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When Money magazine named Wilmington, NC, one of the worst places to live

When Money magazine named Wilmington, NC, one of the worst places to live

In 1985, Rand McNally’s Places Rated Almanac dropped Wilmington to 141st place from 96th place four years earlier, placing it near the middle of the pack among U.S. metropolitan areas.

Another publication brought the port city to rock bottom.

According to an article in the July 28, 1987, Wilmington Morning Star, Money magazine ranked Wilmington among the top 10 best places to live, or 293rd out of 300. The results differed from Rand McNally “primarily because Money based its criteria for rating cities on a poll of its readers.” Readers emphasized crime and the local economy, where Wilmington received low marks.

Wilmington officials were quick to discuss the ranking. Then-Wilmington Police Chief Darryl L. Bruestle said the transient population as a tourist destination could skew crime statistics compared to permanent residents.

The port city’s unemployment rate was 5.6 percent, higher than the state average of 4.2 percent. Still, a recent increase in job openings gave cause for optimism.

“Even Bethlehem (Pa.), my hometown, was ranked,” said Joe Augustine, executive vice president of the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. “They just lost Mack Truck, which employed 4,400 people. That would be like losing the railroad and getting a top rating for it.”

Wilmington also had a number of more arts and leisure activities compared to higher-ranked places. These included the NC Azalea, NC Jazz and Piney Woods festivals.

Only two metro areas in North Carolina ranked in the top 100: Asheville (71st) and Raleigh-Durham (86th).