America's most miserable city

[wilt the stilt]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6845277&page=1

Listed are Forbes opinion of the most miserable cities to live in.
My personal vote- Atlanta- terrible traffic- brutally hot, miserable selfish republican culture( me first)- there are good progressives(far and few between) i think there are at least 100 total in Gwinnett county. As soon as my kids finish college I'm out of here

[babylonsister]

1. Hey, you just described Houston, too. nt

[dkofos]

5. And Plano Tx

[Ishoutandscream2]

14. Rockwall, Texas a very, very close second

[Ilsa]

78. At least Plano gets a real Winter season. Cities like Houston

and where I live are already getting warm. I just ordered my summer tank tops to start wearing as local retailers try to convince us to wear long sleeved "Spring" outfits. It's 80 degrees here today.

[ThomWV]

56. Killeen, Texas always seemed like the asshole of the earth to me

[Sequoia]

2. Fresno, CA.

I liked Atlanta before the traffic got so bad. I only vist from time to time.

[stranger81]

71. Definitely -- how did Fresno get omitted from this list?

[Le Taz Hot]

76. See post #74

Same question, Einstein.

[Le Taz Hot]

74. Is it the brown people you have a problem with here

or the food that we grow to feed your stomach?

Maybe you can elaborate.

LTH
Fresno, CA

[XemaSab]

97. More like

Sprawl, fundies, and gangs. No culture, no decent shopping, no decent weather. Smog, pesticides, good ol' boys.

And Devin Nunes. x(

The only thing I miss about the area is the Mexican food. :(

[XemaSab]

94. Stockton made the list

Close enough. :shrug:

[Kalyke]

3. Atlanta has a Republican culture?

Pretty neat trick for a town that votes mostly Democratic.

[Belial]

6. no kidding.. when was the last time you were in Atlanta..

[wilt the stilt]

12. I have lived here for a long time

Atlanta metropolitan area is decidedly republican as is the whole south. This is ground zero for Red State philosophy. My congressman is John Linder and our Senators are Chambliss and Isakson. Our governor is Sonny Perdue. Do I need to say more

[devilgrrl]

23. Please go off on Suwanee

eom

[ProfessorGAC]

29. I Stay There When I Visit

It's near that giant mall so there are lots of good places for carry-out.
GAC

[wilt the stilt]

36. not enough bible thumping churches- we need more-n/t

[Kalyke]

35. I realize all that surrounds Atlanta is Republican, but Atlanta

itself is blue.

This explains your senators and governor. You must live in a red area of Atlanta to have a Republican congressman - or else it's gerrymandered to include more Republican districts outside of met-At.

[Donnachaidh]

46. intown Atlanta is SMALL compared to Atlanta metro

The vast majority of Atlanta metro is RED. And happily RED, if you ask some of the natives.

[conscious evolution]

63. I hate it when people call Marietta and Lawrenceville part of Atlanta

They are not.They are seperate metro areas outside of Atlanta with there own satellite towns.Its like calling Long Beach a subarb of LA.

[KamaAina]

51. I guess Virginia and NC have left the South, then

Atlanta metropolitan area is decidedly republican as is the whole south.

We flipped both those Southern states Blue in November, plus Florida, which isn't really considered Southern any more but was part of the Confederacy.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

85. It might get a little better soon...

A whole bunch of liberals from Minnesota are moving to Atlanta on account of the Delta-Northwest merger. Welcome them with open arms.

[Blue_Tires]

15. you get out into the suburbs and exurbs and you start to see the picture

[RebelOne]

17. Yup, I live just northwest of Atlanta in Woodstock, Cherokee County.

This area is just about 100% red. I am probably the only Democrat for miles around.

[Blue_Tires]

27. i used to live southwest (Morehouse College)

and i've got family spread out in the farthest reaches of Gwinnett Co.

