The 10 Worst Cities for Jobs and Business in the USA
89The 10 Worst Metro Areas for Jobs in the USA
These large cities all have only unaffordable housing to offer new employees, an unhealthy dependence on a single industry, and frequently, a poor quality of life for the middle class population. That class is finding that it is descending into the wage-worker class and even into poverty levels.
Experts in the 1950s - early 1960s once advised Americans to spend only 25% of their gross income (before taxes and deductions) on Rent and Utilities Combined! The next level of advice proppsed that Americans should spend 25% of gross income on rent along. Then it was 34% of gross income on rent by the 1990s. However, many Americans find that only 34% - 50% of their gross income will provide clean, sturdy housing in a lower crime neighborhood. The middle class in the following list of cities is overburdened by these high costs and are moving to lower-quality housing or out of town.
Business people rely on the middle class to spend money in order to increase business growth and success. However, the middle class is shrinking and suffering form a decline in their standard of living in these 10 American cities. The middle class is actually slipping into the low-income segment of the American population.
San Jose, California
Motto: The Fun Never Stops.
The decline of California's Silicon Valley has been caused by a general unhealthy attitude of hubris, very bad business timing, increasingly high costs of doing business, and concentration only in high-tech industries, without business diversification. San Jose still possesses a skilled and talented workforce, and an infrastructure suitable for high-tech entrepreneurs. However, any thoughts of diversifying the economy need to manifest and come to fruition very soon in order for the San Jose economy to recover.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina
Proposed Boost to Dayton, Ohio Economy
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio is where the Wright Brothers owned and operated their famous bicycle shop before inventing and building the airplane that flew at Kitty Hawk. Rubber was a big industry in Dayton for years, just as was the cash register business (National Cash Register or NCR). Ponderosa Steak Houses had their large HQ in Dayton with restaurants across the world. Ponderosa even reserved and paid for he space for the first restaurant on the old MIR space station. However, the chain declined before such an endeavor could ever come to life. All of these successful businesses decline in the face of IT and other hi-tech industries. Currently, Dayton has a large urban area steeped in poverty and crime (as does the smaller, nearby Springfield). Wright State University is still very active in bioengineering and other work, however, while nearby Wright Patterson Air Force Base has suffered some setbacks. Green industries and jobs could be the salvation of this city. Recently, the Dayton City Commission announced one of the largest redevelopment efforts ever undertaken in the Ohio Valley - a $230 million project to create a mixture of housing, retail, commercial and entertainment venues along Dayton's downtown waterfront. The project is called Ballpark Village.
Rochester, N.Y.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Pick your poison: metal furniture, auto parts, textiles, fiber optics. These three cities - Dayton, Riochester, and Milwaukee - all were losers in the recession and manufacturing decline occurriong 2001 - 2006. Any reversal and recovery seems slow in coming. All these city areas are victims of the rise of offshore manufacturing in China and Mexico anc outsourcing.
New York City; San Francisco, California; and Boston, Massachusetts
Focusing only on Dot-Com success, NYC, SF, and Boston regions fforgot to keep costs down and thought the high-technology and financial service fields would keep up a very long-term business growth.
This didn't happen, because jobs in these industries declined, very much so after 2000 in the Recession that occured in last year of the Clinton and on into the transition to the George W. Bush administration. New York City, with its immigrant base, growing immigration, and successful ethnic and culture-based industries is alive, but new growth is heading to the suburbs. Even new immigrants seem to be moving out quickly.
Portland, Oregon
High costs and a prolific anti-business climate in Portland has hurt that city's chances for business expansion and success in the past.
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Raleigh-Durham's obsessive concentration on IT and technological industries has been seen as an unhealthy lack of diversity.
UPDATE 2009 - The Research Triangle near Raleigh has been producing increasing bumbers of josb and drawing new business into the region since at least 2008. See our links at RESEARCH TRIANGLE REVIEW.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Hartford, Connecticut
Philadelphia and Hartford have lost out in terms of jobs and population. A recovery made in Philadelphia's downtown district has not countered high costs, political problems, and progressive decay in its outlying neighborhoods. Hartford's city continues to shrink at this time and Connecticut is an rather expensive place to do business and to live.
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Comments
I have been often to Dayton Ohio and Grand Rapids Michigan and have witnessed the decline of some of the middle class population into even poverty susbistence living.
Springfield Ohio close to Dayton is even sadder in its decline. The Upper Valley Mall, the major shopping hub, has been about half empty of rented store spaces for some time and it was booming in the early half of the 1980s. The stores across the street in a strip mall have largely gone out of business. Hills Department Store (like a Meijer's) closed down half the store and then entirely. Next, a lovely 24-hour grocery (chain) with its own nice restarant closed down entirely.
So, it's not just these 10 cities, but many across America that are suffering econoically and the middle class dipping to poverty levels.
