Elmira, NY, United States

Capital City

The population of Elmira has plummeted from 50,000 in 1950 to just 26,523 today, as manufacturing and railroads declined. Elmira's economy is a shadow of its former self, with heavy industry long gone and the city now struggling to reinvent itself. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the city receiving millions in federal grants but locals lamenting the loss of character from aggressive urban renewal projects. And while Elmira's crime rate was ranked 59th safest out of 344 metro areas in 2005, the devastating 1972 flood that destroyed thousands of homes is a sobering reminder of the risks of living in the Chemung River's flood plain. This faded "Queen City" may appeal to those seeking an affordable cost of living, but its best days are likely behind it.