Rating of the worst cities in Russia to live in 2024

There are a huge number of cities in Russia, each with its own rich history, peculiarities, and number of inhabitants. But not all are ideal for life. Among the common disadvantages: poor environment, broken roads, dilapidated housing, corrupt authorities, low income.If you are planning a move, deciding which city to choose for a permanent residence, then it is important to know where the least comfortable conditions are. A list of the worst cities in Russia to live in 2024 with a description of the shortcomings will help to avoid mistakes when choosing.

Criterias of choice

To compile a selection of the least suitable Russian cities in terms of quality of life, it is advisable to rely on the comparative table compiled by the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation. It was based on the urban environment quality index - an indicator that measures the ability of regional authorities to provide favorable living conditions. Rated:

• the number of emergency and dilapidated housing;
• life expectancy, mortality rate;
• purchasing power;
• environmental problems;
• road congestion, the proportion of fatal accidents;
• unemployment rate;
• the state of landscaping;
• infrastructure development.

Based on this, the main selection criteria can be distinguished:

• income level - after the collapse of Soviet industry, unemployment increased in the overwhelming majority of cities due to the closure of enterprises, which led to a lack of jobs; incomes of the population fell sharply, as evidenced by low purchasing power, a decline in economic activity in the city as a whole;
• social infrastructure - availability and accessibility of cultural, sports and leisure facilities; healthcare institutions, education, catering enterprises, service sectors;
• standard of living - the average life expectancy of people, the ratio of mortality and fertility, the number of divorces show the general level;
• road safety - the construction of new and the quality of the repair of existing roads, the presence of sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, public transport stops, bicycle paths; the number of fatal accidents, including those after the injured were admitted to hospitals; equipping micro-districts under construction, suburban settlements with a sufficient number of public transport;
• green spaces - improvement of city-wide spaces (parks, squares, alleys) for the recreation of citizens; greening of new buildings;
• improvement of the housing stock - control of the city authorities over the timely relocation of people from emergency, dilapidated housing, the allocation of the necessary funds for this; work on the improvement of new neighborhoods;
• assessment of the work of the authorities - the main reason for the poor quality of life of the townspeople lies in the corruption of city governors and officials; the lower the level of corruption in the highest echelons of power, the more favorable the urban environment becomes.

Recommendations

When planning a move, it is advisable to know what to look for in order not to find yourself in a place that is not suitable for living. Here are some tips on how to choose a city where you can live your whole life comfortably and with dignity:

1. Study the information that is in the public domain, according to the above criteria, find out the features of the infrastructure, the condition of roads, landscaping, landscaping, and the authorities' concerns about the well-being of citizens.
2. Chat with several people who have lived in the city for a long time: their assessment of the quality of life, the degree of satisfaction with their locality can become a vivid evidence of the well-being or disadvantage of the urban environment.
3. Choose a city with an average and high level of income of the population, otherwise you risk being left without a high-paying job and income.
4. Pay attention to the peculiarities of the climatic conditions of the settlement: extreme weather events, natural disasters, lack of water, high humidity can have a detrimental effect on health and well-being in the future.
5. Even in the presence of negative reviews, first of all trust your own intuition and preferences, because the opinions of each person are subjective and may not be confirmed in reality.

TOP worst Russian cities in terms of living standards for 2024

The survey is based on the list of the worst cities in Russia, according to residents. For comparison, the materials of the rating according to the version of the government were used, the collection of information for which was based on the indicators of Rospotrebnadzor, the traffic police, Rosstat, and geographical systems. As a result, twelve Russian cities entered the TOP of the worst.