[wilt the stilt]

34. do you have a gun?

or are you breaking the law

[Greyhound]

58. That's Kennesaw, unless they copied. n/t

[Runcible Spoon]

66. Dunwoody here.

Nothing but "upscale" strip malls, chain restaurants, and more H2 Hummers than I've ever seen in my entire life. My entire apartment complex is full of up and coming Young Republicans with expensive cars; there is almost NO social scene or culture here. Going out here means going out to a depressing generic sports bars or driving in the insane traffic to the decent clubs downtown; MARTA doesn't run late at night unfortunately.

It's depressing and I hate it here; would love nothing more than to be able to afford a move to downtown Atlanta. Oh and you wouldn't believe how segregated Dunwoody is; all you have to do is look at who is at the MARTA stops and who is single passenger in their fucking Porsches. HATE IT here. Sigh.

[Bake]

4. You obviously haven't visited Jackson, MS ...

:hi:

Bake

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. I went to Chicago last month.

I didn't find it miserable. It's way better than Dallas or Miami if you ask me.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. Chicago's fantastic

If you're in the right school district...

Love it here, but I know I'm privileged relative to other parts of the city.

[ComtesseDeSpair]

31. I've lived in Chicago for 4 years now

I moved here from Chico, California. I LOVE the city - the ethnicities, the events, the museums, the buildings, the lakeshore, the people. I would love to stay here for the rest of my life. My only problem is - I can't afford to live here. I moved here to be with my girlfriend (she's from here), and she is currently going to school to get a teacher's credential. We're going to stay here at least another year, possibly longer if she can get a job in an under-privileged school so her student loans can be paid off, then we're moving somewhere affordable like Michigan. The cost of living is just horrible here - from the parking fees, tollway fees, parking sticker, sales tax, etc. - and it just keeps getting worse. I've built up over $30,000 in debt in those four years and I don't imagine I'll pay any of that down until I move. We will never be able to even DREAM of buying a house here, not even a condo. Also the police here is absolutely hideous. They will not lift a finger to help anyone unless a murder is involved. Theft, assault - that's your own problem. It's amazing to me.

But apart from the expense and the police, it's a wonderful place. :)

[googleismyfrenemy]

33. Why don't you consider moving to the 'burbs? Public transit is great!

I have lived outside Chicago all my life and if ever I want to go downtown, I'm there in less than half an hour...Parking in the city is nuts and if your girlfriend is studying a high-need subject like Special Ed, she can still work in the Chicago schools with a waiver.

My guess about this survey (which really pissed me, by the way) is that they happened to catch Chicagoans at a bad time. The County Board has screwed everyone royally, Mayor Daley is experiencing real dissatisfaction from the citizens for the first time in 20 years (regarding some of his appointments, in addition to the snow removal debacle earlier this year), and we've had two back-to-back mothers of a winter.

[ComtesseDeSpair]

53. Yeah, suburbs are a possibility...

We're kinda in a holding pattern right now because she has her own dog walking business that she's doing while she's going to school, and she doesn't want to leave until she starts student teaching and gives up her business. We moved to a cheaper apartment in September and we're saving $500/month in rent, so that's helping us cope for now, but we still live paycheck to paycheck. Once next September comes around, we may very well be heading to a suburb. Even though she'll be kicking and screaming - she is a city girl, hates the 'burbs. Ha ha.

[Roadless]

68. Madison is a great town

Very progressive and interesting place.

[renate]

73. welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Roadless]

80. Thanks :)

nm

[chelaque liberal]

93. I'm moving there this weekend!!!!

[schmuls]

43. I'm pissed that Chicago was included, and I don't even live

there! I love Chicago. Ever think of moving to Milwaukee ("little Chicago" to some)? A lot of the same stuff you mentioned that you like, but on a smaller scale. And easy to get to via Amtrak for visiting. True, Wisconsin does have high taxes.

[ComtesseDeSpair]

54. You know...

I have been wanting to check out Milwaukee for years. I will make it a point to take a drive up there this summer. I wouldn't mind living there, or in Madison.

