Between the second and third quarters of 2012 the general level of misery experienced by people in the United States, Kansas, and all metropolitan areas in Kansas increased. This can be attributed to a decreased value of homes and an increased level of unemployment in all areas, except Wichita, where the average unemployment level was unchanged. The slight decrease in the general level of prices was not enough to offset the deterioration of the other two indicators.
The Misery Index, as calculated by the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR), includes the following components:
- The Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
- The House Price Index (HPI) from the Federal Housing Finance Agency
- Unemployment Rates (UR) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics