A 24/7 Wall Street analysis finds Flint is among a group of American cities that have gone from rich to poor in terms of per capita income over the past five decades.
Researchers found as of 1959, inflation adjusted per capita income in Flint stood at $15,210, or 87th on the list of 380 cities in per capita income, compared to $28,039 or 236th on the list as of 2018.
Cities were ranked based on their change in rank relative to all metropolitan areas over the same time period. One common finding was that many of the cities that showed the most decline or in the Midwest, or the so-called Rust Belt, areas where steel manufacturers, automakers and other one-time American industry staples have continued to show steady decline.
Currently, the unemployment rate stands at 4.9 percent in Flint, but the city continues to deal with the black eye suffered from the 2014 water crisis when high levels of lead and contamination where found in the public water supply.
Even before then, signs of a steep economic decline were evident, including a decade-long period beginning in 1979 when the city’s per capita income fell from 44th highest to 131st highest.
Born and raised in Flint, filmmaker Michael Moore recently documented the city's decline in his debut documentary "Roger & Me," which focused on General Motors' decision to move jobs from Flint to Mexico.
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