A Ranking of the Toughest Places to Live in the U.S.

Few places in Houston tell as many conflicting stories as South Park. Crime stats are high—robbery, drug offenses, and shootings are frequent. Yet block parties erupt on weekends, gospel blares from storefront churches, and neighbors know each other by name.

About 20,000 residents live in a patchwork of aging homes and fast-food joints, bracketed by overgrown lots and crumbling roads. Schools are underfunded, and job prospects are limited. South Park’s energy is restless—alive, but wary.