alohamora

ABANDONED PLACES, Iceland Jan Erik Waider

albuquerque, nm.   population: 560,00.  median rent: $877/mo.  the rio grande almost cuts it in half, north to south. almost 1 of every 2 people are hispanic or latino. hosts the international balloon festival every year. intrinsically tied to the navajo, apache and comanche.

wichita, ks.   population: 389,000.  median rent: $682/mo.  on the arkansas river. a major hub for the aeronautics industry — popularly known as “the air capital of the world.” in recent years, child incarceration has increased drastically, as has the occurrence of the state taking children from their homes.

stockton, ca.   population: 311,000.  median rent: $1,138/mo.  ranked: eighth most miserable, third least literate, tenth most dangerous, and tied for most obese city in america. it was also named 2020′s most diverse city. located in between modesto and sacramento. services two major industrial railways.

knoxville, tn.   population: 187,000.  median rent:  $820/mo.  borders the tennessee river. it has a deeply divisive history of racial tension. home to the university of tennessee volunteers. its downtown is vibrant but small, and it’s just a two hour drive from nashville.

bellevue, wa.   population: 148,000.  median rent: $2,173/mo.  located east of seattle,  just past lake washington. local transit is readily available and inexpensive. considered one of the safest cities in the country, and 1 of every 3 people is a person of color.

cambridge, ma.   population: 119,000.  median rent: $3,474/mo.  best known for being home to harvard university and mit (massachusetts institute of technology). to the southeast, a river separates cambridge from boston.

provo, ut.   population: 117,000.  median rent: $1,453/mo.  best known for its mormon population (around 90%). 84% of its population is white. home to several national features and many “silicon slope” businesses.

clearwater, fl.   population: 116,000.  median rent: $1,127/mo.  best known for being the “scientology capital” of the world. home to an unprecedented number of greeks. it was a major training base for the u.s. army during world war 2. generally considered peaceful, if not dull and archaic.

myrtle beach, sc.   population: 34,000.  median rent: $1,123.  a vacation and tourist city, complete with amusement parks and world-renowned golf courses. has a well-known low “permanent” population, making it fairly dangerous.

vashon, wa.   population: 10,000.  median rent: $3,774/mo.  a small island in the puget sound known for its relative isolation from the rest of busy king county. it has a deep history with indigenous americans and japanese americans. it also hosts a nationally-acclaimed strawberry festival every year.

VICTORIA PEDRETTI AS NELL CRAIN IN THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE