Curious About The Top Ten Most Miserable US Cities? Read On.
Forbes Magazine rates the most miserable cities in the United States. The rating is based on a number of things:
- Unemployment rate
- Income tax rate
- Number of violent crimes per capita
- Weather
- Average commute time
- Presence of superfund sites — this is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste storage site.
Base on the criteria, the ten most miserable cities in the United States are:
- Detroit, Michigan
- Stockton, California
- Flint, Michigan
- New York, New York
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Chicago, Illinois
- Los Angeles, California
- Modesto, California
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Providence, Rhode Island
A few comments. When I first looked at that list, I was happy not to see any cities from Massachusetts or Texas. When I gave it a little more thought I was shocked to see Charlotte, North Carolina on the list. I thought North Carolina was having a tremendous amount of people relocate there and I just assumed that Charlotte would get their fair share. I have heard nothing but great things about Charlotte and again very surprised they were listed. I was also a little surprised that Michigan had two of the top three most miserable cities on the list. I thought they had been working very hard to clean up the area and had dramatically improved things. Based on this list, it doesn’t appear to be the case. I was also surprised to see California occupy three of the top eight spots.
I also think they should add some additional criteria to identify the most miserable cities. Education and the rating of the cities’ schools is an obvious addition they should make.
- What other criteria do you think they should add?
- What was your first reaction when you saw the list?
- What cities do you think should be added?
I look forward to your comments.
May 19th, 2008 at 11:12 am
CHARLOTTE!!!! That just doesn’t make sense. I grew up in Charlotte and it’s a very friendly happy town. I would like Atlanta would make the list over Charlotte!
May 19th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
“Miserable” is too much of a simplification. How about “miserable but I wouldn’t live anywhere else” vs. “miserable and I can’t wait to get out of here”? Otherwise, you have “miserable but so what?”.
I doubt that too many New Yorkers, Chicagoans, or Angelenos (I hope that’s the right word) see themselves as miserable and looking to escape. Although Flint sounded pretty miserable, if “Roger and Me” was any guide.
At any rate, it’s pretty silly to measure something that’s fundamentally emotional through economic and demographic indicators, without accounting for all the positive reasons that somone would live in these cities. We have horrible winters in Chicago, lots of congestion, and neighborhoods with high crime, but when you’ve got the Lakefront, world-class institutions and unique ethnic communities to appreciate, the positive outweighs the negative. I think that Forbes needs to work on scale development:-).
May 19th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I agree with adding education to the mix. I also think there should be some criteria for entertainment.
Cities like New York, Chicago, and LA score low on crime and commute, but you get some of the best entertainment in the country for your troubles. I’m not sure cities like Stockholm, CA “Stockton’s Great, Take A Look!” (actual motto) have much to offer in the entertainment department.
Forbes, and maybe the average Forbes reader, is only focused on getting the money and not concerned about fun ways to spend the cash.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I think this list was prepared by a Texan
May 19th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Believing that all data is subjective, this list is lacking a basis in reality. Some of these cities are listed as the most desirable places to live.
I would imagine NYC is on that list because we have a very high income tax and some serious commute times (I’m only 10-15 minutes from the office though). I’m sure we have a superfund site or two, but I couldn’t tell you where they are as they never impact my daily routine. When it comes to weather - who’s to say what’s good and bad? I’d much prefer a snowstorm to a hazy/hot/humid day. Our unemployment is below the national average and our crime rate is the LOWEST for any large city.
As a matter of fact, with the housing crisis going on in the rest of the country, we still have 600 sq. ft studios going for $1 million +. Doesn’t sound miserable enough to me that demand is out-pacing supply.
Forbes’ misery index is just a gimmick to get page views and isn’t a good judge of cities (overall). Here’s the article:
http://www.forbes.com/business/2008/01/29/detroit-stockton-flint-biz-cz_kb_0130miserable.html
However, if you read the article, please don’t click the ads…
May 19th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Matt,
Thanks for your comments and supplying the link. I appreciate you defending NY BUT personally I would live in a city where it was 115 daily vs any snow…. As I get older - I really have grown to dislike it for so many reasons.
Enjoy NY!
Merrill
May 19th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Did they go to Cleveland lately? I was there on a rainy day in January…talk about miserable! I also don’t get why Charlotte made this list.