Worst largest (population over a million)

Omsk

An ancient Russian city connecting the north of Siberia and the Kazakh steppes. Therefore, the climate here is quite favorable: moderately frosty, snowy winters and sunny, moderately hot summers, short periods of off-season. The millionaire city, through which a branch of the country's main railway - the Transsib, runs, has established air and road intercity communication, is famous for its ancient architecture and beautiful nature. However, fewer and fewer Russians choose Omsk as their permanent place of residence. There are several reasons, the main ones being:

• lack of stable decent work and low salaries;
• poor ecology, pollution of the Irtysh, high concentration of harmful emissions;
• poor quality of roads, despite the sufficient width;
• the decline of infrastructure, Omsk residents note a small number of cultural and entertainment, children's, sports and recreation places;
• reconstruction of old buildings only in the city center.

A beautiful Siberian city with a population of 1,172,000 people every year loses its attractiveness and uniqueness, young people are leaving, the birth rate is falling.

• beautiful Siberian nature;
• a lot of public transport;
• active development of residential high-rise buildings.

• low incomes of the population;
• bad ecology;
• road problems;
• high housing prices;
• dirt, debris;
• weak infrastructure;
• many dilapidated buildings requiring renovation;
• few youth and children.

Volgograd

Glorified during the Great Patriotic War, the hero city is considered a millionaire at a stretch, since in recent years the outflow of population has continued. And it's not just climatic conditions with sharp temperature changes, severe winters and constant droughts in summer. Despite the loud military glory, the abundance of green spaces, living here is getting worse. The reasons are commonplace:

• inaction for the improvement of the city;
• scanty salaries;
• infrastructure built during the Soviet era is declining;
• the environmental situation becomes critical;
• people are inhospitable, sad from dissatisfaction with the standard of living;
• roads, sidewalks, buildings in poor condition;
• broken worn out public transport fleet;
• the main embankment of the Volga needs improvement;
• not enough greenery, fountains, squares.

Staying in the city leaves the feeling that the buildings, rebuilt after complete destruction during the war years, have never been repaired again, everywhere there is dirt and a lot of debris. Industrial enterprises, hydroelectric power plants, an abundance of personal vehicles contribute to an increase in toxic emissions into the air and contamination of the atmosphere.

• valiant military glory;
• picturesque places.

• unfavorable climate;
• deterioration of the environment;
• lack of proper infrastructure;
• abandonment, devastation in everything;
• low salaries;
• predominance of low-income families;
• a sharp contrast between rich country cottages and squalid neighborhoods;
• terrible road conditions.

Chelyabinsk

The seventh most populous Russian city, the capital of the South Urals, was in the TOP of the worst, despite the fact that city authorities happily report on paper about imaginary successes: the level of improvement, housing affordability, quality of roads, infrastructure. In reality, the townspeople see the picture exactly the opposite:

• broken roads, destroyed granite tiles of squares;
• lack of organized parking lots, sidewalks;
• catastrophically small amount of green spaces and lawns;
• reduction of the vehicle fleet of public transport, traffic jams;
• new neighborhoods are leased without access roads, benches, sports and playgrounds;
• a large number of accidents due to congestion and bad roads, lack of competent markings.

This is just one aspect of city life. And there are several of them, and in each of them there is approximately the same picture - ill-conceivedness, lack of funding, devastation, dirt.

Chelyabinsk amazes with tasteless architectural design of residential and administrative buildings and structures, illiterate planning of new neighborhoods. The consequence of all this is an uncomfortable gray city that does not give aesthetic pleasure. In many places, waste containers are located directly on the street or on lawns. Historical buildings are being destroyed, and modern shopping centers, ugly in architecture, are piling up in their place. The surviving old buildings have not seen renovation for a long time, they are covered with variegated spots of assorted advertising banners, and are gradually being destroyed. Garbage is scattered everywhere along the roadside, through the hastily laid tiles around buildings in new buildings, a year later, soil begins to fall through and grass sprouts. There is no particular desire to live here.

• clean lakes equipped for recreation;
• many businesses and jobs;
• moderate calm climate.

• road collapse;
• an abundance of advertising;
• tasteless architecture;
• Power transmission lines in the city;
• spontaneous parking lots everywhere;
• there are almost no full-fledged playgrounds;
• weak infrastructure;
• eerie ecology;
• low income.

