Out of California

Of the top seven cities where things are getting worse instead of better, six of them are in California. Here's how they stack up, ranked by expectations that their economies will worsen:

Riverside, California

Stockton, California

Los Angeles, California

Bakersfield, California

San Francisco, California

Sacramento, California

Criteria for making the list included increasingly higher unemployment rates, foreclosures and mortgage defaults, and movement of people and businesses out of the state.

Forbes magazine produces best-and-worst lists of many kinds. But it doesn't take sophisticated analyses in a respected business publication to see that things are really bad--economically speaking--in the Golden State. Here's how else you can tell.

Move
Try booking a moving van out of San Francisco. You can't. Or you'll pay through the nose to the tune of, oh, $25,000 or more to transport your stuff out of state. Why so high? There's huge demand from people moving out, out of work, and unable to afford the high cost of living. They ran out of vans heading north, south, or east.

Sell
Try selling your house in Riverside. You can't, unless you nearly give it away. Homes in the area are so far underwater you'd think a tsunami hit them. Home owners simply walk away, unable to make mortgage payments nor able to sell houses for any amount of money.

Work
Try establishing a private professional practice in LA. Licensed professionals find work mostly in government. They're hiring there and expanding government jobs. Where they get the money to pay these professionals in California is anybody's guess. Exceptions include psychiatric and psychology professionals. Set out your shingle in LA. Everybody's in therapy there.

A place for pessimism
So, pessimists listen up. If you are looking for a place where your worst nightmares can come true, target California. Bring your prospects for gloom with you. You'll find plenty of company in California, unless the emigrating crowds bowl you over while you try to get in.

Sources:

http://www.forbes.com/2011/03/16/cities-where-the-economies-are-getting-worse.html

http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/cities-where-things-are-getting-worse.html