[schmuls]

67. If you come up this summer and are staying overnight, I would

suggest booking a room way ahead of time, because during the summer, hotel rooms go fast, with all the festivals going on. ;^}

[Roadless]

69. You are right about some things

It is too expensive. The cost of living levels here are usually associated with places that allow for more outdoor variety and scenic attractions (San Francisco, Aspen, Jackson Hole). There really is nothing to do outdoors here, Illinois is very lacking in that option. Also, the area in general is pretty ugly. Taxes are way out of control, as are the "gotcha" fees(tolls, parking etc). You *will* be nickle and dimed to death unleess you make very good money.

That said, the schools are pretty good, the food is great, the people are good and the culture is first rate.

[HERVEPA]

8. By the way,....

You do know, I assume, that Wilt hated that nickname, much preferred the dipper or the big dipper.

[vinylsolution]

10. Colorado Springs, has to be among the worst....

Endless concrete sprawl, empty malls everywhere, a bunch of Republican crooks running the city and El Paso County, 30,000 members of Ted Haggard's New Life Church, and James Dobson's little ol' hate factory, too (Focus on The Family).

Jeeez, what's to like?

(apart from the relative sanity of Denver, just 65 miles up the road)

[madamesilverspurs]

49. Er, yeah.

Holding the state Democratic convention there was an interesting choice, to be polite about it. I daresay it isn't a choice that will be repeated.

[Arugula Latte]

52. Colorado Springs is a horrible place.

The most positive thing I can say about it is that Pike's Peak is impressive.

[Greyhound]

60. It was much better a million years ago when Denver ran the state,

then all you you foreigners:P (mostly Texans) discovered it in the 70s/80s and killed it.

[rockymountaindem]

75. It's not as bad as it used to be

I'm starting to appreciate it a little bit more as the grip of the RWers on society, if not politics, starts to erode. There were way more Obama bumper stickers in EPC than McCain ones last time around.

[Dukkha]

82. no wonder they built the Stargate there

anything to escape from that!

[AlCzervik]

11. Stockton is right down the highway from me and yes it is in very bad shape.

The only thing i can say about my city is--"Elk Grove, we aren't Stockton......yet!"

[Blue_Tires]

13. all they can say about cleveland is that it snows and they're gonna lose lebron?

great research, forbes.....

doesn't surprise me that St. Louis is on the list, but what about D.C.? and Hartford?

and to the OP, I've lived in Atlanta too and didn't think that highly of it -- But I can't quite put it on a top 10 list...

[RebelOne]

16. I live in the Atlanta area and I can agree about the terrible traffic

and the Republican culture. But it is only brutally hot about 3 months out of the year. The weather throughout the rest of the year is perfect. You want brutally hot practically all of the time? Try South Florida where I lived most of my life before moving to Georgia in 1989.

[AndyTiedye]

18. Since it's Forbes, Tax Rates Are Their Top Criteria

and they have also added sports teams. Woopee!

[Donnachaidh]

19. totally agree about Atlanta

Brutally hot, brutally nasty republican culture. Having lived in LA, I also have to say that Atlanta surpasses LA for SHALLOW, selfish people. We've got the same plans as you do. When school is out, we're gone.

[wilt the stilt]

21. southern sports culture

a friend of mine's son was cut from his sport team. he went to every practice for over a year. he had a major injury and rehabbed it. He raised the second most amount of money in the fund raisers( very high number(4 digits). He was given a uniform and on cut day it was taken back. he was cut because he wasn't strong enough( he was highly skilled). he wasted a year doing this. he was promised that there would always be a spot for him on the team.

[Donnachaidh]

44. so they used him for his fundraising, and tossed him on the heap when after they got it

Yup --

Sounds EXACTLY like the brutish swine we have in my area. Southern *culture* my ass! They LIVE for that mythology.

[Lance_Boyle]

62. do you know the origins of "southern culture?"

It's worth looking into - it doesn't mean what 99.999999% of people who use the term think it does. It refers, in fact, to the strictly regimented social order of the plantation South (specifically Charleston, SC) shortly after the Revolution. Not necessarily black v white, but more in terms of "when they say tea at ten in Charleston, you'd better be there at ten." French diplomats of the time were very impressed by this rigidity, and coined the term to describe it. Long story short, and all.

