Money | unemployment 'Household Misery Index' Hovering Near 30-Year High Economic fear still rampant, new measure shows By Nick McMaster Posted Aug 23, 2010 4:19 PM CDT Copied In this photograph taken July 20, 2010, Orlando Payton looks for work at JobTrain employment office in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) An update of the "Misery Index" from the '70s shows that economic anxiety remains at a high level—just below the all-time high set in December 1982, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Misery, as measured by the blog Paper Economy's "Household Misery Index," dropped in June by .02%, but was .31% higher than the same month last year. Bah. The original Misery Index combined unemployment and inflation, but rampant inflation is not a source of economic pain in the current slump. The Household Misery Index also takes into account the 10-year moving average of "real" personal income and the value of the S&P 500 to capture a long-term sense of income and investment prospects. Read These Next Keith Urban interview ends after Nicole Kidman question. Who added bill's proposed tax on clean energy? No one knows. Sean Combs jury reaches a decision on all charges. Bryan Kohberger has admitted his guilt. Report an error