Jackson, Mississippi Is The Worst Place I've Ever Seen 

We are giving billions of dollars of our taxpayer money to Ukraine and we have cities like Jackson, Mississippi that need serious help!

This is the future of ALL of America if we dont start holding our politicians accountable.

I am living in Bangladesh. It is a third-world country. You are saying Jackson, Mississippi is awful. But what I see, it looks like heaven to me. If I get a chance to live there, I will live happily, and every weekend I will clean the city's trash to keep it beautiful. God bless the USA; you guys are so blessed to be born in the USA."

The mayor is running for a third term. Why?? Apparently he hasn't done any good thing for the city. Oh, the pay check.

Requesting the federal government to help get rid of their corruption problem is like asking the mob to help clean up an organized crime problem.

I’m a Mississippi girl born and raised. I grew up in Jackson. And, it’s been getting worse year after year but of course people know why. It’s obvious. No person in their right mind regardless of race wants to live next to people who take no pride in themselves or their property. The working class moved away, taking their tax dollars with them. When you’re content living on government subsidies this is what you end up with……blight, crime, and failed infrastructure. Now those left behind blame those that moved away for the downfall. The people of Jackson have no way out of the hole that they themselves have dug. They could request federal help but there are so many corrupt politicians the money would never make it to the streets.

This is what the state government ignoring their citizens needs looks like.

It's a crying shame because the lush and beautiful vegetation would be just right if the homes were occupied, intact, and not boarded up. It would be a very nice place to live if it wasn't abandoned like it is.

A few years ago I had the occasion to stay in Jackson and while I was checking into my motel in the rain at night I accidently dropped $150 out of my pocket. A short time later I as going through the lobby and was called to the desk where there was standing two large gentlemen that said "that's her". They had seen me lose the money and turned it into the desk. It was my memory of Jackson.

I grew up in South Jackson. It was beautiful and vibrant. We were heartbroken when we were run out of our homes because of the crime. We had to move out to survive. It breaks my heart to see this because this was my home growing up in the 70 and 80’s. The city is corrupt. They pocket the money that is suppose to be used for the city.

I heard a pastor say one day ‘fix up your own backyard first before you go over seas’.

I moved to Germany over 20 years ago. At the time people asked me all of the time "Why did you come to Germany when everyone wants to live in the States?" No one asks anymore.

Literally a 3rd world country down there. Most apathetic place I’ve ever seen. As a truck driver (24 years), I’ve NEVER seen worse.

People have to stop thinking that politicians will fix anything and start doing for themselves.

Absolutely, positively no excuse for failing infrastructure. Water, sewer, roads, and garbage pickup is essential to every city for survival. Law enforcement is lacking in just about every aspect. It is a two way street here in that the city has obligations and the residents have obligations to make their city live able.

9 months later, there are construction projects ongoing EVERYWHERE! Mostly the water infrastructure and road repair! But it’s a start! It’s still rough.

As a Jackson resident I can assure they aren’t buying those guns legally

Maybe the 100 million, that BLM, was generously donated, too, could help in these communities. Right?

I’m from here. This is 100% a red and blue problem. Most people in Jackson don’t work because their children have run out the businesses with their gang violence. This is 10000% on the residents of Jackson and not a soul else. I watched this happen.

Thank you for not swearing and saying nasty stuff like others with these type of travel channels.

Nick, you're not familiar with the South. That tree wasn't planted in the pothole. It GREW there naturally. As you can see, the town is being reclaimed by the swamp in which it was built. I was impressed that the only decent building on the downtown street was a FUNERAL HOME! My God!

We send tens of billions to other countries every year, hundreds of billions on war machines, but neglect our own cities and infrastructure. Thank you for showing the world the USA. You're both brave and honest to do all this, it's the mirror that we need to see.

Your videos always make me feel good about where i live, for that, im grateful

😂 the introduction to Jackson was like a scene in GTA.

This is what happens when you lose your tax base. It takes tax revenue and economic development to maintain infrastructure. Jackson has been depopulating for the past 40 years. It has been abandoned by its middle class.

I was born in Jackson….. it’s major problems in Jackson. Black on black crime is high Asf.

Thanks Nick. I like your videos. They are very interesting and informative.

As of Feb 10, 2024, the average annual pay for a Police Officer in Jackson is $55,126 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $26.50 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,060/week or $4,593/month.

