These are high times in Detroit.  In the last two years, the city has peaked at or near the top of three national rankings.  But don’t get too excited: the rankings list the nation’s best of the worst, so Detroit’s high rankings place it at or near the top of the bottom.

Poverty
In early 2006, as it was preparing to host Super Bowl XL, Detroit claimed the title of the poorest big city in the nation; later 2006 rankings showed middling improvement, with Cleveland edging the Motor City for the dubious number one.

Crime
In June 2006, Detroit found itself second on the list of the nation’s most dangerous cities, just behind St. Louis.  (The state of Michigan took two out of three; Flint ranked third.)

Weight
In a more encouraging note, despite its recent top ranking, this area shows progress.  In 2004, Detroit topped Houston as the nation’s fattest city; in 2005, the city fell to third; in 2006, Detroit dropped all the way to 15th.

Coming soon: Detroit — the fittest, poorest, most dangerous city in the nation.