Well, our fair city has made another publication’s list and as usual, it’s not good news. This time, we’re #5 on Forbes.com’s list of “America’s 20 Most Miserable Cities.” The big news is that California has 4 of the top 5 spots and 8 cities overall in the top 20.
How did they figure that? Forbes.com explains the methodology…
We ranked each area on 10 factors, including unemployment over three years, tax rates (both sales and income), commute times, violent crime and how its pro sports teams have fared over the past three years.
That last part is not a joke. And Sacramento’s entry makes specific mention of the Kings and their plight, while not mentioning that we actually have the most successful professional sports team of the last decade in the River Cats (no, I didn’t look it up).
Forbes claims to only lists cities over 249,000 population but somehow Merced, a town of 73,000, made the top 5. I’m not saying the Central Valley isn’t going through a shitstorm right now, but why make rules if you’re just going to break them?
And for some reason I get a kick out of this:
Lastly, we factored in an index put together by Portland, Ore., researcher Bert Sperling that rates weather in each metro on factors relating to temperature, precipitation and humidity.
C’mon Portland. Everybody knows you’re the greatest city since ancient Athens, but you don’t have to be a dick about it. Also doesn’t it rain like, 367 days of the year in Portland? Just go back to putting birds on things.
What do you think? Are you feeling miserable?
The Sac Rag 
I disagree with the rating. It seems the sole basis for it is the performance of the Kings. Unemployment and tax rates have been bad throughout California. I don’t see how commute times in Sacramento can be worse than those in Los Angeles or anywhere in the Bay Area, and violent crime has been on the decline for the past two years.
As for sports teams, the Kings may not be doing well, but the River Cats, Sac State Hornets, UCD Aggies, Grant Pacers (football), Sac High Dragons (b-ball), and so on have performed extremely well.
It seems Forbes needs to do a little more research.
LikeLike
I find it hard to believe that Sacramento is more miserable than Flint, Michigan. I mean the Tropics aren’t there anymore, so right there we’re better.
LikeLike
Isn’t it rather like our rating for Halloween where a major factor was proximity to public transit? Like I so totally took a bus or train to go trick or treating as a kid (as did the neighborhood kids that came to our house this time).
The Kings losses haven’t contributed a bit to my misery. The River Cats wins have contributed some to my joy.
You have to wonder where we lost points on weather. Maybe the recent fog.
LikeLike
go back to putting birds on things.
Heh. Great show.
LikeLike
Seems that most of us are in agreement. Sports teams have no impact on my misery (or lack-there-of) in Sacramento. My problems with Sacramento would be the same with any other city in California, unless I lived on the beach :). Okay, there’s one thing, the goddamn light rail doesn’t run after midnight no New Years…wtf!!!
LikeLike
Still can’t figure out about Merced, either. Especially since their sports team is the World Champion Giants! Surely things are bad with unemployment and housing there but how can you compare the data to someplace like Miami or Chicago?
LikeLike
If they would have factored in liquor sales, we would have hit rock bottom.
LikeLike
I would rather live in South Central, Trenton, Camden, Baltimore and even Detroit before I would ever live in Sacramento.
LikeLike
I think we would rather you did that too.
LikeLike