Buffalo ranked 8th most miserable city in America — Fair or unfair?

Posted by Philip Anselmo on February 11, 2009 - 9:48am
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If the old adage is true that misery loves company, Buffalo may be looking for a few new friends. Our neighbor to the west was recently dubbed the 8th most miserable city in America by Forbes magazine.

So, what does it take to be miserable?

We compiled our rankings by looking at the 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S., which meant those with a population of at least 378,000. We ranked those metros on nine factors: commute times, corruption, pro sports teams, Superfund sites, taxes (both income and sales), unemployment, violent crime and weather.

Maybe a few of our readers can speak to the commute time and corruption. I've heard nothing especially damning about either. As for pro sports teams, there's really only one way to describe the past few seasons of the Bills and the Sabres: implosive. Taxes? Let's not even go there. Unemployment and violent crime... Can't say.

As for weather, the Buffalo News recently ran a piece by columnist Bruce Andriatch who wrote about one city resident who was so furious over having to shovel out his driveway yet again only to get re-buried under dirty snow plowed back onto the apron as soon as he had finished that he quite literally threw the shovel at the snowplow! We saw the grass and mud of the real solid ground the other day for the first time in over a month. And we just averaged the coldest January on record in my lifetime. So weather... yeah, not the greatest. Of course, many of us consider it a character builder. Until we start throwing shovels, that is.

Forbes has this to say of Buffalo:

If you like snow, Buffalo is your place—to the tune of 90 inches a year, more than any other metro area that has a million people. Buffalo's population has been steadily shrinking since the mid-1990s.

We want to know what this means for Batavia... Are we an island unto ourselves? Or will we get caught up in the whirlwind of misery that is Buffalo? Or would you side with columnist Donn Esmonde and look at this as a glass half full and even take umbrage with the ranking?

Honestly, I never found Buffalo all that miserable. I kind of like the city, in fact. They've got a great art museum, for starters. Plus, there's something appropriate to the times in the grey grunge atmosphere of the downtown. But that could be the gritty Upstater in me. Born and raised in blizzards and recessions. Child of potholes and missed field goals.

Posted by tp hunt on February 11, 2009 - 11:08am
Life is a miserable process. I have lived other places than Batavia NY and believe me when I say that no place is without problems from the weather or the environment. At least here in WNY, our homes and business are still standing when the Winter's snows finally melt.
Posted by Philip Anselmo on February 11, 2009 - 11:22am
TP: That's something I've always felt, too. That our weather extremes here in Western New York are nowhere near as destructive as the extremes of other parts of the country. A hurricane or a tornado can wipe out a neighborhood, even a city. Ditto, a flood. That's nothing compared with a blizzard that dumps two feet of snow on the ground overnight.

Nevertheless — while I think this ranking is mostly silly, and that a case can be made for many other such top tens — upstate winters are miserable not because of the brutality of extremes but because of the relentlessness of the season. Weeks and weeks of sub-freezing temperatures. Every day negotiating ice-caked sidewalks. Every day driving wary of the next wind gust that will push you onto the next patch of black ice. We get pounded by winter from December often straight through and into April. That's bound to demoralize some and certainly can cause frustration such that a typically civil citizen can be pushed to the point of hurling a shovel at a snow plow.
Posted by Richard Gahagan on February 11, 2009 - 12:25pm
Moving away and coming back to visit really gives you a different perspective. The "grey grudge" misery really hits you in the face. Its very depressing to see the deteriorating conditions of everything just driving to Batavia from the Buffalo airport. Never really minded the winter until I didn't have to deal with it anymore. Really makes you wonder why you chose to put up with the 4 or 5 month struggle just to get to work in the morning.
Posted by Lori Ann Santini on February 11, 2009 - 2:34pm
I might be the odd duck here but I love Western New York. I have an adage I use alot to describe why I like snow versus heat. I can put more clothes on if I am cold but I will only take so much off if I am warm. I don't have enough money to pay for all the therapy people would need if I was streaking around. (I hope that makes someone laugh.)

I have had the good fortune of living in Texas for a period of time. I can tell you that as beautiful as the state is, I would not go back there to live. I saw torrential downpours that actually killed people, tornadoes, hail the size of golf balls, heat waves and bugs larger then my toddler. The last is an exageration however the roaches were as big as a typical house mouse from up north. I also stayed for the summer with my grandparents on Long Island. We lived through a couple odd ball hurricanes there that summer. I can vividly remember that people used boats for days to travel around Bayshore.

Snow can be an inconvenience however it can be moved out of the way generally. Yes we get cold. Bitter cold sometimes. However when it is all gone our wells are filled, the grass is green and the flowers and trees are stunning. Plus we can play in it too. Skiing, skating, sledding, and snowmobiling can take our minds off the length of winter.

We don't suffer from too many tornadoes, earthquakes or hurricanes. We also don't face the ravages of fires or major flooding. One only needs to remember events like those that Australia is facing now or the memories of Katrina to realize that we have it good.

WNY is an ok place to play by mother natures rules.
Posted by Beth Kinsley on February 11, 2009 - 3:50pm
Amen Lori! I feel like you. My daughter was so anxious to get away from this weather that, as soon as she was old enough, she moved to Phoenix. Not exactly what she expected. She thought she liked the heat until she had to stand outside waiting for the bus in 120 degree heat. They say it's not so hot because there's not humidity. She doesn't agree!
Posted by Brian Hillabush on February 11, 2009 - 4:03pm
I agree with the ranking. While I've lived in Western New York for my entire life, I've always been into travel.
The snow really does cause a lot of problems (shoveling, car accidents, getting places) and the cold really isn't fun.
Mr. Gahagan gives a great perspective with his comment when he talks about the weather and the bad conditions of many businesses and buildings in the Buffalo area.
I love this area for the people, but the weather does stink and Buffalo is an economic mess, has been for most of my life.
Posted by Kelly Hansen on February 11, 2009 - 10:33pm
Just an FYI, snowfall totals for the region:

http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/38280669.html

and to the east:

http://goldensnowball.com/

I love the area and can deal with the snow. It is the crushing pressure of ever-increasing taxes that I prefer to not be buried under.

Our relatives who live just south of Syracuse think we live in a snowbelt, yet every year they still have snow and we have already mowed our lawn at least once.

If you look at the Forbes list, you'll find (at least I did) some surprising cities. Stockton, CA; Memphis, TN; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Modesto, CA; Flint, MI; Detroit, MI; -- the top 7

Miami, FL; St. Louis, MO; -- round out the top 10.

I would be miserable if I lived anywhere else. Taxes? Wal-Mart has ramen noodles in a cup real cheap - back to college days 20 years later. 28 cents a cup.