In the Company of Misery

Another ranking based on a selection of arbitrary measures, this time by Forbes.com, places Providence at number ten on their Misery Index. 150 cities were ranked based on unemployment, taxes, commute times, weather, violent crime, and Superfund sites, then the ranks were added together for an overall score. With ranks of 121, 149, 69, 110, 51, and 111, respectively, Providence's Misery Measure added up to 611. Detroit was number one with an overall score of 696. With a tax rank of 149, Providence is second only to New York City for acute chronic wallet pain.

Critics of the ranking point out the obvious, that there are good things about living in these cities that, for many of us, counterbalance or outweigh the bad. Not included in the equation are access to beaches and green space, historical and cultural resources, local cuisine, or [insert your favorite local boastable here]. At best, this kind of ranking system is mere trivia, filler for a slow news cycle. At worst it reinforces the feelings of those citizens who believe that where they live is a big part of why their lives suck. Take it for what it's worth.