Huntington is not the most miserable city in U.S.

People may complain about Huntington, but according to a research conducted by Forbes.com, Huntington is not as miserable as some people might think it is.

Forbes.com released a list of 20 most miserable cities in the United States for 2011.

Huntington did not make that list, believe it or not.

Some of the 20 cities on the list include Miami, Fla., Merced, Calif., Memphis, Tenn., Chicago, Ill., West Palm Beach, Fla., Cleveland, Ohio, Toledo, Ohio, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Youngstown, Ohio, Detriot, Mich. and Washington, D.C.

Forbes compiled this list based on unemployment, crime, taxes, commuting and sports teams.

Many people describe California and Florida as great place to vacation, but both of these states have housing problems that have millions of people facing foreclosure. Stockton, Calif., was first on the list for the second time in three years. The city has violent crime and unemployment rates that rank among the 10 worst in the country. Last year in Miami, foreclosures hit one in 14 homes and the city is also plagued with corruption. According to Forbes.com, 404 government officials have been convicted of crimes in the past decade.

Three cities in Ohio qualified as being a miserable city for different reasons. Cleveland made the list because of the weather, a weak sports market and LeBron James' departure. Toledo recently had an economic analysis that revealed that employment would not return to pre-recession levels until after 2025.

Unemployment has averaged 10.6 percent during the past three years. Youngstown's economy has been on a steady decline since the steel mills started closing in the 1970s. Empty buildings are seen throughout the city, which decreases the average sales price for homes.

And in case you are wondering how the nation's capital is on Forbes.com list, blame it on commuting problems and the Washington Redskins.

It's easy to be a critic of what Huntington has and doesn't have, but our employment rate, housing market and overall economy is stronger than many other states.  

The next time somebody criticizes Huntington, or any city in West Virginia, tell that person there is no city in West Virginia that has been mentioned as one of the United States' most miserable cities.