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

This pocket of the Bronx hums with energy and tension. Fordham Heights is densely populated—over 70,000 people crammed into walk-ups and public housing with little room to breathe. Violent crime remains a genuine concern, particularly muggings and shootings.

Rent isn’t cheap, either, despite crumbling infrastructure and spotty services. But culture pulses through the blocks: bodegas blare bachata, teens freestyle on stoops, and street vendors feed crowds outside Fordham Plaza. It’s alive, no doubt.