Chicago #3 on Most Miserable Cities List

[Annie]

America's Most Miserable Cities - Yahoo! Real Estate

Lousy weather, long commutes, rising unemployment and high sales tax. Welcome home.

Chicago would seem to be on quite a roll these days. The city is a leading contender to host the Summer Olympics in 2016. The hometown Cubs had the most wins of any team in the National League last year and are one of the early favorites to win the 2009 World Series. And, of course, one of its own just became the most powerful person in the world (we're not talking about Oprah either, but she's close).

So with all of the good vibes coming out of Chicago, how does it show up as the third worst city on our second annual list of America's Most Miserable Cities?

Lousy weather, long commutes, rising unemployment and the highest sales tax rate in the country are to blame for the Windy City being near the top of our list. High rates of corruption by public officials didn't help either....

A Little Corruption Problem

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, which includes Chicago, has been very busy in recent years. They convicted 385 public officials of crimes over the past decade, a per capita rate that puts it in the bottom third of big U.S. metros.

The Northern District office boasts of recent successful prosecutions, including "a corrupt former governor of Illinois, Chicago officials who rigged city hiring, individuals who lied about their support of foreign terrorism, corporate executives who cheated public shareholders and traditional organized-crime bosses who were responsible for notorious murders."

Illinois' record of public corruption, particularly in the governor's office, is staggering. Five of the past nine governors have been charged with crimes, and three, as of now, have served time in prison. Whether former Gov. Blagojevich will do any jail time is still to be determined.

The misery in Chicago runs much deeper than just corruption, though. Unemployment is expected to surge to 9.2% in 2009, up from 6.6%. The Tribune Co. is mired in bankruptcy, while big local employers like Midway Games, Motorola and the University of Chicago Medical Center have all announced big layoffs.

Residents have been showing their dissatisfaction with Chicago with their feet, perhaps fed up by the average low temperature of 17 degrees in January. There has been a net migration of people out of Chicago for seven straight years, a trend that is expected to continue. And for all of the recent success of the lovable Cubs, last year marked the 100th straight season without a World Series championship. The title drought is 40% longer than any other major professional sports team.

Damn.

 

[Dis]

Having been to Chicago, I'd hate too see the other *two* cities that are worse..

It was icky, dirty, loud, and nobody seemed to give half a shit about anyone but themselves. Add to that the fact that you have some of the worst rush hour traffic I've ever seen (and I thought ours was bad because it lasts 2-3 hours, and you're doing 25 in a 75...)

No offense, of course.

 

[random3434]

Time for you to move to Indiana Annie! We are right next door!

Wonder who else on here I could get to move to Indiana?

 

[Jon]

So, is this what we can expect Obama to do to America...do for it what he did for Chicago, which was apparently nothing?

 

[Dis]

So, is this what we can expect Obama to do to America...do for it what he did for Chicago, which was apparently nothing?

Seriously? That's reaching, I think. Most *people* are responsible for the condition their cities are in, and/or deteriorate TO...

 

[Annie]

Time for you to move to Indiana Annie! We are right next door!

Wonder who else on here I could get to move to Indiana?

Funny you say that, I've been giving that some thought. How's teaching openings?

 

[Dis]

Time for you to move to Indiana Annie! We are right next door!

Wonder who else on here I could get to move to Indiana?

Funny you say that, I've been giving that some thought. How's teaching openings?

LOL! Wisconsin too much like home?

 

[Annie]

Time for you to move to Indiana Annie! We are right next door!

Wonder who else on here I could get to move to Indiana?

Funny you say that, I've been giving that some thought. How's teaching openings?

LOL! Wisconsin too much like home?

Wisc is even colder than Chicago. And those hills! I'm used to flat, flat.

I'm surprised you didn't like Chicago, as a visitor I mean. Nearly everyone I've known have a great time visiting. I'm in the Far West burbs and love time in the City. But it's very expensive and taxes are astronomical, worse than here, which is saying a lot. Our state taxes are sky high and going higher. It's ridiculous.

 

[Dis]

Funny you say that, I've been giving that some thought. How's teaching openings?

LOL! Wisconsin too much like home?

Wisc is even colder than Chicago. And those hills! I'm used to flat, flat.