Voronezh

The once beautiful city on the picturesque bank of the Voron River, the center of the Black Earth Region, is becoming less and less habitable, the population is steadily falling, and there are a number of good reasons for this:

• illegal dumps, toxic emissions from vehicles, discharge of chemicals into the river and city reservoir;
• problems with roads (traffic congestion, narrow sections of the roadway, traffic jams, an abundance of road accidents, poor quality of the road surface);
• a large proportion of low-income families and old people;
• the chaotic nature of advertising (it is everywhere - on buildings, fences, fences, poles, telephone booths);
• lawlessness of utilities (overpriced, poor quality services, lack of control);
• huge queues for getting places in kindergartens;
• dense modern buildings with a minimum of landscaping.

The advantage of Voronezh is a large number of universities and secondary specialized institutions, where students from Russia and foreign countries study.
In recent years, a night lighting system has been launched in Voronezh, in connection with which the crime rate has slightly decreased.

• a lot of greenery;
• lighting system in the dark;
• low crime rate;
• favorable climate.

• bad roads;
• trams were removed, but there are many uncomfortable minibuses;
• low level of improvement;
• difficult to get a place in kindergarten;
• excess advertising;
• low incomes of the population;
• mud.

Worst large (population from 250 thousand to 1 million)

Chita (Trans-Baikal Territory)

A city in the east of the country, located among wooded hills and lakes, the capital of Transbaikalia. Despite the proud name, the peculiarities of the local climate and relief have secured the status of a disadvantaged city for the city:

• sudden changes in temperature;
• winters with little snow;
• low atmospheric pressure;
• high dust concentration.

There is a strong pollution of water bodies and air, even in winter dense smog with pesticides interferes with breathing. Poor transport links between remote areas and the center, dense development, lack of major repairs to dilapidated housing, high crime rates make Chita unattractive for life. The townspeople are dissatisfied with the low quality of the services provided by housing and communal services, the poor provision of places in preschool institutions. The negative point is the strong congestion of narrow city roads. The authorities are trying to solve this issue in a peculiar way: the streets are expanding by cutting down green spaces, saving space on sidewalks and gutters, which does not add convenience and safety to residents. Among the few advantages of Chita are the functioning of the children's railway and the Palace of Children's Creativity, where a variety of sections and hobby groups are offered to young residents.

• organization of children's leisure;
• air and rail intercity communication;
• qualified doctors in private clinics.

• congestion of roads;
• complaints about the housing and utilities sector;
• lack of places in children’s children;
• dirty reservoirs;
• remoteness from Moscow;
• many not equipped yards;
• difficult climate;
• no production and no jobs;
• high crime rate;
• a lot of dilapidated and dilapidated housing;
• a large number of prisons and colonies in the district;
• massive felling of forests and green spaces;
• low incomes of the population, many poor;
• lack of asphalt on the roads.

Barnaul (Altai region)

The capital of the Altai Territory deserves its place in the ranking of the worst cities in Russia. Despite the calm climate with mild winter and summer temperatures, the absence of extreme weather events, the city still cannot be called completely suitable for a comfortable life. The reasons:

• bad roads;
• ruin in the private sector (and it occupies a large part even in the center);
• poor lighting at night;
• demolition of old buildings in the historic center;
• dense development of new neighborhoods with sky-high housing prices;
• endless queues at preschool institutions;
• worn out public transport fleet.

• favorable climate;
• abundance of public transport, taxis.

• there is no improvement;
• low income;
• high prices for housing and communal services;
• an oversupply of shopping centers, shops, pavilions;
• collapse of enterprises;
• problems with places in kindergartens;
• a lot of emergency housing;
• traffic jams;
• dirt and debris.

