Why's Portland the unhappiest city in the U.S.? (Salem: crime, unemployment)

[BUBBA1994]

Earlier this year, BusinessWeek called Portland the Country's unhapppiest city. I've never been to Portland, but it seems exciting to me. Do you think it's unhappy?
America’s Unhappiest Cities: Portland, Ore. - BusinessWeek

Unhappiest U.S. cities:
1. Portland, Or
2. St Louis, Mo
3. New Orleans, La
4. Detroit, Mi
5. Cleveland, Oh
6. Jacksonville, Fl
7. Las Vegas, Nv
8. Nashville, Tn
9. Cincinnati, Oh
10. Atlanta, Ga
11. Milwaukee, Wi
12. Sacramento, Ca
13. Kansas City, Mo
14. Pittsburgh, Pa
15. Memphis, Tn
16. Indianapolis, In
17. Louisville, Ky
18. Tucson, Az
19. Minneapolis, Mn
20. Seattle, Wa
Have you been to any of these cities? Do you think these cities are sad?

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Read the forum for a little bit. You'll find out.

[Jimrob1]

All I know is when people move from one place to another they form impressions. They are constantly observing their new surroundings, and the local populations are a big focus of that observation. With that said as far as Portland goes I will say the following.

I have never been anywhere, where I have seen so many people that seem so depressed or passive aggressive as here. I have never met or run into so many people, that speak about being in rehab or therapy, or seem somewhat detached from reality as I do in Portland. I've never seen so many people that never say hello or a population that is so disproportinate in age, values or whatever. Truthfully Portland seems like a city that is depressed in itself. It is literally overwhelmed with indigent people and drugs, and the crime level is much higher than a medium size city should be dealing with. Much of the crime in this city is assault and battery and crime for drugs, that is a red warning flag in itself. All and all the city and many of its citizens seem oblivious to all of this, and therefore as far as I am concerned that lacking or caring is depression. With the increase in shootings that are gang related, enough is enough. There is more interest in keeping the local slogan "Keep Portland Weird" and building more and more streetcar lines, than focusing on more important issues. I think it is a very fiscally irresponsible city and has no realistic control over how it spends money. Its dividing classes of have and have nots is so open and in your face, Im sure it contributes alot to a depressing vibe. I definitely don't think the problems the current mayor is having in this city, is doing any good at all and just shows the state of mind here.

I do think georgraphically this is a beautiful region of the country, but between the strange politics and the many quirks in the population groups, its to much for some people. It isn't the weather that made my final decision to look elsewhere to retire to, it became the people, the strange politics and general lack of interest in reality here.

So know I don't think Portland gives the impression it is a very happy city and I think its a shame. I think its a shame because Im told this use to be a very special city in America, and I can see how it probably was. It really is a shame.

From what I hear Lousiville is an up and coming area, but it depends on what a person feels makes a place up and coming. There are many people that hate Jacksonville, quite alot actually but then again someone else might love it.

Don't ever go by everything you read. One should always visit and spend enough time in a place to see if it fits right. Make one's own impression, not thru the eyes of another.

[Silverfall]

I lived in Portland for 10 years before moving down to Salem and I loved the city. I had a completely opposite experience of jimrob1. I'd be totally happy to move back there.

[Élan vital]

where do they get this information is what I want to know. Unhappy -based on--what?


EDIT-nevermind, I read the article. Ridiculous!

Originally Posted by BUBBA1994

Earlier this year, BusinessWeek called Portland the Country's unhapppiest city. I've never been to Portland, but it seems exciting to me. Do you think it's unhappy?
America̢۪s Unhappiest Cities: Portland, Ore. - BusinessWeek

Unhappiest U.S. cities:
1. Portland, Or
2. St Louis, Mo
3. New Orleans, La
4. Detroit, Mi
5. Cleveland, Oh
6. Jacksonville, Fl
7. Las Vegas, Nv
8. Nashville, Tn
9. Cincinnati, Oh
10. Atlanta, Ga
11. Milwaukee, Wi
12. Sacramento, Ca
13. Kansas City, Mo
14. Pittsburgh, Pa
15. Memphis, Tn
16. Indianapolis, In
17. Louisville, Ky
18. Tucson, Az
19. Minneapolis, Mn
20. Seattle, Wa
Have you been to any of these cities? Do you think these cities are sad?

[sayulita]

Originally Posted by DreamWeavin

where do they get this information is what I want to know. Unhappy -based on--what?


EDIT-nevermind, I read the article. Ridiculous!

I agree. It's hogwash. You can make numbers say just about anything. Why else would Portland end up on all the other lists of what a great place to live it is. Heck, the New York Times has been raving about us for years. It's all in a persons perception. Nothing more, nothing less.

[subsound]

I always wonder why journalists make up weird articles like that. Cherry pick some random stats together and a city is both the best and the worst city in America. There are good things and bad things, part is touched in many articles on a broad sense...but it's up to each individual how they perceive it.

[juggler]

This inane list is meant to sell magazines. Nothing more, nothing less. For whatever reason, some people like lists. If Businessweek published a story about the top 15 meadows for a dandelion to grow in, people would buy that too. Don't waste your time with this drivel.

[cdelena]

The list contains mostly areas hit hard by the recession with high unemployment... it is easy to find negative indicators of that environment but to hype unhappiness is a gimick to fill an article.

[applesoranges]

Whoever wrote this list in Business Week, remember it's their personal opinion. They can make it however they want. It's all hogwash, just like another poster said.