We always vote on the best places, I would like to know your opinions on which metro areas are the worst places to live? This I'll know where not to go!

With all due respect, I think the least desirable place to live is Fresno,CA. The lack of culture and Art is astonishing, everything is a strip mall and the place reeks of " bad taste", but that is of course, my opinion.

I found Seattle to be overrated and Los Angeles to be underrated.

If I were to think of the place(s) I find least liveable, I would have to say San Diego. Its too clean, Its too sunny, Its too fun, Its too beautiful
( can you feel my sarcasm yet)No, I prefer the grime of East St.Louis, IL or the streets of Southside Chicago.

I think the worst place to live is anywhere within 100 miles of San Francisco, mainly because its way overpriced and its choking on its own success. The rise of Silicon Valley has pushed out the poor and clogged the freeways and bridges to the boiling point. Sure, it seems everyone is rich, and actually a very high percantage of us are, but all that glitters isnt gold and the Bay Area is headed in the wrong direction.

You know how sometimes a person, place or thing can make you feel like you're listening to fingernails scratching a blackboard, but for no obvious, logical reason? Philadelphia does that to me. I know the place has a lot going for it and many people seem to enjoy it, but I just can't stand it; can't put my finger on why.

Here are my nominations

Wichita, KS
Denver, CO
Dallas, TX
Secaucus. NJ

In my opinion, living there would be torture.

Of course, there are many MANY smaller towns that would probably be worse.

Calumet, Illinois or East Chicago, Indiana

Detroit: worst airport, dismal weather, horrendous roads, not much going for it.

On Philadelphia: one person would disagree: WCFields had "I'd rather be in Philadelphia" on his vault marker. Guess it is one step over being dead.

Dundalk or Glen Burnie, Maryland. White trash haven.

Amado, your description of San Diego evokes my fantasies of living there but what about the earthquakes?

I can't understand how people can tolerate Portland, Oregon and anywhere where it rains most of the time. I'd find that unbearable.

Places that come to mind, not in any particular order:

Las Vegas
Vernal, UT
Blythe, CA

Great question, there are so many cities that I'm thankful I don't live in:
East St. Louis
Rockford, IL
Fresno
Bakersfield
El Centro, CA
Blythe, CA
Buckeye, AZ
Laramie, WY
Pierre, SD
Anyplace in ND
Albert Lea, MN
Duluth, MN
Milwaukee
Omaha
Columbia, MO
Arkansas
Amarillo
Lubbock
El Paso
Houston
Tulsa
Detroit
Akron
Toledo
Dayton
Trenton
Jersey City
Philadelphia/Camden
Atlantic City
Phew!

I can tell that none of you have ever been to Barrow, Alaska !!!! All the places you mention are paradise.

On an almost cross-country bus trip years ago, I pulled into Fargo, ND in a blizzard, at 1:00 in the morning, and had to get off the bus so they could "clean" it. I walked outside for a breath of air and the scene has stuck with me ever since.

I can't imagine dealing with WINTER 6 months out of the year. No thanks.

Oklahoma!

This is a very mena-spirited thread, since someone calls every place mentioned home. But based on Frontline for 11/23/99, I'd say Convent, Louisiana. There's also Love Canal, Three Mile Island, Prince William Sound, etc.

That's "mean" spirited, of course -- which the website feedback said hadn't been posted yet (see other thread re:technological glitches on this site).

Anyway, there are those of us who wouldn't live in New York for all the tenors at the Met.

It actually surprises me how few people rag on NY these days. Ten years ago, half the responses would have been an immature back and forth on how bad NY vs. LA is to live. NY has rebounded so much over the last years that most people are encouraging people who have never been to NY to take the subways over driving/cabs and not to worry to walk the streets (with some common sense). The only responses are those like Sam who are not mean spirited but just don't like NY

Personally, I could not imagine living in Dallas. I couldn't understand that "King of the Hill" Texas mentality and, as a New Yorker, couldn't understand going into a K-Mart and smile as I went past the gun racks. Dallas may not be the "worst place to live" but I, personally, couldn't live there.