I'm surprised you didn't like Chicago, as a visitor I mean. Nearly everyone I've known have a great time visiting. I'm in the Far West burbs and love time in the City. But it's very expensive and taxes are astronomical, worse than here, which is saying a lot. Our state taxes are sky high and going higher. It's ridiculous.

Once you get to where you're going, it's nice..but getting there AIN'T half the fun.

Stayed in a hotel in downtown Chicago a dozen or so years back.. Was late afternoon, didn't want to go anywhere for dinner..the hotel clerk said there was a Wendy's 3 blocks away..

It should not have taken more than an hour to travel 3 blocks and back. That's just wrong in every sense of the word.

 

[Annie]

LOL! Wisconsin too much like home?

Wisc is even colder than Chicago. And those hills! I'm used to flat, flat.

I'm surprised you didn't like Chicago, as a visitor I mean. Nearly everyone I've known have a great time visiting. I'm in the Far West burbs and love time in the City. But it's very expensive and taxes are astronomical, worse than here, which is saying a lot. Our state taxes are sky high and going higher. It's ridiculous.

Once you get to where you're going, it's nice..but getting there AIN'T half the fun.

Stayed in a hotel in downtown Chicago a dozen or so years back.. Was late afternoon, didn't want to go anywhere for dinner..the hotel clerk said there was a Wendy's 3 blocks away..

It should not have taken more than an hour to travel 3 blocks and back. That's just wrong in every sense of the word.

Did you drive? Arggg, never drive once you park the car. As you say, traffic is horrendous and in the Loop so many one way streets. We get down there, park and walk. Of course I have the luxury of not going down after 3 or before 7pm. Rush hour begins here about 6am-9:30, begins again around 2:30-7pm.

 

[random3434]

Time for you to move to Indiana Annie! We are right next door!

Wonder who else on here I could get to move to Indiana?

Funny you say that, I've been giving that some thought. How's teaching openings?

For great teachers like you, no problem finding a job!


Then we can hang out after school!

 

[Annie]

Time for you to move to Indiana Annie! We are right next door!

Wonder who else on here I could get to move to Indiana?

Funny you say that, I've been giving that some thought. How's teaching openings?

For great teachers like you, no problem finding a job!


Then we can hang out after school!

I'm working on my resume, that might be a possibility. My kids are here and my brother too. Not too far and housing is supposed to be much more affordable.

 

[random3434]

Here you go dear!


Professional Education Employee Referral

 

[Luissa]

So, is this what we can expect Obama to do to America...do for it what he did for Chicago, which was apparently nothing?

Last time I checked Obama was never mayor or even on the city council in Chicago and I am pretty sure their problems started long before Obama came around.

 

[Annie]

Here you go dear!


Professional Education Employee Referral

Woot! There are some listings! I'd rep ya, but won't let me!

 

[WillowTree]

So, is this what we can expect Obama to do to America...do for it what he did for Chicago, which was apparently nothing?

Last time I checked Obama was never mayor or even on the city council in Chicago and I am pretty sure their problems started long before Obama came around.

He was their Comander in Community Organizer Chief!

 

[Dis]

Here you go dear!


Professional Education Employee Referral

Woot! There are some listings! I'd rep ya, but won't let me!

I gave'r some for ya.

 

[Sidestreamer]

It's not Chicago that sucks, it's Chocagoans.

 

[auditor0007]

Having been to Chicago, I'd hate too see the other *two* cities that are worse..

It was icky, dirty, loud, and nobody seemed to give half a shit about anyone but themselves. Add to that the fact that you have some of the worst rush hour traffic I've ever seen (and I thought ours was bad because it lasts 2-3 hours, and you're doing 25 in a 75...)

No offense, of course.

I lived there for 15 years. The traffic was brutal. The weather wasn't all that bad, if you're used to fairly cold winters. Summer wasn't bad. The cost of living was pretty high though. All in all, the city offers a lot, especially if you're younger. As I got older and my kids started getting older, the gang problem became very evident. We moved.

 

[auditor0007]

It's not Chicago that sucks, it's Chocagoans.

I'd say Chicagoans fall somewhere in the middle; not the friendliest people, but not terribly rude. As for the traffic, the only good thing is people from Chicago actually know how to drive. The thing I miss most is the food; great pizza, and oh what I would do for an Italian Beef with hot giardianera.