Misery in the United States and Kansas, as measured by the Misery Index, declined between fourth quarter 2011 and first quarter 2012. However, Wichita residents experienced an increasing level of misery during that time period, due to declines in home price index values.

 

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

Read the complete first quarter report.