baklawa
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We compiled our rankings by looking at the 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S., which meant those with a population of at least 378,000. We ranked those metros on nine factors: commute times, corruption, pro sports teams, Superfund sites, taxes (both income and sales), unemployment, violent crime and weather.
1. Stockton, California (about 30 minutes north of Modesto)
Only 15% of Stockton adults have a college degree, which is one of the lowest rates in the U.S. Unemployment is expected to hit 15% in 2010, while housing prices should keep falling back to their mid-1990s level when the median home price was $130,000.
2. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis scores points for not having a state income tax, but the sales tax is an onerous 9.3%, one of the highest in the country. FedEx is the biggest employer in the area by far with 30,000 employees.
3. Chicago, Illinois
Living costs in the Second City are not much higher than the national average, but the 10.3% sales tax is a killer and is the highest of any city. A winning Olympic bid should move along needed transportation infrastructure improvements.
4. Cleveland, Ohio
Only Denver gets socked with more snow than Cleveland's 52-inch annual average among the 50 largest metros. Clevelanders wait in fear for July 1, 2010, when hoops star LeBron James can switch teams as a free agent.
5. Modesto, California (D'OH!)
Unemployment has skyrocketed in Modesto with further pain to come. It is expected to average 16.7% in 2009, up from 11.4% last year. Another drawback: It has the highest car theft rate in the U.S.
6. Flint, Michigan
The city immortalized in Michael Moore's documentary Roger & Me is plagued by the double whammy of high crime and high unemployment. General Motors employs one-tenth the number of employees in Flint compared to its peak in the 1970s.
7. Detroit, Michigan
Former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced to four months in jail last year for his sex-and-text scandal. Tough year also for the state's football teams, as the University of Michigan suffered through its first losing season in 40 years and the NFL's Lions failed to win a game.
8. Buffalo, New York
If you like snow, Buffalo is your place--to the tune of 90 inches a year, more than any other metro area that has a million people. Buffalo's population has been steadily shrinking since the mid-1990s.
9. Miami, Florida
Miami has been crushed by the housing collapse. Moody's Economy.com estimates that 26% of mortgages in Miami are delinquent or are likely to be written off as bad debt that can not be collected. Violent crime and corruption are also off the charts.
10. St. Louis, Missouri
The Gateway City scored in the bottom half of all nine categories we looked at for the Forbes Misery Measure. It was the only metro area to pull off that feat.
1. Stockton, California (about 30 minutes north of Modesto)
Only 15% of Stockton adults have a college degree, which is one of the lowest rates in the U.S. Unemployment is expected to hit 15% in 2010, while housing prices should keep falling back to their mid-1990s level when the median home price was $130,000.
2. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis scores points for not having a state income tax, but the sales tax is an onerous 9.3%, one of the highest in the country. FedEx is the biggest employer in the area by far with 30,000 employees.
3. Chicago, Illinois
Living costs in the Second City are not much higher than the national average, but the 10.3% sales tax is a killer and is the highest of any city. A winning Olympic bid should move along needed transportation infrastructure improvements.
4. Cleveland, Ohio
Only Denver gets socked with more snow than Cleveland's 52-inch annual average among the 50 largest metros. Clevelanders wait in fear for July 1, 2010, when hoops star LeBron James can switch teams as a free agent.
5. Modesto, California (D'OH!)
Unemployment has skyrocketed in Modesto with further pain to come. It is expected to average 16.7% in 2009, up from 11.4% last year. Another drawback: It has the highest car theft rate in the U.S.
6. Flint, Michigan
The city immortalized in Michael Moore's documentary Roger & Me is plagued by the double whammy of high crime and high unemployment. General Motors employs one-tenth the number of employees in Flint compared to its peak in the 1970s.
7. Detroit, Michigan
Former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced to four months in jail last year for his sex-and-text scandal. Tough year also for the state's football teams, as the University of Michigan suffered through its first losing season in 40 years and the NFL's Lions failed to win a game.
8. Buffalo, New York
If you like snow, Buffalo is your place--to the tune of 90 inches a year, more than any other metro area that has a million people. Buffalo's population has been steadily shrinking since the mid-1990s.
9. Miami, Florida
Miami has been crushed by the housing collapse. Moody's Economy.com estimates that 26% of mortgages in Miami are delinquent or are likely to be written off as bad debt that can not be collected. Violent crime and corruption are also off the charts.
10. St. Louis, Missouri
The Gateway City scored in the bottom half of all nine categories we looked at for the Forbes Misery Measure. It was the only metro area to pull off that feat.
