Forbes has released its list of the ten most miserable cities in America, placing Chicago in the number three slot behind Stockton, California and Memphis, Tennessee. They cite petty details like corruption, crime, and taxation among their criteria in compiling this list. I feel some obligation to defend my hometown, even if my connection to Chicago is mostly situational. Fortunately, one need look no further than other pseudoscientific top-x lists for easy refutation.
First of all, Chicago has been rated the 3rd best city in America by Travel + Leisure magazine. And who are you going to trust, those money-grubbers at Forbes or the worldly cosmopolites at Travel + Leisure? Oh, you say the money-grubbers? Well it would seem this constituency is not of one mind considering Fast Company dubbed Chicago its U.S. City of the Year in 2008. Chicago was rated one of the bike-friendliest cities in America. It is home to two universities which rank in or near the top 10 of all colleges each year. It has on multiple occasions been named Best Sports City. Forbes itself has ranked Chicago among its best cities for singles. Apparently misery does not love company. Chicago rates ninth on the list of greenest cities and took top honor on the list of dog-friendly cities according to none other than dogfriendly.com.
Now before our South Florida contributors gloat too much, I should point out that Miami clocked in at number nine on this miserable list. But rest easy; the glaring ommission of Jackson, Minnesota should give us all an idea of this ranking’s veracity.