Yakutsk

A large administrative center, which is most often associated with three words: deer, diamonds, frost. The local sharply continental climate cannot be called favorable. Therefore, in recent years, the city authorities have begun to build warm stops for public transport passengers with benches and a monitor showing approaching buses.Despite the rich bowels of the Yakut land, the population does not get anything from this: the infrastructure leaves much to be desired, the improvement and construction of roads are at a low level, the crime situation is high, especially at night. Nature is within walking distance from the city, but the most popular types of personal vehicles are SUVs and bicycles, otherwise it is problematic to drive. Narrow roads in one or two lanes and frequent rainstorms with an insufficiently developed drainage system often cause traffic jams. Minus urban planning in infill development without parking and playgrounds near houses. Due to the harshness of local winters, townspeople are forced to put cars in garages, which have already filled the entire city.

• high purchasing power;
• closeness of nature;
• warm stops.

• illiterate building;
• remoteness from the capital;
• traffic jams;
• little greenery;
• expensive housing;
• unfavorable climate;
• high crime rate;
• gas pollution;
• constant outflow of the population.

Ivanovo

Once the center of the textile industry of a huge country, now Ivanovo resembles an ordinary dirty and gray provincial town. New buildings are of the same type of concrete boxes, lined with fashionable tiles, the old city is dilapidated in an endless expectation of reconstruction and overhaul. The authorities take little practical action to improve and develop the city's infrastructure; residents assess their work as unsatisfactory. Roads are in disgusting condition, at numerous intersections and roundabouts there are not everywhere markings, traffic lights and road signs. The townspeople are gloomy and indifferent. The level of salaries is one of the lowest in the region, there is practically no work except for trade and services. Green spaces are much less common than billboards and banners. Only the central streets are cleaned and landscaped, in other places there are pits on the roads, dirt, shabby buildings, rubbish along the curbs.

• mild climate;
• good ecology;
• proximity to the capital;
• developed transport network.

• poor quality of roads;
• lack of landscaping and landscaping;
• an abundance of advertising;
• low salaries;
• lack of jobs;
• few public transport routes.

The worst big ones (from 100 to 250 thousand inhabitants)

Nefteyugansk (KhMAO)

The former settlement of geologists is located among the swamps of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. Oil and gas production still remains the main source of income for the region, but this does not affect the well-being of the townspeople. The harsh northern climate, the prevalence of old, sometimes dilapidated housing, outdated components of the infrastructure make Nefteyugansk less suitable for a decent life every year. One of the main problems of the townspeople is the lack of clean water in the water supply taps. An important disadvantage is the insufficient level of medicine due to the lack of specialists.

• there are always jobs;
• a lot of new housing is under construction.

• remoteness from the capital;
• little landscaping;
• unfavorable climatic conditions;
• unsuitable drinking water;
• expensive housing;
• lack of parking spaces;
• high prices for housing and communal services, products;
• dilapidation of the old housing stock;
• a large number of emigrants;
• insufficient level of medicine;
• there is no cultural and entertainment infrastructure;
• the airport is closed, there is no railway.

Orsk (Orenburg region)

Living here can be considered hazardous to health due to strong air pollution. There is an increase in the incidence of oncology and lung pathologies. The climate is sharply continental with severe frosts in winter, scorching heat in summer, and powerful floods. The authorities solved the last problem: flood protection dams were built. Orsk is spread over an impressive territory. The most prosperous is the center with a developed infrastructure, accessible social and cultural facilities, and transport interchanges.But housing prices are much higher here than in other areas. The flaws of public utilities are visible in new buildings and old housing stock: rotten water pipes, outdated power lines, clogged storm sewers lead to frequent accidents. Despite the small incomes of the townspeople, the prices for housing and communal services are very high and continue to grow. The only advantage of Orsk can be considered the absence of traffic jams: when planning the width of streets and squares, the growth of traffic was taken into account. Roads are regularly repaired, but they immediately start to deteriorate. There are not enough kindergartens, but the budget does not have funds for their construction.

• flood protection dams were built;
• no traffic jams.

• poor quality roads;
• there are not enough kindergartens;
• communications require repair;
• high prices for housing, housing and communal services;
• poisoned ecology;
• unfavorable climate;
• inaction of the authorities.

