5. Tchula, Mississippi
Population: 2,096 Median
Household Income: $12,806
When Chris McGreal visited Tchula, he noted that the town is so poor that even the sheriff has a second job, as the town can’t pay him a living wage. Out of two patrol cars, one is used only during the day, because the police department can’t afford to repair lights. Both cars are used, got as donations from larger and wealthier police departments in Mississippi. Almost the entire population is African American, descendants of former slaves and sharecroppers. White residents are long gone and they took the jobs with them, jobs that Tchula desperately needs. Almost 55% of populations live in poverty.
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