A former steel town later dubbed ‘America’s Most Miserable City’ has seen a mass population exodus since its glory days but is rising again as it tears down abandoned buildings and sets its eyes on becoming a sporting hub.

Gary, Indiana, home to the largest steel plant in the nation, was buzzing in the 1920s with thousands of workers flooding the area but as the industry declined so did the city, with people packing up and thousands of buildings being left to rot.

Now Gary is embracing a new era as it unveiled ‘The Comeback Story’ – a proposal to become the home of the Chicago Bears.

The city has presented three ready-to-build sites for the football team’s new stadium: Gary West End Entertainment District, Buffington Harbor, and Miller Beach. 

This, against the backdrop of the city kicking off its third annual demolition blitz to pull down abandoned buildings, is the new lease of life the battered metropolis has been dreaming of. 

Gary mayor Eddie Melton said: ‘We are changing the story of Gary. 

‘This city has always had the bones. Now we’re putting the investment and leadership behind it.

‘A lot of the structures that have been abandoned now are structures that were abandoned when I was a kid, and I’m 45-years-old. So now, we’re clearing that blight to make it a safer community for students that are walking to school, next-door neighbors that have been living next door to abandoned structures.’ 

For many years, the Gary Works (pictured) was the world’s largest steel mill. Gary was buzzing in the 1920s as steel workers flooded the area

When the steel industry began its decline in the 1970s thanks to foreign imports outpacing the domestic steel economy, Gary began crumbling into chaos. An abandoned home in the city is pictured

Gary, well known as the birthplace of Michael Jackson, currently has an estimated 7,000 abandoned homes

At the start of the blitz last month, Melton estimated that Gary has close to 7,000 abandoned buildings. 

‘This demolition blitz is doing more than removing eyesores; it is resetting the foundation of our neighborhoods,’ said Melton.

The demolition teams are targeting around 60 unsafe structures across Downtown, Emerson, Glen Park, Midtown, and the Westside.

Melton said the city has acquired $20 million over the past three years. This comes from a mix of a $12 million grant from the state, federal money from a community development block grant program and from the Hard Rock Casino that opened in 2021.

‘To have a demolished structure, each structure costs about $10,000 to $15,000 to demolish. Then, the cost of disposal and hauling it, it can be very expensive,’ Melton said.

‘By clearing these blighted lots, we are removing safety hazards and signaling to residents and investors alike that Gary is ready for new growth,’ he added. 

And the growth could come in the form of a move by the Chicago Bears. The Bears have been in talks about a new home in Illinois for years but negotiations have stalled. Gary was first proposed as a possible headquarters in the 1990s and now the proposal has had a resurgence.

‘Back in 1994, the Chicago Bears saw potential in Gary, and we have never forgotten that vote of confidence,’ Melton stated

Gary mayor Eddie Melton is looking forward to a new era for his city as he works to turn around its image

Melton’s citywide Blight Blitz, Gary’s third annual ‘demolition blitz’ launched last month and will tear down abandoned buildings in five neighborhoods

Officials hope Gary will grow into an urban hub which will provide a cheaper alternative to neighboring Chicago, where rents have rocketed in recent years. Steel mills along Lake Michigan are pictured

The city was built around a single steel industry but that has been declining for decades. Gary ended up victim to deindustrialization, depopulation, drugs and crime

‘Thirty years later, Gary is even better positioned. Gary’s proposal gives the Bears the tax certainty and stability that the organization says is key to success.

On Tuesday Indiana Governor Mike Braun gave an update on the potential bears move at an economic development announcement. 

‘That is still something that is moving methodically ahead. Their (Illinois’) legislature is in session starting again this week, and it goes through the end of May. That has given more profile to our state along with what the (Indiana University) Hoosiers did in football. That’s given us a synergy that we’re getting attention.’

At its peak the city had a population of 178,000 in the 1960s but when foreign steel imports overtook domestic production in the 1970s, Gary spiraled into decline, with poverty and violent crime surging across the city leading to it being dubbed ‘the murder capital’ of the nation.

The Gary Police Department’s 2025 Public Safety Report shows sharp drops in violent crime and strong gains in investigative results compared to 2024. 

In 2024, the city recorded a median of 49 crimes per square mile. This dropped to 45  in 2025. Still, this far exceeds the national median of 24.5 and Indiana’s 20, according to neighborhood scout. 

Most notably, the report shows a historic milestone – the lowest homicide rate in 55 years.

Violent crime is falling across Gary, according to the report. Non-fatal shootings dropped 24 percent, from 133 in 2024 to 101 in 2025.

The Chicago Bears playing the Los Angeles Rams in this January 2026 photo. Gary has offered a new home to the Bears

Soldier Field is the current home of the Chicago Bears football team on the South Side of Chicago

Gary is known as the birthplace of Michael Jackson although today little remains of his connection to the city

Homicides fell 30 percent, from 40 to 28, bringing a 46 percent drop since 2023, while non-fatal shootings are down 31 percent.

Police chief Derrick Cannon said: ‘These numbers reflect a more focused and proactive approach to investigations. 

‘Our officers and detectives are working tirelessly to follow through on cases, build stronger files, and ensure individuals committing crimes in our city are held accountable.’

The population is currently declining at a rate of 0.54 percent annually.

According to statistics for 2026 from the World Population Review it currently has an estimated 66,829 residents. 

This has decreased by 3.15 percent since the most recent official census in 2020, which recorded a population of 69,006.

Gary’s median household income sits at $38,731, with a staggering 33 percent living in poverty, according to the census.