Atlanta 16th most miserable city
A recent infusion of zombies, seen here on Mitchell Street, may have catapulted Atlanta to No. 16 on Forbes' misery index. (AMC)
Misery loves company, and Atlantans have plenty of it in the recent “Most Miserable Cities” list put together by Forbes.
Atlanta, which didn’t crack the Top 20 in 2012, appears at No. 16 in the 2013 list. I apologize for not putting more numbers in the preceding sentence.
Why is Atlanta so miserable? High foreclosure rates, home values that are down 42% since 2007, and nasty traffic, which you probably know more about than Forbes.
Despite the rainy weather, I don’t feel more miserable than last year, but there’s an explanation for that.
The magazine has tweaked its formula, dropping two criteria — the success of sports teams and political corruption — while adding net migration, the number of people that flee the city. The other familiar barometers of displeasure — unemployment, commute times, violent crimes, home prices, foreclosures, taxes and weather – remain.
Adding net migration to the mix moved last year’s No. 1, Miami, out of the Top 20.
I guess that means last year’s list was not very good at predicting misery.
This year’s list doesn’t seem much better.
Detroit, which has been miserable since someone had the bright idea of creating the Ford Pinto, is once again America’s most pathetic zip code, according to the same magazine that put the city on the cover with the headline “City of Hope” in 2011.
Flint, another city ruined by an inept auto industry, is No. 2.
Chicago is No. 4, which seems high, though I once visited in April and almost froze to death.
Another miss is No. 9, Lake County, Illinois, which is one of the richest “towns” in America, and New York City (No. 10), which has high taxes but is otherwise considered a pretty cool place to live, else Forbes would move their offices.
Youngstown, Ohio, a city so ravaged by fate Bruce Springsteen felt compelled to write a song about it, is No. 20. Call me a “homer” if you wish, but Atlanta is a heck of a lot better place to live than Youngstown.
After carefully reviewing the list, I notice not one “miserable” city has access to a nice, warm ocean.
Thus, all Atlanta needs to be No. 1 on the “LEAST Miserable” list is a beach and schools that educate children. Those can’t be too hard to fix.
Visit Forbes for the complete list.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
127 comments Add your comment
SUE ELLEN EWING
February 26th, 2013
1:53 pm
I just love the way the privileged like to throw stones. Makes me laugh.
The fix is in
February 26th, 2013
1:57 pm
Atlanta has some issues like any big town and I enjoy it here.
I used to live in DC and Miami. How did those hotbeds of crime, traffic & political corruption fail to make the Forbes’ list ?
Andy
February 26th, 2013
2:06 pm
I will give you that both DC and Miami should be burned as well.
blkshepherd
February 26th, 2013
2:14 pm
Well you know what they say, you dont like where you live. MOVE. take a bus, train, plane(Delta is Ready when you are). Don’t sit back and whine and complain. We have 50 states. 50.
I am a native of Brookyn, NYC. Left when I was 18 to join military. Never returned to live. Wanted to Leave NYC so bad I could taste it. Dont Miss it. Dont plan on ever moving back. Moved to Fayetteville, NC. after military.lived there 23yrs of my life.
Discovered Atlanta through a friend and a visit in 1988. Fell in love with it. Moved to ATL Sep. 1998. LOVED it then. Love it now. Own a humble home, good paying government job. and love the 4 seasons here. This is one city you experience ALL the seasons with Spring and Fall being the best. Too damn Hot in the Summer and can get very cold in the Winter, but compared to the weather up North Like my old home city NYC. and whats happpening out west? Weather ALONE is major reason for me not wanting to leave. Not to mention, you can own decent home here, see where your money is going or being spent. Not so in my Nyc. Everything is TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE. Too many People, everybody with their lips poked out like they are angry.
Atlanta’s Marta. is the only sore. The youth that ride the train, out of control, rude, no home training. The adults. talking LOUD on cell phones, rude and angry(but being from NYC, they dont phaze me but to be honest I dont Care for the taking the train or bus but its convient, saves wear and tear on my car, not to mention being stuck in traffic and high cost to Park. So thats why I take Marta, I also get a free pass frm the government so why not. Otherwise, I LOVE ATLANTA. To those that hate it. do as I did. MOVE. I promise you, I moved from NYC, to NC, to ATL, No one missed me moving from NYC or NC. If i move frm ATL, no one will miss me..Do you see my point? you dont like ATL. MOVE. its as simple as that. I promise you, none of the rest of us living here will even Notice your gone. As far racist. That is EVERYWHERE. Its human nature. Folks that look different or not the same as others find Fault. It is what it is.
Andy
February 26th, 2013
2:27 pm
Only a NY yankee would think ATL has four seasons.
Michael in SC
February 26th, 2013
2:27 pm
Atlanta is a good example of the failure of the so-called ‘New South’ and the US-imposed ideas of democracy, equality and universalism. These things have wrecked Birmingham, Memphis, Atlanta and many other Southern towns and cities.
Reggie
February 26th, 2013
2:39 pm
It’s amazing how many times the same person can post under different names!!! LOL!
AreYouSerious????
February 26th, 2013
2:42 pm
@ Coolio, and if the Black people had have been sent back to African, then you and yours would still be “shi#ting” in the woods. YOU’RE IGNORANT!!!
jwc
February 26th, 2013
2:43 pm
I’m guessing that if the quality of commentary could be factored in, we might have rated an even higher level of misery. Angry people. Beggars everywhere. Racism on all sides. A demand of deserving by the undeserving. Public transit that goes nowhere requiring regular fare increases. School boards that can’t speak, lead, or step aside. Overpaid officialdom. Gerrymandered districts. Superficial social classes. Sixteenth? I think we caught a break at sixteenth.
Andy
February 26th, 2013
2:46 pm
With ATL being one of the worst cities in the country, guess how many times the NFL is going to have a SB here if Arthur gets his new billion dollar stadium?