I certainly agree, Patty. That is what lead to us moving to north Mississippi. We wer originally in central MS. The average net income (if you are fortunate enough to be able to even get a job above minimum wage) is around $250-275 per week. Now, consider the fact that the average rent in a decent area will run you $400 and up, utilities average around $350 per month. Now, am I the only one here that has a problem with this math? This is not to mention any other necessities, just rent and utilities! That would be even worse for those with minimum wage jobs! Great hub, BTW!
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie - I did not realize Central MS was in such bad employment shape. I'll read up on it! Thanks for posting and letting us know. First-hand information is good to have.
Note to confused job seekers: There are two Raleigh Metroplexes used in workforce calculations by various entities--
1) Raleigh-Durham is in the Top 10 WORST.
2) Raleigh-Cary is #1 in another list of the Top 25 BEST cities; while ATLANTA is still #1 in other lists from top business organizations.
Its very nice hub. I had gone through your hub its very interesting good informative hub.
Thanks for reading my Hubs on workplace topics. I've written one for east US State and am reviewing major metropolitan areas at this time.
As far as bad employment centers go, you should consider doing some research on Louisville, Kentucky because the situation here is that current unemployment is 15th worst among metro areas in the USA as was posted on CNN website in a recent article.
What is going on here is the loss of tax paying industries such as manufacturing and the bringing about of a service economy mostly in retail, health, etc. No real economy and jobs paying in many cases under basic living expenses. Rents of 450 to 600 for an apartment is great but when a lot of your people take home only about 1400 a month its not that great.
John - Thank you for your report and I will certainly do the research and make a full presentation on the circumstances. I am so sorry that the economy is hurgin so badly in Louisville, a beautiful place that I always remember for my driving through it.
USA may become like WWII Russia where 5 families lived in a two-room apartment.
I am currently living in Dayton, OH. Before I left for the Air Force there were still industrial type jobs like General Motors, Goodyear, and a few others. I did notice an increase in crime though back then in 1996. Here it is 12 years later and I cant find a job for the life of me.
Life in Arizona doesn't seem so bad now that Im a full time student without a job. I recently graduated from ITT Tech and have an Associates in Applied Science. On top of that I have 10 years of expertise in Logistics/Supply Management. If our economy doesn't pick up my plan is to relocate.
I've done some resumes recently for individuals wanting to relocate and work in logistics after serving in the military and I see that a few states have an increase in these jobs. Will look again and see.
Here is my link for some of them:
http://hubpages.com/search/author/Patty+Inglish%2C
Good success to you and congratulations on your graduation!
Thanks for some truthfulness about Portland Oregon. The greenest little, MEANEST little
city in America. My wife and I slaved there for 8 years and built a successful business,
only to see it destroyed by criminals and an inattentive, careless city administration
and massive fees for every describable business activity. DO NOT try to start a small
business in Portland. It is a recipe for disaster. A year ago today I was beaten severely
on the street just outside my business and the criminal who attacked me GOT AWAY
WITH IT thanks to the shoddy courts and police. High crime, no support.
Thanks for that eye-opening testimony. First hand accounts are always useful, and we're sorry for your bad experiences.
It seems sad that Rochester is included in this list. There is such a good foundation of small to mid sized tech companies, and a wealth of talent from the old Kodak and Xerox workforces.
So true about San Jose! It's so hard to find jobs, what with so much competition and such
Thanks, glassvisage; I'll keep my eye on this list and post any changes in job openings and new companies in these cities.
I am quite shocked the Lawrence, Kansas did not make the list. They are one of the most anti-business cities in the United States. They use Portland, Oregon, and Boulder, Colorado as their example.
In all the years I have done site selecting for a Fortune 500 company, Lawrence ranks as my top worst cities to conduct business.
Jimmy, thanks very much for your insights. I urge readers to research Lawrence KS well before making a residential or business move in that direction and I will have a look myself.
Any other tips of this sort from readers and Hubbers are welcomed, too! We may have many more cities to add to this list and some of these cities may come off the list in future.
Thanks!
dayton ohio is a joke.. that is one 33 days i will never have the privlege of getting back.... I went to train with ncr several times after that first shit hold endevor but not there. thank god
grand rapids is a horrible city.. the worse i have ever lived in. i lived there for 9 years and moved to New York..
MUCH MUCH BETTER!
stay out of michigan.
SCBOY - Springfield is even worse I think - lots of abandoned houses from downtown on out and the Upper Valley Mall is losing stores. Across the street, many department stores closed down.
chad - Thanks for the comments. Lots of people feel pretty bad about Michgian.
Merry Christmas!















ondo1015 says:
2 years ago
I only read About silicon valley and it's quite intersting to know the situation of a progressive city. Well for me every success has it's own downful, We are not perfect to have a peaceful commumity.
I like to know that even Switzerland , in my knowledgeb has it's problem in spite of very close security and discipline to it's own people.
At least a city is successful and it helps a lot of people. Only a small percentage of it are in vain.