Hi, Nick. Im a Mississippi resident who grew up in Jackson and recently moved to another, better city. You did a great job covering the many issues in Jackson. I see many comments about the fact that most people seem to have decent vehicles. The reason that we all have to have cars is because public transportation is basically non-existent. The buses do not go out of Jackson so if you work in surrounding areas ( which most people do because as you pointed out, many businesses have closed) you can't rely on the city bus. Also, they only run until early evening and are notoriously slow,you have to make many transfers to get from one end of town to the other. I wish people who've never experienced living in a situation like this would not be so quick to judge. Most people in Jackson are just trying to live their lives. The crime and criminals are a huge problem. The criminals are actually a fairly concentrated group that need to be dealt with. Mississippi does not pay law enforcement or any city/ state salaries enough to live on. Just go to the city and state websites and search available jobs and compare the pay to that of other cities and states. I drove trucks otr for a few years, and I was able to experience other cities/states and while they all have their issues Jackson is really in it's own lane. I have two undergrad degrees and started driving trucks just to make a decent living. I worked in social services and education for years. I was a hone visitor for a well known child sponsor program. Mississippi and West Virginia were the only two states in the US to qualify for the program because they were the only states on the same socioeconomic level as the third world countries that they operated in.😢💔

You can thank our politicians for sending all our blue collar jobs overseas leaving our people with not hope.

This is my hometown. I spend most of my days here. You meet lots of strange and troubled people. And you tend to find yourself one too. But I love my town and the things we have to offer, do not be afraid. You have the be the change you want to see in the world.

At 9:20 nobody planted a tree. A seed from a leaf fell in and it's been growing.

Jackson was chosen as the most beautiful city in the USA in the 1920’s. So sad to see what has happened over the course of 100 years.

Nice to hear at least one black person speak the truth about black run cities.

Bless their hearts. This is not acceptable. Im poor. I live in an RV. But im so much better off than that. God bleess them.

This is why black folks need to hold their vote. Stop putting these politicians in office that don’t serve your best interest

Dude, you are providing a great service for this country. The truth needs to be shown.

Thank you for your adventurous videos.

The problem with Jackson is mainly due to infrastructure. The city doesn't have enough money to fix the water lines or the streets because the archaic water lines are buried beneath the streets. So in order to fix a water problem you'd also have to repave all the roads. They aren't going to fix one without the other. I think a total was quoted at around 4 billion dollars to fix at one time. They can't raise taxes enough to even try to fix the problem because all the people with enough money to spare have already used that and left Jackson. So the strategy is for every time we get a big storm or freeze. Holes pop in the water lines, the city will patch them, but for each patch another two will pop farther down the line. Without federal intervention it will never get better. Problems like these plague many cities in America, but we're too busy spending money in other countries to even fix our own quality of life in our back yard. It breaks my heart that my home state has to be seen in such dilapidation. All I ask is that the next time you see a news story of foreign aid, defense budgets, or getting involved with another conflict halfway across the globe. Remember the places like Jackson Mississippi, Detroit Michigan, and so many others.

Hopelessness and despair all over our country. No more "middle" class. .You are a have or a have-not. And prices just keep going up. I feel sad for our children.

I moved to Mississippi from Arizona last year and it is so sad and impoverished here! My family is actively trying to help people make changes in our community

Thankyou for this video Jackson is my birthplace and does need serious help as the res of america

Am very shocked, am from Namibia 🇳🇦 in Africa and u guys call us the 3th world? My friend this town is 10 time worse than a poor country in Africa

Im no accountant, but I bet if half the money was used here instead of being spent around the world to create enemies, this problem could be fixed.

I've seen run-down neighborhoods before, but I've never felt this way. This was actually upsetting; that people were living in some of these homes; in these conditions.

I'm from Jackson Mississippi back in the 70s, 80s, & 90s the city was very vibrant ECONOMY STRONG , JOBS, ALOT OF ACTIVITIES, CONCERTS, EVENTS IT WAS VERY LIVE!! When I moved to Atlanta in 1998 it started to diminish slowly...

I was in Port Harcourt Nigeria this past November....Your video in this area reminds me of there, especially the roads and pot holes.

I cannot believe how politicians talk about how great America is, and talk about how good Americans have it. Politicians can be disgusting.

We need to de-couple from China. We need to pickup manufacturing here. Places like this could benefit greatly from new manufacturing jobs.

