FWIW America's Most Miserable Cities 2011

[somone]

http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-most-miserable-cities-2011.html

America's Most Miserable Cities 2011
Kurt Badenhausen, Forbes.com

... We consider a total of 10 factors, things that people gripe about around the water cooler every day. Most are serious issues, including unemployment, crime and taxes. A few we factor in are not as critical, but still elevate people's blood pressure, like the weather, commute times and how the local sports team is doing.

No. 1: Stockton, Calif. - Unemployment has averaged 14.3% the past three years, which is third worst in the country among the 200 largest metro areas. The housing market collapsed as well, with home prices down 58% over the same time. All the California cities on the list are struggling with the inherent problems the state is facing, including high sales and income taxes and service cuts to help close massive budget shortfalls.

No. 2: Miami, Fla. - The sun and lack of a state income tax are the only things keeping Miami out of the top spot. Foreclosures hit one in 14 homes last year. Corruption is also off the charts, with 404 government officials convicted of crimes this decade in South Florida.

No. 3: Merced, Calif. - The economic downturn and busted housing market hit Merced harder than any other area in the country. Average unemployment of 16.2% since 2008 is the highest in the U.S., as is the city's 64% drop in median home prices.

No. 4: Modesto, Calif. - The median home was valued at $275,000 in 2006; today it is $95,000. And don't leave your car on the street in Modesto, where 3,712 vehicles were stolen in 2009, making for the second-highest auto theft rate in the country. It ranked first in four of the previous five years.

No. 5: Sacramento, Calif. - No state taxes $50,000 of income like California, with a rate of 9.55% for that middle-class tax bracket. Sacramento is a one-team sports town, and that team has been awful in recent years. The NBA's Kings have won just 26% of their games the past two-plus seasons....

[Kolesar]

1. Cleveland's unemployment rate fell to 8.5%. It didn't increase like Forbes says

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/datacenter/metro-unemploy-dec2010.html?appSession=87595994007829

Unemployment rate (Dec. 2010), Year-to-year change (percentage points) , Metropolitan area

8.5% - 0.4% Cleveland, Ohio
9.0% - 0.9% Cincinnati, Ohio
7.8% - 1.3% Columbus, Ohio

[mike_c]

2. LOL-- there are lots of reasons I wouldn't want to live in Sacramento...

...but a losing sports team isn't one of them! I do agree with Stockton at #1 though. I pass through it several times a year on my way to another town that ought to be on the list, Barstow. Gateway to my beloved Mojave!

[movonne]

3. some of the california cities listed here are very red areas..