Misery in the United States, as measured by the Misery Index, declined between third and fourth quarter 2011. Kansas residents experienced an increasing level of misery during that time period, while Wichitans experienced a decline in misery. Wichita residents are more miserable than Kansas residents in general, but the gap has continued to narrow.
The Misery Index calculated by the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) includes the following information:
- The Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
- House Price Index (HPI) from the Federal Housing Finance Agency
- Unemployment Rates (UR) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics