12 of the Scariest Places in the US According to Those Living in the US

While the US is not as old as countries like China, Japan, England or others, there are some places in the US that just give you the "get out while you can" or just overall dangerous vibes. According to the site Have Clothes, Will Travel, here are 12 locations in the US where you get just those vibes.

Sorry about all of the creepy and paranormal stuff. I find it fascinating to read about haunted locations. I enjoy learning about haunted locations and learning the interesting history behind them

1. East St. Louis, Illinois

-A city shrouded in fear

-One person recounts the feeling of constant dread. Even though they walked around with relative ease, they didn't understand until much later on, the incredibly high risks they had undertaken. Staying in a cheap motel, they bore witness to multiple assaults in the parking lot, running into the injured victims. At a nearby Burger King restaurant, there was a robbery and murder and in the motel parking lot was a van that acted as a rolling drug lab. The person was even held at gunpoint during a robbery at a nearby gas station. East St. Louis is the textbook definition of the darker side of urban life

2. Camden, New Jersey

-A city on the brink of danger

-This city has earned its reputation as a dangerous place to be. One observer stated they truly fear this place. The city is a city on the brink of total ruin. The local police force's strike due to low pay resulted in a massive power shift, leaving criminals to run the city. Visitors are strongly advised to leave the area before sunset, further emphasizing this is not a place to be when the sun goes down

3. Utah and their alcohol laws

-The alcohol laws are a sobering reality check

-A formerly Australian citizen now turned US citizen living in Utah states their point of view on the strict alcohol laws in Utah. Comparing it with their native homeland, the person states that the rules and regulations regarding alcohol in Utah would frighten or shock their friends and relatives in their native homeland. "I know a lot of my mates back home would be absolutely terrified if they knew about the alcohol laws here." These laws are radically different than what those who are from Australia are used to. This helps contribute to a strong sense of fear and unfamiliarity for those not used to strict regulations

-The reason for the incredibly strict alcohol laws is that the majority of the population of Utah belongs to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They have strongly held beliefs about alcohol consumption. In a way, the Church of Latter Day Saints rules Utah with an iron fist

4. Colorado City, Arizona

-A major polygamist hub

-This Arizona city is home to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is known for polygamy, or multiple wives. This town was, in fact, founded by the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints Church. A person traveling through this town recalls feeling uneasy, witnessing women and children retreating back into their homes while the men gave unsettling stares. This reclusive city and the unsettling feeling over it creates a totally disturbing feeling for those travelling through it

5. Oakland, California

-A city gone to seed

-This once booming industrial town boasted an MLB team called the Oakland A's, an NFL team called the Oakland Raiders and is even the home base for successful punk band Green Day. Now that both of those teams have gone to other cities, this particular city is becoming a bad place to go. One person remarked that during a road trip, they found themselves traveling through Oakland. This area is known for a terrifyingly high crime rate. There was a chilling scene where the streets were all but abandoned save for a few ruined cars going down the wrong side of the street. Police cars rushed past without even going after the reckless drivers. Gunshots were a daily sound, leaving a feeling of unease. Multiple police cars with flashing lights passing by, the person suddenly found themselves in a high-end luxury neighborhood, which only adds to the confusion

6. Gloucester City, New Jersey

-Not a safe place for those who are black

-Located near Camden, New Jersey, Gloucester City is is one of the most unsettling areas for those who are black. This scary feeling is attributed to a strong combination of both racism and the mostly Irish-American Catholic population. These characteristics have helped create a hostile feeling, making those who are from the black communities feel unwanted and unwelcome. This deadly shadow of discrimination has cast an ugly light on the city

7. Oniontown, New York

-A city wrapped in mystery

-Located in New York, this city with a strange name is about as mysterious as it's possible to be. There is only a small percentage of information available about this town. An individual who happened to pass through compares the residents to that of vampires, creating an uneasy feeling and a sense of dread about the place. The strong lack of information about this town leaves those who visit thirsting for more information about what the town is hiding

-The actual information about this small town in New York is that it is just that: a small town. Unfortunately, it's incredibly impoverished. As many as 10 people could be living in a house at one time. Illiteracy is rampant. Nosy teens have come here and antagonized the locals, who fight back and protect what they have. The locals prefer to just be left alone. But there is now a stigma over this town, stating that inbred people live here, which is simply not true

8. Centralia, Pennsylvania

-A town abandoned almost overnight

-This town in Colombia County, Pennsylvania is and was known for its coal mining industry. There are massive coal seams running underneath the city. What put this city on the radar of people's knowledge is an underground fire that started in the coal seams. This fire has been burning since 1962, and since then the town has been all but abandoned. Those who went to get gas at the local gas stations report that the gas was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. There would be sinkholes opening in the ground that would be deadly if someone fell in. There are vents all over town letting out the hot air. Once you open the lid to one of these vents, steam comes out and it's well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The fire has been releasing poisonous sulfur and carbon monoxide fumes, making it unsafe for people to live there.