That's so funny. After you talking so much about Jackson (I was totally SHOCKED when you said it was the STATE CAPITOL!) I was going to refer you to Pine Bluff in Arkansas. Dan Bell did a show on it. Then you mentioned it in your own list! Every one of those little overgrown, falling down houses were once snug cottage like homes with families where an adult had a job. The schools have always been bad in Mississippi. I think that town doesn't have much of a chance for recovery.

I watch a lot of your videos and am able to shrug them off as kind of a "that's too bad" because I've seen some scary areas in WA, like homeless encampments and some of the native reservations, but good lord, this had me dropping my jaw!

Thank you so much for interviewing me, Nick. The video turned out great. ❤

The problem is the people that have been elected to be in control are incompetent at their jobs and if you’re guest says I don’t know again I will throw up.

Be thankful for what you have , this is tragic.

Just accepting that the government don't give a shit is saving yourself heart problems..

I visited in 1968 as a 14 year old Chicago boy. It was March and the temps were in the 70s "beautiful sunshine and green wooded areas" separating quaint little towns that each had it's own personality. Lots of small motels with little swimming pools and plenty of restaurants all with their own distinct menu and ambiance. I really liked it. That was back when there was industry in those small (and large) towns/cities.

Seems to me that the people that live there have literal skill issues, instead of learning how to be a plumber, electrician etc. they wait for someone they elect to fix the problem. You can't vote yourself out of this, you have to learn skills and fix it.

I'm not kidding when I say there are plenty of places in the UK that look far worse than this. In fact, interestingly enough, a recent study found that, excluding London, every part of the UK is poorer than the state of Mississippi which, from what I understand, is the poorest state in the US.

Damn, I will never complain about Columbia, SC ever again! Is there no oversight at all in Mississippi? That looks like a 3rd world hellhole somewhere.

After watching this video, I can now imagine how the Romans felt in the fifth century AD when they were plagued with disease, the infrastructure was crumbling, and the barbarians were crashing through the gates. The smart ones knew that their great civilization was dying, and that was that.

I’ve been watching Nick’s RU-vid channel for a few years now and I feel it is safe to say he is better journalist than most any Fox CNN etc. Very hands on.

Thanks for this info 😮😢

A good portion of Mississippi and Louisiana are closer to third world countries than they are to the rest of the US. It is sad because a lot of the people in those states are really good people that deserve better.

They are mad at the politicians.....that they elected!!!

Happy to see Detroit go from number one to number seven in the last decade.

Alberta guy here. I was on a "blues history" holiday across America about 15 years ago. I walked the downtown area and didn't feel uneasy. It was pretty chill, actually. It's definitely gone downhill since then. This is what happens when political leaders abandon a city.

One of the most heartbreaking videos I’ve seen. How can this be acceptable in 2023? It’s appalling that this is allowed to be acceptable.

Used to work in Jackson, and my daughter still lives there (far north). Most people just put the South side out of their mind and stay away. The City Council and mayor are all lunatics.

Nick Johnson is so great ! He is perfect every time !

LORD JESUS Thats absolutely pitiful for any American city!!! Where do yall shop?? I saw no where that was open...🙏🙏 Prayers for yall!!!

How I survived 23 years there serving with (JPD/RPD), is nothing less than a miracle. Moved my family out of that hell-hole in 1998 .

Jackson asked the city of Accra, Ghana if they would like to have sister city status, Accra said no thanks, it would be bad for their image.

Delbert Hosemann on Wednesday Tourism is a vital part of Mississippi’s economic landscape and also helps support our small businesses. Creating vibrant communities in every part of Mississippi is an important component in helping us reach our economic development goals. A great place to visit is also

I lived in North Jackson, for 3 years, a nice mature neighborhood, with large homes. We were just inside the city limits. Our Car tags were $1000 + our car was a couple of years old. Outside of the city limits, car tags are $40-50..I don't know where that money goes, because even the downtown where the courthouse is, the roads. sidewalks etc. are terrible. We were with someone in a wheelchair and needed to go to the courthouse, the city cars were parked blocking the handicapped entrance to the sidewalk, and we had to go into the street and over the curb to cross the street. Parking is atrocious if you need to do business downtown. I know it's an old Capitol city but the sidewalks were buckling and uneven, very hard for a disabled person to manipulate. No parking garage or area to park and if you park where you aren't supposed to they will tow your car. you have to walk from building to building across streets. Lucklily we didn't have to go there too often. We mostly went to the neighboring city Ridgeland to shop.

