American cities are divided. While a few large, coastal cities have seen their populations grow, economies skyrocket, and major industries expand, other cities in the northeast and Midwest look increasingly like ghost towns.

Go back more than a few decades and that divide wasn’t nearly as stark.

The US manufacturing industry was booming, and factory towns like Buffalo and Detroit were considered the economic heart of the nation. Today, these cities make up what’s called the “Rust Belt” — a nod to the decline of the steel industry in the 1980s.

Read more: 9 cities and towns where you can get a home for free — or buy one at a massive discount

As the manufacturing industry slowed down, Rust Belt cities lost their economic importance, and their populations began to empty out. Around 40 years later, the wealth gap between these cities and coastal powerhouses continues to widen. Many Rust Belt cities are now littered with abandoned homes that local governments can’t afford to tear down.

A few of these governments have started selling empty properties for a single dollar, provided that the new owners are willing to fix them up. In just a short time, dollar home programs have begun to symbolize how far Rust Belt economies have fallen — but they might also be a ticket to a more prosperous future…….more here