Forbes magazine says Providence toughest area to ‘get by’ in

NEW YORK – Citing the area’s high unemployment rate and cost of living, Forbes magazine has ranked Providence as the nation’s most difficult metro area to “get by” in.
The magazine – which looked at Providence County and Bristol County – cited the area’s 11.6 percent unemployment rate in February 2009, as well as a bleak outlook for the region’s construction, retail and manufacturing industries. Additionally, while the area’s median income of $54,064 is about $4,000 above the national average, the region’s cost-of-living index is 122, 22 points above the national average.
Los Angeles, Riverside, Calif., Tampa, Fla., and Buffalo, N.Y., rounded out the top five cities where it’s hardest to get by, the magazine said. &#8226