There I was – reading the Yahoo! News and what is on the front page – The Aeros Stadium. OY! Mortified is not the word for my emotions. The article I was reading was the "Top Ten WORST CITIES for Renting" – Akron was #6 (Miami was #1) REALLY!! I am stunned.
The criteria for qualifying were basic – How affordable is it to rent in Akron?
Renter households with severe cost burdens: 31.8%
Median gross rent: $740
Median utilities cost for renters: $160
Median household income for renters: $26,100
Census data show that the populations of Akron city and Summit County have both decreased in the past 10 years. Meanwhile, the area's economy has grown little, with real gross domestic product increasing by only 5.2 percent from 2001 to 2009, according to figures from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Harvard's study estimates that real median household income in the metro declined by 14.9 percent from 2000 to 2009.
Looking forward to your comments on this one!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
The best part about "studies" is that you can always find another one that contradicts or adds opposite value.
In 2009 lifehacker ranked Akron the #8 most affordable city:
http://lifehacker.com/5157266/the-10-most-and-least-affordable-cities-in-the-us
In November of 2010 Akron was ranked the #5 most affordable college city by Coldwell Banker:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/12/most-affordable-college-towns_n_782341.html#s180179&title=Akron_Ohio_University
Also in 2010 CNN Money ranked Akron the #5 most affordable city to buy a house, who needs to rent?:
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/real_estate/1002/gallery.most_and_least_affordable_markets/5.html
And, in Jan. 2011 Yahoo ranked Cleveland the #8 most affordable city:
http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/the-most-affordable-cities-in-america.html
Last update: May 10th? Is this blog still alive?
This blog should be taken deleted.