[RebelOne]

25. It's brutally hot only 3 months out of the year. n/t

[Donnachaidh]

45. that depends on your definition of hot

And it's hotter far more than 3 months a year.

[chelaque liberal]

64. I second it about Atlanta. Hate it here.

My husband, a teacher, came home furious today. A loud-mouth teacher went off on "Liberals" in the break room in front of him, knowing that he was probably the only one in the whole school. He stood his own though.

It is depressing to live here. I don't even like going anywhere because of the conversations I overhear.

Gwinnett County

[acmavm]

20. You've never been miserable until you've spent time in Omaha.

That's the litmus test for misery.

[firedupdem]

26. oh Lord Yes, I'm about 90 minutes away and miserable n/t

[mnhtnbb]

72. I spent 6 years in misery in Lincoln. We used to go to Omaha just to find a decent restaurant.

:shrug:

[acmavm]

86. I'm sorry. I really am because that's about the size of it. Unless you go

to Kansas City.

[Strong Atheist]

22. Anywhere that it is cold. nt.

[The2ndWheel]

30. Anything over 30 degrees is too hot

[Strong Atheist]

42. Anything under 80f is too cold.

x(

[InvisibleTouch]

77. Agreed!

I'm living way too far north.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

48. If you live on Pluto, yes. nt

[oldtime dfl_er]

24. All I can say is thank god for the Pacific NW

after reading some of your comments, I'm staying right where I'm at...Jim McDermott country!

[EstimatedProphet]

28. St.Louis makes the list, and Dallas or San Antonio doesn't?

Wow, that's some list, Forbes.

[DFW]

88. Dallas is OK , as long as * is somewhere else

[pointblank]

32. I just went through the list in pictures

and one by one I was getting more and more excited that St. Louis FINALLY didn't make the top ten of some "bad" cities list...

Then I hit number 10 and my joy was squelched; And yet another day will go by as I ask myself the question "Why do I live here again?"

BTW, if you care; the answer is my mother-in-law - by way of my wife. :-(

[lurky]

37. Chicago is worse off than Flint, Michigan?

According to their absurd criteria it is. Leave it to Forbes and ABC to rank urban misery by whether a city has high sales tax. Oh, and how does having a pro sports franchise actually increase the quality of life in a town?

[ComtesseDeSpair]

55. I know!!!

They used the fact that the Cubs haven't won a championship in 100 years as a criteria for why it's a "miserable" city. Well, what about the White Sox? They won only three years ago. Shouldn't that negate the Cubs? So stupid.

[madrchsod]

38. chicago is one of the greatest cities in the usa.....

the traffic sucks and the taxes are high but this makes up for all that misery-- lake front parks , museums,and lake shore drive

[Baikonour]

39. Philadelphia.

Crime-ridden. Corrupt mayors. Filthy.

[Jennicut]

40. Eh, its better then Hartford, Bridgeport, and Waterbury in CT

I was there about 15 years ago when I was about 14. I thought it pretty clean, maybe its changed?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

41. A friend of mine used to call it a slum with a bunch of statues.

[PVnRT]

47. Detroit. This is not a contest.

Unemployment is rampant, the infant mortality spikes to third-world levels, the last mayor was corrupt philanderer, and the sports teams pretty much all suck. If there is a city worse off right now than Detroit (in the U.S., anyway), I've not seen it.

[blue_onyx]

50. You're wrong about the sports teams

The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup last year, the Pistons won in 2004 and have gone far in the playoffs pretty much every year since, the Tigers played in the World series in 2006, and the WNBA has won its 3rd championship in 2008. The Lions suck but the rest of Detroit's sports teams are pretty good.

[XemaSab]

95. Go to realtor.com

and look up Detroit.

The number of houses that they are GIVING away, and the number of those houses that are burned out... just shocking.

[SmileyRose]

57. i LOVE living in metro Atlanta

we aren't without our problems, naturally, but compared to where I came from 32 years ago this is FAR better. I came from near Detroit.

