NJ Scores Second Highest In 'Most Miserable Cities'

New Jersey Patch is reporting that nine New Jersey cities have made Business Insider's list of the nation's most miserable cities. New Jersey had the second largest number of "most miserable cities" in the nation behind number one ranking California -- and let's not forget New Jersey is a much smaller state than California. 

These cities have several things in common, according to the analysis, including "fewer opportunities, devastation from natural disasters, high crime and addiction rates and, at times, many abandoned houses."

Isn't is sad -- and disgraceful! -- that New Jersey and its cities have scored so low? And this despite all that we pay in taxes. Well, this is the result of decades and decades of entrenched Democrat rule that people in this misguided state keep voting for again and again.

Here are the nine cities and bit of Business Insider's comments on each:

Passaic (No. 4)

What BI said: "Its youth council said the city had problems with drugs, violence, and poor sex education."

Newark (No. 5)

What BI said: "The city has had problems with lead poisoning its water supply," Business Insider wrote. "The city has also struggled with race relations, which bubbled up in violent riots in 1967, and has its fair share of violent crimes, particularly in 2013."

Camden (No. 8)

What BI said: "It used to be a manufacturing city, but that fell to pieces between the 1950s and the 1970s. It's had a high crime rate and been known as one of the most dangerous cities in the country, but it is improving."

New Brunswick (No. 11)

What BI said: "It has had problems with crime. In 2017, the city's assaults with guns rose 64%."

Union City (No. 14)

What BI said: "It's only 1.28 square miles, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the U.S."

Trenton (No. 17)

What BI said: "Its violent crime isn't increasing, but neighborhood gangs have been known to fight one another, and gun violence is a problem."

Paterson (No. 19)

What BI said: "From 2009 to 2016, the city's tax revenue fell by 38%. It's also had problems with blight. At one point it had 1,250 abandoned homes, but that dropped to 770 in 2016."

West New York (No. 29)

What BI said: "Cleanliness and parking are meant to be two of the biggest issues for its new mayor. The median commute time is 37 minutes."

Plainfield (No. 30)

What BI said: "It used to be a violent city — in 1990, there were 719 violent crimes, but since then things have improved. Still, in 2016, there were 12 murders."