May 20th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Charlotte is weird. i wonder if somehow it can be falsely blamed on the higher # of northeasterners who have relocated there. and, i generally would not need a top 10 most miserable list to remind me not to relocate to Flint or Stockton.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:00 am
Matt - I have to agree with Merrill. Between the weather and the cost of living, that’s enough to keep me here in Texas. I lived in San Francisco for a few years and loved the city and so much about it. What I didn’t love is my ex-wife and I both made decent incomes and still felt like we could never get ahead due to the inflated cost of living. $1 MM for 600 sq ft studio may sound like a bragging point, but in my opinion it is the reason I moved away from San Fran. It wasn’t that I couldn’t afford to live there. However, the fact that I can live like a king here for much less, provides me a level of happiness and comfort I never found there. The Forbes article touches on the fact that it make the wealthy worry, and I understand that. Though I love NYC and it’s one of my favorite cities to visit, I am going to agree with Merrill that weather is one of the biggest factors. In addition, commute times and cost of living have made all the difference for me. Charlotte may not make sense on that list, but most of the others seem fairly justified.
May 21st, 2008 at 11:48 am
Paul,
It is so funny - the older I get the hotter I want the weather to be! I assume that will change when i am 80 but I can’t wait until the Texas days of summer when it is 100 every single day! I say bring it on.
Thanks for your comments.
Merrill
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:42 am
It would be interesting to see which cities made the ‘least miserable’ list - I bet it would be most of the same ones! That’s what generally happens with ‘best / worst dressed’, ‘most loved / most hated’ lists. They seem to count all the good stuff to the exclusion of the bad stuff and vice versa.
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:43 am
Bobby,
Thanks for your comment. I would be curious to see if you are right and will look to see if I can find a list.
Merrill
May 27th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Merrill - We agree! You know how I love the sun - so here I am in #6 Chicago - job-related, but I have to tell you - Lake Michigan just 30 minutes north of the city is absolutely beautiful. I have an easy 15 minute commute - no traffic. You just have to get through the 9 month winters, and Chicago is all right!
Weather is everything - try Scottsdale for hot!
May 27th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I don’t know what it means that all the people complaining about cold weather are men. Personally, I will take the cold any day. I was born and raised in Phoenix (you know, the place where they had to close the airport one summer when the temp hit 125 cause it was off the FAA charts) and now that I’m in NY, I look forward each fall for the coming of the snow.
I will make an exception for Hawaii (course housing is not exactly cheap there either)
May 27th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
well i lived right between #1 and #3…both were nasty. but inbetween those two cities is oakland county and it is so great and pretty. it is very much like southlake/highland park area.
now detroit did have its ups…greek town, the casinos, a tunnel that took you to canada where you could drink at 19, ect.
as for flint, well it has a very nice small airport. thats it.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Dear Merrill and friends,
Take it from someone who knows what a Houston day in August when it is 97 degrees and 99% humidity and you are working on the loading dock for eight hours unloading a U-Haul full of furniture, and a Minneapolis day in December when you are sure you car won’t start because it is 35 below, when Triple A is recording record calls for jump-start assistance, when the doors on the inside of the mall are covered with frost, and all pipes are frozen-I have been on the road from coast to coast for an average of 92 days per year for the last 26 years. I have seen it all, and I do not to put any of our great cities down because the truth is there is something special about them all. It is in the eye of the beholder and it really helps if you spend a little time there, reading the local papers, meeting the local people and trying to appreciate why they love their home.
But alas, while I have not been able to embrace them all, I respect them all. So, it is really difficult to understand how some fool listed my home Chicago high on the bad list. Blessed with our beautiful lake-front, world renown architecture, fabulous restaurants, theater, beaches, museums and shopping, Chicago is one of the world’s true gems. Anyone who does not see that just does not qualify as any kind of an authority. We are home to many of the world’s leading corporations and we have many of the world’s most important institutions-too many to list but several are #1 in the North America if not the world. For all of you who do not acknowledge this, I have these words-you need to get out a little.
In the meantime, I will continue my job related travels searching out great locations for data collection as I have done throughout my career and savoring every moment I can glean from every experience. The travel has taught me a great deal, and I hope this national outlook has made me a better person.
May 28th, 2008 at 7:46 am
John,
To me Chicago, Boston and San Francisco are the same cities. Great architecture, on the water, walking cities, fantastic restaurants, museums and sports teams. I was surprised it made the list.
I love Michigan avenue and look forward to visiting the city often.
Thanks for your comments.
Merrill
August 16th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Those cities are full of third-worlders. Of course it’s going to be miserable living in them. No one in their right mind would leave in those places if they could actually live in the real America.