[Stevenmarc]

59. Atlanta might have better traffic

if the didn't name every friggen street Peachtree

[Greyhound]

61. True. When I was living there, there were 42 Peachtrees. n/t

:rofl:

[conscious evolution]

65. I think it is up to 47 now. nt

[JVS]

70. Detroit.

Since they seem to have spent at least the last 4 months openly declaring in their newspaper that they are totally fucked over, I'm going to believe them. That isn't exactly the kind of thing a city likes to announce to the world.

[Dukkha]

81. Forbes predicts Detroit may be abandoned by 2100

Detroit's population has decreased by a third since 1950 to about 950,000, and it is expected to shrink slowly but steadily until at least 2030. Unemployment inside the city is currently more than 10%. (The suburbs around Detroit, meanwhile, are growing.) If trends hold, Detroit will be altered beyond recognition by 2100.

[JVS]

84. Maybe Robocop had it right!

[MrPerson]

79. Grand Fucking Rapids

[SoCalDem]

83. Actually, it sounds like Stockton should start advertising itself as

a retirement community.. The FIRST thing that retirees look at is HOUSING costs...California climate is a plus for the place, and if enough people moved there, that did not need JOBS, they could see their economy rebound, and actually CREATE jobs, from the influx.

Luring mass quantities of 20-30-40-somethings is a BAD idea, because those age groups require lots of infrastructure...schools, roads, jobs, etc..

But a place that attracts older people who don't come with small children and the need of big paying jobs, could see themselves actually benefiting..

If I ran Stockton, I would start a marketing plan to attract the "vibrant older folks", looking for a nice climate and affordable housing..

[KamaAina]

89. Not shabby. Throw in top-notch medical care "over the hill" in the Bay Area,

or to some extent right up 5 at UC-Davis Medical (actually in Sac), and you've got a deal.

The proximity to the Bay Area, particularly the East and South Bays (a/k/a Silicon Valley) is what created the boom in the first place: tech workers looking to "drive 'til they qualified". There is even commuter rail service out there now!

Caveat: The Central Valley climate is not nearly as nice as along the coast. Summers can roast at 100+ for days on end, and winter brings the tule fog, so thick you literally can't see through it, which explains why 5 is known for those double-digit car pileups.

edit: spelling

[SoCalDem]

90. Look at some of the well known senior areas..Arizona--HOT..Florida HOT & humid

Nevada---HOT..

Older people LOVE the hot places :)..no more snow to shovel..:)

I think Stockton should run with my plan :)

[XemaSab]

96. Stockton has a nice climate?

Like hell. x(

No, really, Stockton's climate is like hell. x(

[SoCalDem]

99. Compared to Minot, ND....yes!

or to Bangor, ME..or to Erie, PA..

:rofl:

[SoCalDem]

87. ANY city can be the BEST and the WORST..at the same time

If you have money and status, you're fine..no matter where you are..

If you are poor, you're up Shit Creek, without a paddle, no matter where you live

[KillCapitalism]

91. St. Louis is 10 on that list.

I think it should higher however. Weather is a big factor, you have 3 months of blazing heat and humidity, 3 months of bone-chilling cold, violent/destructive thunderstorms are common too.

Traffic...it's not as bad as LA, Chicago, or Atlanta, but close enough. Sometimes the highways can be a parking lot at 3am. Construction season in the summer is always a lot of fun too.

Unemployment is high here, nothing like Stockton CA, or Flint, but close.

Crime is very high in a few places.

There is a lot of sprawl. People joke that one day Columbia, Lake of the Ozarks, and Cape Girardeau will become outer suburbs of St. Louis.

Some suburbs are alright, but anything in West St. Louis county is a freeper haven.

[OhioChick]

92. I see that Cleveland made #4. n/t

[Alexander]

98. The correct answer is PHOENIX: A miserable cesspool in the desert.

It's like Vegas without the casinos. Cultureless, brainless, lifeless crap, and completely dominated by corporations.

The sooner I get away from these people, the better.