2 Cities in Central New York Among Poorest in the Country

America is the land of opportunity. But in some cities, there isn't much to offer. Two in New York are among the poorest in the country with high poverty and unemployment rates.

American News Reports released the list of the 10 Poorest Cities in the United States, and two in Upstate, New York are on it, unfortunately.

Rochester, New York

Rochester, New York, once a vibrant city many Americans wanted to move to, now has a poverty rate of over 30%.

The situation in Rochester is so terrible that over half of the city’s children live in poverty.

The city that was home to several large corporations in the 70s and 80s, now has an unemployment rate of nearly 9%, making it the 5th poorest city in America.

Read More: 10 Movies You Didn't Know Were Filmed in Rochester

Rochester is also home to Strong Museum, Highland Park, and the Garbage Plate.

Syracuse, New York

The poverty rate in Syracuse, New York isn't much better than in Rochester. The unemployment rate is even worse at 9.6%, landing the city at number 8 on the poorest list.

Unfortunately, this vibrant city has been wrestling with poverty for years, though the latest figures from the census indicate that things are improving gradually.

Let's hope so for the sake of the children. A recent census report showed Syracuse has the worst child poverty rates among cities with over 100,000 residents.

Hard to believe for a city that hosts one of the biggest state fairs in the country every summer.

Read More: House Tom Cruise Called Home in Syracuse Found

Poorest of Them All

What city is the poorest of them all? Detroit, Michigan topped the list. Once a dominant force in the automobile industry, the city now has the highest unemployment rate at 14%. It's also been named the most miserable city to live in.

See all 10 of the poorest cities in the United States at American News Report.