Forbes.com has the list of The Worst Neighborhoods to Buy a Home based on thier appreciation (or lack thereof) over the last 2 years. Here is the top (or bottom) 10:
1. St. Louis, Mo.
ZIP Code: 63143
Neighborhood: Maplewood/Richmond Heights
2005 Median Sales Price: $133,100
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -28.1%2. Phoenix, Ariz.
ZIP Code: 85054
Neighborhood: Desert Ridge/Montage
2005 Median Sales Price: $289,950
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -22.3%3. Chicago, Ill.
ZIP Code: 60611
Neighborhood: Near North Side/Gold Coast
2005 Median Sales Price: $350,000
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -20.5%4. Houston, Texas
ZIP Code: 77056
Neighborhood: Tanglewood
2005 Median Sales Price: $335,160
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -16.8%5. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
ZIP Code: 55129
Neighborhood/Area: Woodbury
2005 Median Sales Price: $274,900
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -16.2%6. Dallas, Texas
ZIP Code: 75212
Neighborhood: Oak Cliff
2005 Median Sales Price: $96,093
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -14.6%7. Boston, Mass.
ZIP Code: 02120
Neighborhood: Mission Hill
2005 Median Sales Price: $412,750
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -14%8. Atlanta, Ga.
ZIP Code: 30305
Neighborhood: Buckhead/Tuxedo Park
2005 Median Sales Price: $274,650
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -13.6%9. New York, N.Y.
ZIP Code: 10069
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
2005 Median Sales Price: $980,000
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -11.3%10. Philadelphia, Penn.
ZIP Code: 19133
Neighborhood: Kensington/North Central
2005 Median Sales Price: $34,500
Total Price Appreciation 2003 to 2005: -9.7%
I don’t want to sound like one of those people who brags about thier home town but I’m thinking they missed one.

Butttttt, does the lower 9th still qualify as a neighborhood?
They missed it because you have to actually have a sale to base the data on.
mission hill in Boston might as well be the lower 9th.
I’m guessing Detroit isn’t counted because their prices hit bottom a while back. Abandoning the house is -100% appreciation.
#3/Chicago 60611 was a bit of a surprise as it is my neighborhood – sure glad I didn’t buy my apartment when it went condo!
Heck, was the lower nine all that great of an investment to begin with?