Detroit named 'Most Miserable' city

DETROIT, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Detroit has topped Forbes' inaugural list of America's Most Miserable Cities, which cited the Motor City's high rates of violent crime and unemployment.

The list analyzed the 150 largest U.S. cities in terms of unemployment, personal tax rates, commute times, weather, crime and toxic waste dumping, Forbes.com reported Tuesday. The data was gathered by researcher Bert Sperling of Portland, Ore.

Stockton, Calif., came in second on the list, while Detroit neighbor Flint, Mich., came in third.

Rounding out the top 10 were New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Modesto, Calif., Charlotte, N.C., and Providence, R.I.

Forbes said Detroit was chosen as the list topper in part because of its high rate of violent crime -- 1,251 crimes per 100,000 residents annually -- and its 8.5 unemployment rate during the past three years.