[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by alfbroker

A couple of points
1) Those "best and worst places" lists are helpful to people thinking of moving to Florida, which is probably the group that makes up most of the people on this forum. The fact that there are more lists every year and they rank high on the websites "most viewed list" shows they are popular.
2) Cape Coral was the highest ranked city in FL on any of the positive lists last year (#2 best places to retire in the US) and real estate prices have increased higher & faster there than any other area in Florida, in part because of that article. The rest of Florida is just stabilizing or still decreasing slightly although I expect that to improve in most of FL by the end of this year.
3) The lists are based on facts. If the stats show a city has more crime, foreclosures, unemployment, suicides, etc than other places in FL and the US, that is something that people should know. The lists help people to decide what to rule out and what to take a closer look at without having to compare hundreds of towns themselves.

If you're happy with where you live and don't plan on moving, then of course the lists may not be helpful to you. In fact if you are trying to sell homes in an area named the worst, the list would be anything but helpful. They are valuable to people considering a move. Reporting facts is not being negative, but the stats on some of these cities unfortunately is.

The lists are not often helpful at all.

5 years ago, many Florida cities that are now "worst places" were "best places."


Thus proving that if you chase "worst and best" lists around, you're bound to get tired.

[alfbroker]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

The lists are not often helpful at all.

5 years ago, many Florida cities that are now "worst places" were "best places."


Thus proving that if you chase "worst and best" lists around, you're bound to get tired.

Show just one.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by alfbroker

Show just one.

In the eary-mid 2006s, the South Florida/Palm Beach area topped tons of lists for low unemployment, opportunities, and quality of life, including at least two Palm Beach county cities - Wellington and Royal Palm Beach - being named top places to live by this or that magazine.

Fast forward, and another magazine names the Palm Beach metro #3 "most miserable."

[Retiredcoach]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Orlando a "sad city"?

Right

Pew: Almost half of Americans want to live somewhere else - USATODAY.com




Orlando is a dream city for many people - Orlando Sentinel

Your data source is significantly outdated, being that it is based upon a newspaper article three years old. A lot has happened in America generally, and Florida specifically, since January 2009 when this poll was published. The after-effects of the recession of 2008 are still omnipresent, and it appears that Florida is still feeling the worst of it.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Retiredcoach

Your data source is significantly outdated, being that it is based upon a newspaper article three years old. A lot has happened in America generally, and Florida specifically, since January 2009 when this poll was published. The after-effects of the recession of 2008 are still omnipresent, and it appears that Florida is still feeling the worst of it.

2009 was the at the nadir of the recession when the stock market was falling off a cliff. Things have improved since then, if anything.

Trash the data all you want. The fact remains that Orlando vies with NYC as the most visited city in the country, and it continues to remain coveted destination for people who are moving

[alfbroker]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

In the eary-mid 2006s, the South Florida/Palm Beach area topped tons of lists for low unemployment, opportunities, and quality of life, including at least two Palm Beach county cities - Wellington and Royal Palm Beach - being named top places to live by this or that magazine.

Fast forward, and another magazine names the Palm Beach metro #3 "most miserable."

The article named West Palm Beach (city) as the 4th worst in the nation, not Wellington or Royal Palm Beach. Most metro areas have cities and areas that have a higher quality of life and nearby and nearby areas you don't want to live. That's exactly why these lists and facts/stats found on the "factual" side of City-data is so useful. The best and worse places lists are helpful because the magazines have looked at all the up to date data and make a list to help people narrow their search down.

Think lists don't matter?
Cape Coral named #2 best place to retire in the nation by Money Magazine
Best Places to Retire 2011 - Money Magazine on CNNMoney.com
Then, Cape Coral has the fastest home price appreciation in the nation
Home Values: 5 Best Markets | Bankrate.com

About Orlando: true, millions and millions of tourist visit Orlando for vacation each year. That is just one reason why it isn't a best place to live.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by alfbroker

Most metro areas have cities and areas that have a higher quality of life and nearby and nearby areas you don't want to live.

About Orlando: true, millions and millions of tourist visit Orlando for vacation each year. That is just one reason why it isn't a best place to live.

Aren't you contradicting yourself?

Orlando, in fact, does have a number of nice areas to live, whether some magaizine puts it into their "Top 10" list or not. Some areas of Orlando are probably some of the best places to live in all of central FL IMO

[beachmouse]

For all the grumbling about poor urban planning, I've actually found that Orlando does a pretty good job keeping the tourists neatly segregated in the southwest part of town. The theme parks are close to the airport, and very few tourists will venture any farther into everyday Orlando than Mall of the Millenia. If you can find a job that supports the mortgage payment, the old north side neighborhoods of Orlando through Winter Park really are great places to live. I think a lot of tourists would be utterly shocked at how much historic housing stock Orlando has.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

For all the grumbling about poor urban planning, I've actually found that Orlando does a pretty good job keeping the tourists neatly segregated in the southwest part of town. The theme parks are close to the airport, and very few tourists will venture any farther into everyday Orlando than Mall of the Millenia. If you can find a job that supports the mortgage payment, the old north side neighborhoods of Orlando through Winter Park really are great places to live. I think a lot of tourists would be utterly shocked at how much historic housing stock Orlando has.

Very true. People are sometimes shocked we have a downtown at all

[seogorilla]

Video: Cop Tasers Girl, She's in Coma



Video: Cop Tasers Girl, She's in Coma

Girls Mother

“He couldn't reach out and grab her? He was an arm's length away. My daughter is dead because of this. She won't come back.”