoing I’ll keep watching
It's been a few years, but I remember there was a time that when you drove on I-20 just west on Monroe there was a notorious speed trap. Patrol cars would park and talk to each covering both east and west bound traffic. Every time I passed that area they always had someone pulled over. Texans always complained that they were hunting cars with Texas plates.
As someone from the U.K. this is fascinating. The difference in towns, cities, population density, even the difference in how dense the poverty is. Fascinating. Similar cultures but also completely different.
America is rapidly decaying. There is not much work that pays a wage or has benefits. Its not unique to the deep south but its more common. You can find cities and towns like this all over the USA.
Thanks again Joe and Nic for your brilliant filming and stats of Monroe etc....always an informative and easy watch, an historical index also. I cannot help but feel great sadness for the way America is going down into the abyss .
It's not just 'politics', its happening all over the western world, even Europe.... more development and economic opportunities are concentrating around urban areas, while the rural parts are dying on the vine. 100 years ago, 40% of the population lived on farms, and nowadays it's less than 2%.
Hard to believe that one area of the city is so dilapidated and the other side is so beautiful. What I like most are all the birds. Reminds me of the sounds of birds I used to hear in VA.
I truly enjoy your videos, your narrating is very soothing and polite even in the most despicable places! I like the rundown of numbers at the beginning as you enter a town as well, ti gives a perspective and I appreciate that.
I really enjoy your videos. They give an eye opening perspective on the whole country. This one in particular was especially informative. I have been to Chicago a few times and must say the downtown core and lakefront make it one of the most beautiful and culturally significant cities in America. We felt very safe in this zone so wasn't surprised by that stat.
The FBI violent crime rate for cities is deceptive because of the way PD's record crimes (and some don't report to the FBI at all, as is the case with Jackson, MS). The only reliable way to judge how violent a city is is by its homicide rate, which can't be covered up. Springfield and Tacoma, for instance, are nowhere near the top for homicides per capita. Jackson, which does not even appear on your lists, has one of the worst murder rates in the United States.
Your channel was in my recommendations and I’m pleased it was! I never watched a video like this before, very informative and interesting. So sad that there are so many abandoned homes and trash everywhere. Then you drive to another part of the city and the homes are beautiful. I never saw anything like it.
You are doing a good service to show parts of the country that are being forgotton. Thank you so much. It takes alot of effort and many skills to accomplish this.
A couple times a year I drive to Monroe to shop at the mall off I20. Always leave before dark, doing that for several years. Monroe reputation has been harsh for several years. There are good areas and bad areas and the residents have established their normal routes of travel to stay safe. Pretty sad.
Those numbers are brutal. I grew up in a bad city, mugged 3 times, knocked out twice, all between the ages of 16 and 21, and the VC numbers for that town are 450/100K. 2737 is NUTS!
We were doing paper mill projects just north in Crossett AR and staying in Monroe. The crew voted to get out of Monroe after 3 days. Ended up in Monticello AR. Monroe is nasty.
You're absolutely safe in the worst parts of Monroe.......During the day, that is. All the violent drug slingers/users are sleeping in the daytime. With that said, you made the right choice in not touring the downtown areas at night. It is still hard to believe that the city is more violent than Los Angeles or New Orleans, though.
What amazes me about this video is that while you were driving around there was only one pedestrian, the lady in the Garden District with the 3 dogs. Another thing I noticed is that there are several buildings in the downtown area that look just like Long Beach, California. The post office, that building with the water tower on top, and the art loft building. Total Long Beach. What a strange town. Thank's Joe!
Driving through the south last Spring, I ended up spending the night in Monroe. People were friendly, and the part of downtown I was in was a bit upscale and quite nice.
Another great video full of excellent research and observations - wonderful effort! Have you ever looked at Mason City, Iowa? Quite different than your current subject.
OK, so I live here in west Monroe, and the crime is bad in Monroe, in certain areas! That is one small part of monroe, we have lots of beautiful areas Monroe, not all of it is bad. We actually have beautiful neighborhoods here in Monroe, you were showing the old downtown part that was built in the 1920's or so. Also, our mall, Pecanland mall, is not bad at all! It's not full of crime and u don't have to worry you are going to be mugged!! I have lived here my whole life and actually worked at the mall for years and I have never had an issue. Our mall is beautiful and we have nice stores in it and all around it.
Thank you for spotlighting these stats. I live in Chicago. I am proud of my home and know there are far more dangerous places. They just don’t have politicians constantly calling them out. I’m not sure why tbh. I appreciate you setting the record straight.
Re: 10 most violent. Stands to reason generally. But Pueblo, kind of an oddity. Tacoma is somewhat understandable, being quite close to Seattle, so…. The rest on the list, no surprises.
Well, in Sweden, we have much more re-cycling of material. This means that most garbage is, in every city, transported to a place where all material is sorted out and re-processed to new material. This is a big business worth a huge amount of money. We have power plants burning on whatever is combustible at extreme high temperatures creating cheap energy (compared to uran, coal and oil). We have metal recycling, much cheaper than new mining. We re-use plastics several times. When you buy a soda bottle, you pay a fee at the purchase, which is returned when returning the bottle at recycling station. One day, when oil prices goes up over a certain point, someone will find out how much trash there is in these towns and make a fortune worth of re-cycling......😅
You're like Mr. Rogers of travelling to different neighborhoods. Looking through your lens and as our tour guide with historical facts gives your channel authenticity. This is like watching the History Channel in real time. Thanks for the travelling experiences and educational factor.
I grew up 30 miles east of Monroe. Living in Monroe and other towns in this area is like you are living in the 1960s. At one time, the south side of Monroe used to be predominantly white. Once black families started to move in, white families moved out. There are three segregation academies in Monroe. There is a lot about the city that you wouldn't know from the outside looking in, but there are a lot of good people of all races that live there. However, racism is a major issue in the city and that area. One of the best decisions I ever made was to move away. I only go back to visit my parents and my close friends.
Great vid I’ve been to Louisiana a few times years ago great people but as a state it does have a very high crime rate.Also you chose very good on your partner Wowza !
I'm new to your channel. And just had to say, I have enjoyed thr videos I have seen so far, informative, and my whole life I've enjoyed learning about all the states and city's we have here in the US. I'm 50 and been to 43 states, and lived in 22, some very briefly. Your video quality is outstanding, I don't know what camera you use, but I would buy one just on how great of quality I see in your videos. Good job. Off to watch more videos while I work grooming dogs lol
Great video! Love learning the history of these places. I cannot believe those high crime numbers. Wow! That's sad Happy travels. Waiting for this vid to hit a million views, BTW. LOL
there are quite a few of those drive by you tubers but this guy is the best.....facts , figures, maps a bit of history. Non judgemantal and a pleasant voice
My company is nominally based in Monroe. A few years ago they were trying to get us to move there. Almost nobody took them up on the offer and this is why.
@@kerrynight3271 CenturyTel had always been there. They bought the much larger company I worked for, became CenturyLink, bought another company and became Lumen. Everyone who really matters have always been in Denver. I think we just donated a bunch of that camps to Monroe.
Lumen Technologies is the company they’re referring to. As I understand it, most people who work for that company live in Sterlington or West Monroe or generally somewhere nearby nicer than Monroe.
Stop it with the food!!! Just kidding - you are making me homesick for southern sea food of all kinds. I was born in New Orleans and liven in Covington, La. My wife and I live in Wisconsin and there is no good southern anything here. Miss my red beans and rice, too!
In the summer, the heat and humidity drive everyone inside and I guess they are so out of the habit of walking that they don't do it in February either. I grew up in Louisiana and I was the only person in town who walked voluntarily.