Feeling stressed lately? Of course you are—according to a new study from WalletHub, the personal-finance website, stress affects more than 100 million people in the U.S., and workplace-related stress alone is costing society more than $300 billion per year. But, could where you’re living affect your stress level? To determine that answer, WalletHub conducted research of more than 180 cities across 37 key metrics to see if it could uncover where Americans cope best. The data set ranges from average weekly work hours, to debt load, to divorce and suicide rates.
To help Americans find effective ways to manage their stress, WalletHub turned to a panel of health experts for some stress-management advice. Topics discussed include how employers can reduce work-related stress, tips for people who find managing finances to be stressful, tips for people who want to relax on a budget, and activities for families to minimize stress and tension between family members. Advice ranged from simple tips like finding inexpensive ways to destress like enjoying nature or art, to more in depth suggestions like ensuring all family members are involved in making important decisions.
Check out the most and least stressed cities, as well as some key findings, listed below. Where does your city rank on the list?
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Most Stressed Cities |
Least Stressed Cities |
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1 |
Detroit, MI |
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173 |
Lincoln, NE |
|
2 |
Newark, NJ |
|
174 |
Madison, WI |
|
3 |
Cleveland, OH |
|
175 |
San Jose, CA |
|
4 |
Birmingham, AL |
|
176 |
Irvine, CA |
|
5 |
Toledo, OH |
|
177 |
Scottsdale, AZ |
|
6 |
Baltimore, MD |
|
178 |
South Burlington, VT |
|
7 |
Wilmington, DE |
|
179 |
Overland Park, KS |
|
8 |
Milwaukee, WI |
|
180 |
Sioux Falls, SD |
|
9 |
Gulfport, MS |
|
181 |
Bismarck, ND |
|
10 |
St. Louis, MO |
|
182 |
Fremont, CA |
Best vs. Worst
- Greensboro, NC, residents spend the fewest annual hours in traffic congestion per auto commuter, four hours, which is 25.5 times fewer than in Los Angeles, the city where residents spend the most at 102.
- South Burlington, VT, has the lowest unemployment rate, 2 percent, which is 4.7 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest at 9.3 percent.
- Fremont, CA, has the lowest divorce rate, 10.82 percent, which is 3.8 times lower than in Cleveland, the city with the highest at 41.24 percent.
- Sioux Falls, SD, has the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health, 8.9 percent, which is 3.3 times lower than in El Paso, TX, the city with the highest at 29 percent.
Click here to view the full report and find your city’s rank.
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