Novoshakhtinsk (Rostov region)

Steppe city with strong winds, dust storms, ice in winter. A big plus of Novoshakhtinsk is the ecological purity of air and water: coal mining stopped with the collapse of the Soviet Union, more than twenty years ago, all mines were closed, which were considered the main objects of pollution. The settlement is scattered over a large area due to the former settlements of miners. Affordable housing prices provide an influx of new residents. Minus in high tariffs for housing and communal services, frequent water cutoffs, incomplete gasification of residential buildings. There are almost no socio-cultural objects, the townspeople have to go to neighboring Rostov to get treatment and have fun. Cycling is well developed, special paths are laid. After the closure of most enterprises, there is a sorely lack of jobs, and it is difficult to find a decently paid job. Roads, housing stock, administrative buildings are falling into decay due to old age and lack of proper repair. The criminal environment is calm.

• good ecology;
• a lot of green spaces;
• little crime;
• affordable housing prices.

• lack of infrastructure;
• few new buildings;
• nowhere to work;
• no rubbish bins;
• inflated utility rates;
• no repair of roads, houses, buildings is carried out.

Worst average (from 50 to 100 thousand residents)

Labinsk (Krasnodar region)

A small picturesque resort town with clean air, surrounded by greenery. However, living in it, despite the beauty and favorable climatic conditions, is not comfortable. The city infrastructure is completely collapsed, young people are leaving due to lack of work, public transport is represented by minibuses consisting of old, broken cars. The only resting place for the townspeople is the old park with a fountain, many benches, free internet access. Most residents are forced to travel to work on a rotational basis to other cities. There are no enterprises in Labinsk, wages in trade and services are scanty, which is impossible to live on: prices for housing, food, housing and communal services tariffs are noticeably high. Almost no new housing is being built.

• mild climate;
• good ecology;
• a lot of greenery.

• no job;
• small income;
• few children and youth;
• high prices;
• few new housing;
• no infrastructure.

Cheremkhovo (Irkutsk region)

The coal capital of Priangarye faces typical problems of mining towns: lack of funding, collapse of infrastructure, population outflow, unemployment. After the collapse of Soviet industry, only ruins remained on the site of numerous enterprises that provided work and income to the townspeople. Unemployed residents of Cheremkhovo began to leave their homes in search of work. The Mayor of Cheremkhovo is trying to improve the urban environment: recently, the facades of houses in the central part have been painted, night street lighting has been adjusted, and work is underway to repair emergency road sections. But in general, the situation is unfavorable for living.

• the authorities work in the interests of the city;
• calm atmosphere;
• affordable housing prices.

• no job;
• small incomes of the population;
• broken roads;
• bad medicine;
• insufficient landscaping;
• old dilapidated housing stock.

Chapaevsk (Samara region)

Located 40 km from Samara, it has earned a reputation for being poisoned thanks to the rapidly developing chemical industry of the last century. Today it is rather a ghost with ruins vaguely reminiscent of the former seething life: factory dormitory buildings not repaired since Soviet times, old roads with potholes and cracks, overgrown squares, deserted buildings of factories. After the production of chemical warfare agents, the soils in the district were saturated with toxic deposits that are dangerous to human health. The townspeople note a large number of cases of tuberculosis and oncological diseases. In newborns, brain pathology is increasingly detected. A seemingly neat, well-groomed town is actually a slow killer of its inhabitants, so it's scary to move here, as well as continue to live for those for whom it became their homeland. Under the federal program, large funds were allocated to eliminate the consequences of chemical contamination of the soil: soil up to 30 meters was removed, a new one was brought in, trees and shrubs were planted, the construction of new residential areas began. But at present it is still dangerous to live in Chapaevsk.

• measures are being taken for improvement, construction, reconstruction;
• calm atmosphere.

• dangerous state of ecology;
• threat to the health of residents;
• contaminated soil and water;
• population outflow.

Such ratings, based on the reviews of ordinary people, are a kind of cry from the heart, a call to the authorities to think about the possibility of turning these settlements into prosperous ones, suitable for a decent, comfortable life.