CALIFORNIA BUSINESS MINUTE
Most Miserable Cities
02-09-09
Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.
Stockton has been ranked the Most Miserable City in the Nation, according to a ranking
by Forbes magazine.
The magazine surveyed 150 metropolitan areas and ranked them according to unemployment,
personal tax rates, commute times, weather, crime and Superfund sites.
Stockton's population soared 28 percent over the past 10 years and home prices jumped 158
percent between 2000 and 2005, but they have fallen the past three years, as Stockton has
one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country. The city's violent crime, which is one of the
worst in the nation on a per-capita basis, also figured into the ranking. Adding insult to injury,
due to the downturn, the City on Friday, sent out layoff notices to 29 police officers, two deputy
city managers are being reassigned and three director-level positions have been eliminated:
information technology, economic development, and the head librarian to close their budget.
Modesto, ranked was ranked as the fifth up from last year as the eighth-most miserable city in
America. It was marked down because of its high unemployment.
Following Stockton was Memphis, Chicago, Cleveland, Modesto, Flint, Detroit - down from its
number one ranking last year, then followed by Buffalo, Miami and St. Louis.
Not on this years list was Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Charlotte Providence and
New York. New to the list are Memphis, Cleveland, Buffalo, Miami and St. Louis.
I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.
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