Thx for all ur videos I love ur channel

Here in South Africa we have a lot of this type of neglect, corruption, crime and deterioration. The sad and scary part is Jackson (a city in a first world country, not a third world like mine) is really not far behind us. Truth be told, politicians are a major destructive force behind this. The sooner we stop seeing them as our “saviors” and rather start working together in our various communities the sooner life will improve. It just takes courage and determination to get going.

America has so many real problems that need addressing. How can this even be real?

I’m so fascinated by how poor the conditions are in this city

That pothole with a tree was impressive😅

Just unbelievable - but it has been like that 40 years ago Worst part of all? When Americans are telling other countries how to run their country

We made a bucket list trip down to Natchez and Vicksburg from Minnesota. Did the Civil War Park in Vicksburg and house tours in Natchez. (Very cool). However, I've been in all fifty states and toured my whole life and certain elements of Natchez were the rudest most hostile I've ever seen. Took the Natchez Trace Parkway all the way to Nashville from there. Gorgeous. Highly recommended.

Lots of great music came out out of this area

As a Jackson native, thank you so much for finally highlighting the issues and problems of the “City with Soul”.

I lived in Mississippi for 8 months in 2019, and I couldn’t wait to leave! It is truly one of the most impoverished places in the whole country. It looks like people gave up on it 50 years ago.

Besides the plants growing everywhere, among the houses and in the middle ofthe streets, it reminds me a lot to what happens in South America lol, doesn't look that different

Great Video!

This is what they call survive just to live. So sad. This country is in trouble

Thanks for letting me be interviewed Nick! It’s an honor!

Gods way of punishing the state for the innocent blacks who were lynched and treated unjustly

I've watched the same thing happen to Norwood neighborhood of Birmingham. Some folks think maintenance isn't a part of property ownership or management. It's the most important part. Own and improve. PS Chris for Mayor of Jackson!

Just for background, the current mayor of Jackson, Chokwe Antar Lumumba was elected in 2017 with 93% of the vote. He was easily re-elected in 2021. He describes himself as a progressive and socialist. Before him, his father, Chockwe Lumumba, was mayor of Jackson. He described himself as a Black Nationalist and an activist. One of the senior Lumumba achievements was establishing Hinds County (where Jackson is located) as the capital of the Republic of New Afrika. Both men ran on the promise to fix potholes and sewers. Jackson residents last elected a Republican mayor in 1945. Thankfully, the neighboring county where I have lived for 50+ years is very different.

I am originally from North East Mississippi. I have seen so many water boiling warnings over the years in Jackson. Thank goodness the whole state is not that horrible. The capital in jackson and the delta are the poorest parts of Mississippi. Many wealthy communities on the outskirts of Jackson. Elections have consequences, use your votes wisely. Citizens need to stand up and stay on the government in charge of this mess.

You really missed out on iron horse grill. It burned down twice and not as a restaurant. That’s one of the most iconic spots in town for sure. Zundo is good though but they are new.

Wow that's so sad. Hubby and I drove all over down south 25 yrs ago not like this 😢😢😢

I lived there for 18months, actually near the reservoir. I tried to buy some abandoned delapadated buildings to redevelop into urban condos. I even got a federal grant. Jackson City Council said no because I refused to pay full retail as if the properties were in A+ condition. So much for a new tax base. Friendliness and competence was rare. Many streets in Jackson proper were littered and in terrible repair. Where does all that federal funding go I wonder?

Mississippi received Federal funding for the entire state.Yet, the politicians chose to spend the majority of the funds on the infrastructure in the suburbs.

Not a coincidence the govt would let one of the birth places of civil rights die and decay. The mindset needed to fight for your rights is very much generational.

Thhe city is run by multiple versions of Fani Willis...and no one will say it. Started in the late 1960s.

I am a black male from Chicago and I live in Missisippi. When ever im near Jackson I drive right tf past and keep going. Mississippi is a great place to live, atleast where I am but sadly my area is in the very early stages of being Californicated like Denver.

Wow...even I wouldn't have guessed such overwhelming dilapidation and neglect. Something's obviously wrong with the cities finances, and the people who should be making decisions about community spending, and infrastructure. It's unacceptable to see this.