The 10 Fastest-Shrinking Cities in the U.S.

Population growth still dominates the national map, but not every city is moving in that direction. The latest U.S. Census Bureau city estimates show a small group of places losing residents at a notably faster rate than most of the country. Here is a simple, city-by-city look at the 10 fastest-shrinking cities in the U.S. based on the Census Bureau release dated May 15, 2025.

1. McComb, Mississippi

McComb ranked as the fastest-shrinking U.S. city in the latest Census Bureau estimates released on May 15, 2025. The city’s population fell by 4.8% in one year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual city population tables.

McComb sits in Pike County, about 80 miles south of Jackson. What is confirmed is the rate of decline, but the Census Bureau release does not break out a single local cause for McComb’s drop.

State data gives some context. Mississippi has faced slow population growth overall, and local leaders have previously tied losses in places like McComb to fewer jobs and an aging population, according to regional economic reports.

For travelers and residents, the main takeaway is practical. A smaller population can mean fewer businesses, fewer hotel options, and more pressure on local services, though the Census release itself only confirms the 4.8% decline.

2. Clarksdale, Mississippi

Clarksdale posted the second-fastest population drop in the country, down 4.5% year over year, according to the May 15, 2025 Census Bureau estimates. That puts the Delta city near the top of the national list for annual decline.

Clarksdale is one of Mississippi’s best-known music destinations, especially for blues tourism. The federal data confirms fewer residents, but it does not say whether tourism traffic rose or fell during the same period.

Broader context matters here. Coahoma County has dealt with long-term population loss for years, and Mississippi’s Delta region has seen outmigration tied to economic change, according to past state and federal demographic reports.

For visitors, Clarksdale’s cultural profile remains intact in the data release. The Census Bureau numbers reflect resident population only, so the report does not suggest that museums, music sites, or annual events have shut down.

3. Helena-West Helena, Arkansas

Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, recorded a 4.4% population decline, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2025 city estimates. That made it the third-fastest shrinking city in the country in the latest one-year measurement.

The city is located in Phillips County along the Mississippi River. The Census Bureau confirms the annual loss, but it has not released a city-level explanation showing how much came from migration, deaths, or fewer births.

Arkansas has pockets of growth, especially in the northwest part of the state, which makes Helena-West Helena stand out more sharply. Long-term Delta population decline has been documented in multiple census cycles and state demographic summaries.

For residents, a decline of 4.4% in a single year is significant. It can affect school enrollment, local retail demand, and city finances, though those impacts would need to be confirmed by local government budget and school data.

4. Natchez, Mississippi

Natchez was fourth on the list, with a 4.3% annual population decline in the Census Bureau figures released May 15, 2025. The city is one of the South’s better-known heritage tourism markets, located along the Mississippi River.

The federal release confirms the population change, not a collapse in visitation. Natchez has a tourism economy built around historic homes and river travel, and the Census data does not measure visitor counts or hotel occupancy.

Mississippi appears multiple times in this ranking, which points to a wider state pattern in some smaller cities. Census estimates show where people live, and recent figures suggest several Mississippi communities are losing residents faster than average.

For travelers, Natchez still functions as a destination city. For locals, the number matters because population estimates can influence planning, grant formulas, and how state and local officials talk about long-term development.

5. Bennettsville, South Carolina

Bennettsville, South Carolina, ranked fifth, with a 4.2% population decline in the latest Census Bureau estimate set. The city is the county seat of Marlboro County, near the North Carolina border.

What is known is the annual pace of loss. What is not known from the Census release alone is whether Bennettsville’s decline was driven more by household moves, deaths exceeding births, or housing market changes.

South Carolina overall has been one of the country’s faster-growing states, which makes Bennettsville an outlier. That contrast is important because statewide growth does not always reach smaller inland communities at the same rate.

For readers planning a stop in northeastern South Carolina, the city remains a local service center. The Census data points to a smaller resident base, which can shape downtown occupancy and public service demand over time.

6. Greenville, Mississippi

Greenville, Mississippi, posted a 4.1% annual population decline, placing it sixth on the national list in the May 15, 2025 Census Bureau release. It is one of the larger cities in the Mississippi Delta.

That matters because this is not just a tiny town effect. Greenville has long served as a regional hub, and the data confirms that even larger Delta cities are still losing residents in the latest estimate cycle.

The Census Bureau release does not assign causes, but long-term Delta trends include job shifts, aging populations, and outmigration, according to prior federal and state demographic reporting. Those factors have been discussed for years across western Mississippi.

For locals, population loss can affect everything from retail recruitment to school counts. For visitors, Greenville remains important for river history and Delta travel, and the federal estimate does not indicate any change to specific attractions.

7. Marks, Mississippi

Marks, Mississippi, came in seventh, with a 4.0% decline in the newest Census Bureau city estimates. The city is in Quitman County, about 60 miles south of Memphis by road.

Marks is a small city, so percentage swings can look sharper than in major metros. Even so, the Census Bureau’s one-year estimate shows a real decline in resident count between 2023 and 2024.

Mississippi’s repeated presence on this list is one of the clearest patterns in the release. Smaller Delta communities have seen population erosion across multiple decades, according to historical census comparisons and county-level estimates.

For residents, shrinking population can mean fewer local customers for small businesses. For travelers passing through the Delta, the number is a demographic signal, not a direct measure of whether a stop is still worth making.

8. Greenwood, Mississippi

Greenwood ranked eighth nationwide after a 3.9% annual drop, according to the 2025 Census Bureau estimates released in May. The city is in Leflore County and has long been a commercial center in the Delta.

Like several other Mississippi entries, Greenwood’s decline fits a wider regional pattern. The Census Bureau confirms the population change, but it does not provide a city-specific breakdown of migration flows in the headline release.

Greenwood is also a known stop for food and music travelers, which makes the distinction important. A shrinking resident population does not automatically mean a shrinking visitor economy, and the federal estimate does not measure tourism activity.

For the public, the practical impact is mostly local. Population totals feed into planning discussions, housing needs, and business decisions, while the city remains part of Mississippi’s established Delta travel circuit.

9. Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was ninth on the list, with a 3.8% population decline in the latest Census Bureau data. It is one of Arkansas’s larger legacy industrial cities and sits about 45 miles south of Little Rock.

Because Pine Bluff is larger than many places in this ranking, the decline stands out. The city has dealt with long-running population loss in prior census periods, and the 2025 estimate shows that trend continuing.

The federal release does not identify one cause, but local and state reporting over the years has pointed to economic restructuring and outmigration. Those explanations are broader context, not findings stated in the Census table itself.

For residents, fewer people can affect tax base and service planning. For visitors, Pine Bluff remains a gateway to the Arkansas Delta, and the Census Bureau figures do not report any change in tourism infrastructure.

10. Bastrop, Louisiana

Bastrop, Louisiana, rounded out the top 10 with a 3.7% annual population decline, according to the Census Bureau estimates published on May 15, 2025. The city is in Morehouse Parish in the northeastern part of the state.

Louisiana has seen uneven demographic performance in recent years, and Bastrop’s decline reflects that local variation. The federal data confirms the scale of the loss, but it does not include a detailed city narrative explaining why.

Compared with booming Sun Belt metros, Bastrop shows how growth in the South is far from uniform. Some smaller cities are still losing residents even while nearby states post gains in major metro corridors.

For readers, the larger story is regional. This list is dominated by small and mid-size Delta cities, especially in Mississippi, and the latest Census estimates show that population decline remains a real part of the U.S. travel map.