I’m feeling stressed. How about you?
Everyone has some type and level of stress, but the past few years have increased Americans’ stress levels with record-high inflation and economic uncertainty. About 77 percent of Americans feel stressed about the future of the nation these days, and 73 percent feel stressed about the economy, according to a recent survey from the American Psychological Association.
Stress isn’t always a bad thing. Some kinds of stress can have positive effects on a person’s well-being.
“A little bit of stress, known as ‘acute stress,’ can be exciting – it keeps us active and alert,” according to Psychology Today. When stress reaches an unmanageable level, however, it turns “chronic.” That’s when people become vulnerable to its damaging effects, such as health problems and loss of productivity. Workplace-related stress alone costs society more than $300 billion per year.
To determine the cities where Americans cope best, WalletHub, a personal finance website, compared more than 180 cities across 39 key metrics. Its data set ranges from average weekly work hours to the unemployment rate to divorce and suicide rates.
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Most stressed cities |
Least stressed cities | |
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1. Detroit, Mich. |
173. Boise, Idaho |
Best vs. worst
- Rapid City, S.D., has the lowest unemployment rate, which is 6.3 times lower than in Detroit, Mich., the city with the highest.
- Fremont, Calif., has the lowest divorce rate, which is 4.4 times lower than in Cleveland, Ohio, the city with the highest.
- Cheyenne, Wyo., has the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health, which is 3.1 times lower than in San Antonio, Texas, the city with the highest.
- Columbia, Md., has the highest median annual household income, adjusted by cost of living, which is 3.4 times higher than in Detroit, the city with the lowest.
“Some stress is out of our control, due to issues with family, friends or employers,” said Chip Lupo, Wallethub analyst. “However, where you live can play a big role in how stressed you are.”
Cities with high crime rates, weak economies, less effective public health, and congested transportation systems naturally lead to elevated stress levels for residents, Lupo said.
He said when you’re moving, it’s important to consider how a city may impact your mental health – not just your financial opportunities.
Well I think these data can be misleading. Fremont California has a very high Indian and eastern Asian population and that is the reason for the low divorce rate I believe. I think it’s cultural. It is also a bedroom community to Silicon Valley which is a super stressful area
I can’t imagine being in a community right now that’s regularly attacked by ICE agents. Thank goodness, in our small Connecticut enclave, we don’t have that. Still, you never know.