The Richest and Poorest Neighborhoods in the United States

West Garfield Park grew rapidly during Chicago’s industrial expansion, housing workers employed in nearby factories and rail corridors. Postwar deindustrialization, redlining, and expressway construction severed economic connections and accelerated neighborhood decline.

Its poverty reflects high unemployment, population loss, and decades of disinvestment. Limited access to jobs, quality housing, and public services continues to shape daily life, reinforcing cycles of economic hardship.