-The exact cause of the fire is from people intentionally burning trash in an abandoned strip mining pit turned landfill. The fire started in an unsealed opening in the trash pit, igniting the carbon-based coal mines underneath. This is most likely due to not having a barrier to prevent spreading. The deadly carbon monoxide and sulfur fumes caused residents to evacuate as soon as possible. Since then, the fires have been burning bright for well over 50 years and it's still going to burn for at least another 250 years until the coal seems fueling the fire run out

9. Galveston, Texas

-The haunted isle

-The terrible hurricane of 1900 took many lives and left death and destruction behind on the island. Many buildings there are associated with the local stories of ghosts and hauntings. Those who visit Galveston remark that there is a spooky feeling throughout the island, resulting in feelings of fear and dread. Beyond the local ghost lore, one person stated "And to top it all off, it has a Biosafety level 4 research center on the island. It houses things like the bubonic plague and other super contagious diseases. Did I mention hurricanes are frequent here?"

10. Stockton, California

-A city wrestling with demons

-This city has earned a bad reputation. One person said that there was strong language used to describe their frustration with the city. This leads to the suspicion that there are major challenges and issues in this city. Some of the demons contributing to the dangerous atmosphere include a terrifyingly high crime rate. There is severely high gang activity here, an estimated 140 gangs. There is easy access to firearms. The socioeconomic factors of poverty, access to education and job opportunities are limited. The nightlife in the city is tied with gang activity. Local police are trying to reduce the crime rate through programs like Neighborhood Watch and Crime Stoppers

11. Opa-Locka Florida

-Beware of the high crime rates

-This city in the Sunshine State is said to have one of the highest crime rates in the country. This is resulting from high drug use on the streets, prostitution being clearly visible on the streets, poverty levels are significant. One visitor stated "The train stop at Opa-Locka almost looks post-apocalyptic." Another visitor remarked "You had to drive through there to get to the old Marlins stadium and it was pretty terrifying."

12. Any Walmart in the country

-Sometimes a sight to behold

-Walmarts don't sound like a scary or dangerous place. If anything, it's more weird and odd than dangerous to life. The things one would see there would blow the mind. There are even calendars devoted to "Walmart People." One store guest reported "Can confirm source. Have seen many things in Walmarts that can't be unseen." While another stated "My 3 year old walked into Walmart the other day and asked me if we were at the zoo. Basically."

-This chain of supermarkets are a more affordable option than some other major supermarket chains. There are nice locations to go to. As a resident of Cincinnati, OH, I know for a fact that the Walmart locations I prefer are located in either the Ohio neighborhood of Fairfax, which is on the east side of Cincinnati or the Northern Kentucky city of Alexandria

-There are some Walmart locations that are, in fact, genuinely dangerous to visit. One of the more dangerous locations to visit is the Walmart on Ferguson Rd in the Ohio city of Western Hills, a suburb of Cincinnati. This Walmart location is known for the extremely high rate of shoplifting, despite being located near a District 2 Cincinnati Police Department. In fact, standing in the parking lot of the Walmart, you can look straight up the parking lot to see the back of the new District 2 Cincinnati Police Department. They patrol here very regularly. There have also been shootings there over the years. In fact, one year right around the Christmas holidays, a man was robbed at gunpoint and then shot as he was coming out of the store from doing his Christmas shopping for his family. Sadly, the man died on the scene. It's unclear whether the assailant was caught

-As a side note, Cincinnati, Ohio, while a somewhat good city, does have a pretty noticeable crime rate. Many people in the city make a running bet to see how far into the new year the city can make it without the local news outlets running stories about someone getting killed. It sounds macabre, I know. But, it's a sad fact that the city can barely make it into the new year without someone dying from some pointless cause. It's usually either someone shooting someone dead. Someone dying in a car crash from a reckless driver. Someone killing another individual for a pointless cause. It's just sad that petty crime and violent crime has to happen