Jax listed as one of Forbes' Most Miserable Cities

[ujs3]

This is definitely not our proudest moment, but it's interesting to see how we compare to other places.

http://www.forbes.com/2011/02/02/stockton-miami-cleveland-business-washington-miserable-cities_slide.html?partner=yahooree

[letters and numbers]

Hey thats funny because Jacksonville was just named the 3rd best city to work!
See http://m.jacksonville.com/business/2011-02-07/story/jacksonville-among-nations-best-places-work-survey-says
So I think these lists are just a waste and not accurately done!

[north miami]

It's an emphasis on pictures.
One could conduct a quick tour of Duval county and compile compelling miserable "worst" and equally magnificent "best".

Enough of these 'studies'-nothing more than entertainment,we are amusing ourselves to death.

[RockStar]

Yah, West Palm Beach is a miserable place to live. 

And Forbes lists the Jaguars as a source of our misery? Disappointment at times, yes. But misery? Come on. 

[Bativac]

I can see how Jacksonville could be both a miserable place to live and a fantastic place to live. It all depends on what you're looking for.

These lists are kind of silly. I'd like to see a list of Top 10 Cities To Live In With Statues of Cartoon Characters In Them. I know about the Superman statue in Metropolis, IL and the Popeye in Chester, IL. There's a Bullwinkle in Los Angeles. What else??

[reednavy]

sum the list up in one word: retarded

[simms3]

Jacksonville IS one of the most miserable places.  As soon as we admit it, we can begin to fix the many problems that make it so.

And Palm Beach county *is* miserable if you don't have a lot of money (which is most people in that county).

Jacksonville is so miserable I'm having a fit just thinking about it.  Errrrr

[urbanlibertarian]

Apparently Jax is a great place to live if you have a job and are looking to buy a home.  It's a miserable place to live if you're looking for work or trying to sell your home.

[ChriswUfGator]

Jacksonville IS one of the most miserable places.  As soon as we admit it, we can begin to fix the many problems that make it so.

And Palm Beach county *is* miserable if you don't have a lot of money (which is most people in that county).

Jacksonville is so miserable I'm having a fit just thinking about it.  Errrrr

I know. This city has a serious case of denial going on. For the most part, it does suck here.

South Florida cities are disproportionately represented on that list because that was ground-zero for the housing boom and bust. Things will eventually pick up down there as the economy recovers, because they have many other things going on. Jacksonville, on the other hand, sucked before the recession, it sucks now, and it will continue to suck afterwards, unless we admit and start solving the problems.

[dougskiles]

Misery lies within the person.  Enough of this garbage.  Jacksonville isn't perfect, but we have more going for us than against.  We live in a country where we are free to live anywhere we want, and most of us on this forum have chosen to live here.

[fsujax]

Jacksonville is a great place to live, yes we have problems who doesnt? and if you dont like it or think it sucks, leave!

[ChriswUfGator]

Misery lies within the person.  Enough of this garbage.  Jacksonville isn't perfect, but we have more going for us than against.  We live in a country where we are free to live anywhere we want, and most of us on this forum have chosen to live here.

B.S. I'm not miserable, I'm quite happy. But I have an education (unlike 78% of this MSA) and am not broke or on welfare, like 1/3'rd of it. Do you even look at quality of life stats for our area? Honestly, keep denying the problems all you want, everyone else will just move elsewhere.

Your thinking is part of the problem. This kind of crap is why everyone went home from the Superbowl talking about what a hellhole Jacksonville is. I guess that 100k people are all 'miserable' whiners, too? lol

This area needs to cease stifling small/medium sized business development, and needs to cease allowing government fiefdoms to run amok to the detriment of the local economy, in ways that continually enrich the same two dozen people. No jobs = no money = no people = nothing to do. Admit what's going on, and it can be fixed. Continue denying it, things will stay the same. It doesn't help that we have no functional mass transit, and a dead urban center that is mostly gobbled up by parking lots and a conservative mega-church.

I'm glad you think that's all peachy, but back on earth, the rest of us would like to see the place fix its problems.

[fsujax]

we do have shortcomings, but saying we suck just isnt right.

[KenFSU]

I'd like to see a list of Top 10 Cities To Live In With Statues of Cartoon Characters In Them. I know about the Superman statue in Metropolis, IL and the Popeye in Chester, IL. There's a Bullwinkle in Los Angeles. What else??

Don't forget the Peanuts statues in Minneapolis.

[dougskiles]

These kinds of responses are why many people who I respect in Jacksonville do not give Metro Jacksonville the credibility that many here think it has.

Jacksonville has been great to my family for the last 10+ years.  Sure, I want it to be more and am willing to work very hard to make it more.  I don't disagree that some parts of our city have lots of misery, but I would challenge anyone to find any city on earth that doesn't have pockets of 'misery'.

I don't believe that this kind of talk will motivate anyone to support change.  We have to sell the positive side, not the negative side.  I believe most people want to be inspired not insulted.