This year Cleveland takes the top ranking of America’s Most Miserable Cities after being ranked 4th in 2009. Cleveland secured the position thanks to its high unemployment, high taxes, lousy weather, corruption by public officials and crummy sports teams. Stockton, CA topped the list in 2009.
Forbes expanded the list of cities under consideration this year to include the 200 largest metropolitan statistical areas (in years past Forbes examined 150 cities with populations exceeding 378,000), which led to a shuffling in the ranks. Any area with a population of more than 245,000 was eligible.
Memphis actually improved to the third most miserable city in the United States after being ranked second in 2009. I wish that I could say that is good news, but somehow still being on this list takes the positive spin right off the compliment.
1. Cleveland, Ohio
2. Stockton, California
3. Memphis, Tennessee
4. Detroit, Michigan
5. Flint, Michigan
6. Miami, Florida
7. St. Louis, Missouri
8. Buffalo, New York
9. Canton, Ohio
10. Chicago, Illinois
11. Modesto, California
12. Akron, Ohio
13. Kansas City, Missouri
14. Rockford, Illinois
15. Toledo, Ohio
16. New York, New York
17. Sacramento, California
18. Youngstown, Ohio
19. Gary, Indiana
20. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Read the entire Forbes list of America’s most miserable cities.
