Survey: Washington D.C. Ranked Least Desirable Place to Live

WASHINGTON, DC -AUGUST 06: Police patrol and continue to investigate where three people we
Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images

A survey has ranked Washington, DC, as the least desirable place to live due to its high crime rate and cost of living.

The survey from Home Bay, a real estate education platform, asked people about the most desirable place to live based on crime rates, affordable homes, and cost of living.

“Rural (21%) and suburban (24%) residents agree that the District is the most undesirable city, while urban residents (16%) rank it No. 4.,” the survey said.

The survey also found that Seattle, Washington, is the most desirable and most underrated place to live:

The most desirable places to live have a low crime rate (46%), affordable homes (43%), and a low cost of living (41%).

More than 1 in 3 Americans agree that high crime (41%), a high cost of living (36%), expensive homes (34%), and high taxes (33%) make a place overrated.

Americans consider Seattle the most desirable city in the U.S. and the most underrated — stealing the distinction from Virginia Beach. Americans say the most overrated city in the U.S. is New York, while the least desirable city is Washington, D.C.

The survey comes after a Giant grocery store in Southeast Washington, DC, announced it will be removing name brands like Advil, Colgate, and Tide from its shelves to better prevent a spike in theft. The store also stated that shoppers will be required to show their receipts to security guards before exiting the store. Ira Kress, president of the chain, told the Washington Post that the store can no longer serve the community by keeping its stores at high risk.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 31: A sign announcing a new receipt checking policy in the Anacostia store as Giant Foods grocery is making some changes to their stores to address organized retail crime, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

A sign announcing a new receipt checking policy in the Anacostia store as Giant Foods grocery is making some changes to their stores to address organized retail crime, in Washington, DC. (Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

“We want to continue to be able to serve the community, but we can’t do so at the level of significant loss or risk to our associates that we have today,” Kress said.

“I don’t want to do this — I’d like to sell [those products],” Kress later added. “But the reality is that Tide is not a profitable item in this store … In many instances people stock the product and within two hours it’s gone, so it’s not on the shelf anyway.”

Kress also said the store has seen theft rise “tenfold in the last five years” while violence has steadily increased, most especially at the store on Alabama Avenue in D.C.

“And we’ve invested a significant amount of money here, even more security here than any other store,” he said.

Products like Tide detergent, Schick razors, Dove soap, and Degree deodorant will no longer be available on the shelves. Diane Hicks, senior vice president of operations, said leaving such products out will turn the store into a crime magnet.

“I’ve been leaving it out for our customers and unfortunately it just forces all the crime to come to us,” Hicks said.

Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.

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