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Stress affects everyone. Although we cannot eliminate stress entirely from our lives, we can minimize it by choosing to live in the least toxic environments. American stress levels have been rising for many demographics since their low point in 2016. Common stressors include the future of America and money, along with uncertainty about health care. But not all demographics are affected in the same way. For example, women’s stress levels rose in the past year while men’s actually dropped.

But certain states have contributed more than others to elevating — or decreasing — stress levels in the U.S. WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 38 key indicators of stress to determine the places to avoid and achieve a more relaxing life. Our data set ranges from average hours worked per week to personal bankruptcy rate to share of adults getting adequate sleep. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and our full methodology.

Main Findings

Most Stressed States

Overall Rank

(1=Most Stressed) State Total Score ‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank ‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank ‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank ‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank 1 Louisiana 57.26 4 3 8 3 2 New Mexico 57.22 5 5 2 13 3 West Virginia 57.06 8 2 15 1 4 Mississippi 56.44 10 1 5 7 5 Nevada 52.69 29 19 1 8 6 Arkansas 52.16 25 4 24 2 7 Oklahoma 51.10 9 15 11 5 8 Alabama 50.26 20 6 26 6 9 Kentucky 49.07 26 8 18 4 10 Tennessee 48.37 41 7 13 9 11 Arizona 48.22 17 18 3 19 12 Georgia 46.67 24 11 12 14 13 District of Columbia 46.64 3 28 4 50 14 Alaska 46.58 1 49 37 15 15 South Carolina 46.16 28 16 16 10 16 Florida 45.34 37 22 6 20 17 Indiana 45.22 31 17 9 16 18 Texas 44.46 12 35 7 23 19 Ohio 44.10 23 24 17 18 20 North Carolina 44.08 27 21 14 21 21 Michigan 43.76 32 30 19 11 22 Delaware 43.37 7 29 20 32 23 Missouri 43.15 35 20 32 12 24 Rhode Island 42.76 45 13 10 29 25 California 42.62 21 14 29 33 26 New York 42.54 15 23 21 34 27 Pennsylvania 42.35 13 31 27 24 28 Illinois 42.24 11 27 28 38 29 Oregon 41.33 50 9 23 22 30 Wyoming 40.75 2 48 46 27 31 New Jersey 40.68 6 43 35 26 32 Washington 39.57 34 33 25 25 33 Virginia 39.29 16 40 30 35 34 Idaho 38.83 49 12 36 28 35 Maine 38.71 46 25 39 17 36 Vermont 38.63 22 10 48 42 37 Maryland 38.02 18 39 22 46 38 Connecticut 37.93 14 36 38 40 39 Montana 36.66 40 32 42 30 40 Kansas 36.50 19 38 45 37 41 New Hampshire 35.82 33 47 33 31 42 Nebraska 35.60 30 41 40 39 43 Hawaii 34.74 44 26 44 45 44 Massachusetts 34.62 47 42 31 44 45 Colorado 34.17 48 34 34 43 46 Wisconsin 33.66 43 44 43 36 47 South Dakota 31.98 39 45 41 48 48 Iowa 30.89 36 46 47 49 49 Utah 29.77 51 37 50 41 50 North Dakota 26.85 38 50 51 47 51 Minnesota 25.68 42 51 49 51





Ask the Experts

For the best ways to cope with negative stressors, we turned to a panel of experts. You can read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions below.

What tips do you have for fighting stress without spending money? What steps can people take to reduce stressing over finances? Should insurance companies cover treatments that help reduce stress? What tips do you have for parents trying to minimize stress in their children?

Methodology

In order to determine the most and least stressed states, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across four key dimensions: 1) Work-Related Stress, 2) Money-Related Stress, 3) Family-Related Stress, 4) Health- & Safety-Related Stress.

We evaluated those dimensions using 38 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest level of stress.

We then determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Work-Related Stress – Total Points: 25

Average Hours Worked per Week: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)

Average Commute Time: Half Weight (~1.47 Points)

Average Leisure Time Spent per Day: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)

Job Security: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)

Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)

Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)

Income Growth Rate (2016 vs. 2015): Full Weight (~2.94 Points)

Money-Related Stress – Total Points: 25

Median Income: Double Weight (~3.85 Points)

Note: Adjusted for cost of living

Debt per Median Earnings: Full Weight (~1.92 Points)

Median Credit Score: Full Weight (~1.92 Points)

Personal Bankruptcy Rate: Double Weight (~3.85 Points)

Share of Adults Worried about Money: Double Weight (~3.85 Points)

Note: This metric measures the percentage of state residents who report having worried about money in the last seven days.

Economic Confidence Index: Full Weight (~1.92 Points)

Notes: Gallup's Economic Confidence Index is based on state residents' views of economic conditions in the U.S. today, and whether they think economic conditions in the country are getting better or getting worse.

Share of People Unable to Save for Children’s College: Full Weight (~1.92 Points)

Share of Adults Paying Only Minimum on Credit Card(s): Full Weight (~1.92 Points)

Share of Population Living Below Poverty Line: Full Weight (~1.92 Points)

Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~1.92 Points)

Family-Related Stress – Total Points: 25

Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Share of Single Parents: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Cost of Childcare: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Note: Adjusted for median household income

“Parental-Leave Policy” Score: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Parental Stress: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Note: This composite metric considers the percentage of parents who felt angry with their child, felt the child does things to bother him or is difficult to care.

Share of Parents Without Emotional Support: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Note: This metric measures the percentage of parents who have someone that could turn to for day-to-day emotional support with parenting or raising children.

Health- & Safety-Related Stress – Total Points: 25

Share of Adults in Fair or Poor Health: Double Weight (~2.78 Points)

Share of Adults Diagnosed with Depression: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Mental Health: Double Weight (~2.78 Points)

Suicide Rate: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Unaffordability of Doctor Visits: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Note: Measures percentage of adults aged 18 and older who reported not seeing a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost.

Increase in Annual Health Insurance Premiums: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Share of Insured Population: Double Weight (~2.78 Points)

Note: “Population” includes noninstitutionalized civilians aged 16 and older.

Psychologists per Capita: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Physical Activity Rate: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Share of Adults Getting Adequate Sleep: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Note: Measures percentage of adults aged 18 and older who reported getting seven or more hours of sleep per 24-hour period.

Bullying Incidents Rate: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Note: Measures both the percentage of high school students who were bullied on school property and the percentage of high school students who were bullied electronically/online

Crime Rate per Capita: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Hate-Crime Incidents per Capita: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Well-Being Index: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Quality of Infrastructure: Full Weight (~1.39 Points)

Note: “Infrastructure” refers to roads and bridges.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FINRA Investor Education Foundation, United Health Foundation, Council for Community and Economic Research, Administrative Office of the United States Courts, TransUnion, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Child Care Aware of America, National Partnership for Women & Families, Gallup-Healthways, Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, Center for American Progress, Federal Bureau of Investigation and The Road Information Program.

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