Stress is pretty much inevitable, and everyone will experience some form of stress at one point or another. However, the last few years have battered the American psyche with a barrage of external stressors beyond our control that has elevated stress levels with the pandemic being followed by record-high rates of inflation and spiking levels of homicide rates. A recent study conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association revealed that 83% of Americans are feeling extra stress about inflation and 75% are stressed out about violence and crime.
While stress can be hard to deal with, it isn’t necessarily always a bad thing because certain kinds of stress can have positive effects on one’s well-being in the right doses according to Psychology Today, “A little bit of stress, known as ‘acute stress,’ can be exciting—it keeps us active and alert.” When stress reaches an unmanageable level, however, it turns “chronic.” Chronic stress is what we want to avoid because that is when we can become vulnerable to damaging effects such as health problems and loss of productivity, workplace related stress alone is estimated to cost society over a staggering $300 billion annually.
Civil liberty distress is a serious topic with the majority of American adults reporting feelings of uncertainty and concern for the future, with 70% thinking that the government does not care about them, 64% saying that they feel that their rights are under attack, 45% feel that they are not protected by the laws in America, 38% are considering moving to another country, and 40% agreed that the political environment in their state has made them consider moving to another state. 76% said that the future of this nation is a significant source of stress and 68% said that this is the lowest point in the nation’s history that they can remember. 83% are concerned with inflation, 69% are worried about the economy and 66% said that money is a significant source of stress.
In another study to determine which cities are coping with stress better than others, WalletHub compared over 180 American cities across 39 key metrics running from average weekly work hours to the unemployment rate, to divorce and suicide rates. These findings revealed that the top five stressed-out cities in America are: Cleveland, Ohio which took the top spot, followed by Detroit, Michigan coming in second, Baltimore, Maryland placed third, Birmingham, Alabama landed in fourth, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania rounds off the list of the top five in terms of the most stressed out American cities.
Overall those living in Cleveland, Ohio are the most stressed in the entire nation which was the leader in terms of stress ranking first in financial stress, second in health and safety stress, and third in family stress. Cleveland also has the second-highest poverty rate, and the highest divorce rate, to add to this residents are getting the second-fewest amounts of sleep each night across the nation.
Birmingham, AL is tied with Springfield, MO for having the highest crime rate, while Port St. Lucie, FL has the lowest. South Burlington, Vermont has the lowest unemployment rate but Stockton, California has a jobless rate that is more than 8 times higher. Portland, Maine has the lowest number of adults in fair to poor shape, but Huntington, West Virginia has the highest number of adults in poor health. In terms of sleep, those living in Detroit, MI sleep the least, followed by Cleveland, OH, Montgomery, AL, Birmingham, AL, and Augusta, GA.
Adjusted for cost of living, Columbia, Maryland has the highest median annual household income at $104,886 which is about three times higher than those living in Detroit which has the lowest average income at $33,329. In terms of affordable housing, New York City ranks last which is followed by Los Angeles, and Glendale, California. In terms of the poverty rate, Detroit, MI has the highest rate, followed by Cleveland, OH, Huntington, WV, Rochester, NY, and Buffalo, NY.
The 182 Most And Least Stressed Cities In America: 1 represents the worst conditions for that metric category with the exception of Total Score.
|
Overall Rank* |
City |
Total Score |
Work Stress |
Financial Stress |
Family Stress |
Health & Safety Stress |
|
1 |
Cleveland, OH |
62.62 |
47 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
2 |
Detroit, MI |
57.75 |
50 |
2 |
29 |
1 |
|
3 |
Baltimore, MD |
57.43 |
4 |
5 |
9 |
44 |
|
4 |
Birmingham, AL |
57.11 |
23 |
20 |
4 |
5 |
|
5 |
Philadelphia, PA |
55.29 |
8 |
9 |
50 |
11 |
|
6 |
Shreveport, LA |
54.11 |
64 |
3 |
67 |
6 |
|
7 |
Memphis, TN |
53.81 |
30 |
11 |
39 |
12 |
|
8 |
Fayetteville, NC |
53.53 |
45 |
17 |
6 |
36 |
|
9 |
St. Louis, MO |
53.30 |
48 |
8 |
31 |
17 |
|
10 |
Augusta, GA |
52.74 |
33 |
24 |
21 |
23 |
|
11 |
Montgomery, AL |
52.62 |
60 |
15 |
35 |
7 |
|
12 |
Gulfport, MS |
52.39 |
15 |
10 |
85 |
20 |
|
13 |
New Orleans, LA |
52.38 |
24 |
4 |
100 |
25 |
|
14 |
Houston, TX |
52.09 |
7 |
70 |
17 |
14 |
|
15 |
Akron, OH |
51.80 |
66 |
13 |
49 |
10 |
|
16 |
Toledo, OH |
51.52 |
86 |
6 |
62 |
21 |
|
17 |
Jackson, MS |
51.48 |
44 |
14 |
48 |
26 |
|
18 |
North Las Vegas, NV |
51.31 |
104 |
31 |
2 |
54 |
|
19 |
Milwaukee, WI |
51.00 |
28 |
39 |
12 |
40 |
|
20 |
Huntington, WV |
50.97 |
130 |
12 |
104 |
3 |
|
21 |
Las Vegas, NV |
50.83 |
29 |
45 |
13 |
32 |
|
22 |
San Bernardino, CA |
50.71 |
131 |
35 |
5 |
46 |
|
23 |
Cincinnati, OH |
50.53 |
52 |
22 |
41 |
24 |
|
24 |
San Antonio, TX |
50.14 |
51 |
52 |
15 |
16 |
|
25 |
Newark, NJ |
49.93 |
43 |
21 |
14 |
86 |
|
26 |
Indianapolis, IN |
49.84 |
32 |
19 |
74 |
34 |
|
27 |
Columbus, GA |
49.56 |
147 |
7 |
68 |
29 |
|
28 |
Newport News, VA |
49.10 |
95 |
34 |
7 |
75 |
|
29 |
Fresno, CA |
49.03 |
153 |
44 |
1 |
97 |
|
30 |
Mobile, AL |
48.77 |
69 |
18 |
94 |
19 |
|
31 |
Washington, DC |
47.90 |
1 |
121 |
18 |
119 |
|
32 |
Chicago, IL |
47.68 |
2 |
30 |
102 |
125 |
|
33 |
Dover, DE |
47.52 |
67 |
23 |
96 |
41 |
|
34 |
Baton Rouge, LA |
47.20 |
99 |
26 |
112 |
22 |
|
35 |
Dallas, TX |
47.11 |
21 |
97 |
42 |
42 |
|
36 |
Atlanta, GA |
47.10 |
19 |
63 |
53 |
60 |
|
37 |
Rochester, NY |
46.90 |
109 |
42 |
19 |
73 |
|
38 |
New York, NY |
46.85 |
3 |
55 |
65 |
132 |
|
39 |
Hialeah, FL |
46.81 |
173 |
27 |
11 |
115 |
|
40 |
New Haven, CT |
46.56 |
76 |
72 |
22 |
66 |
|
41 |
Tucson, AZ |
46.49 |
135 |
62 |
20 |
53 |
|
42 |
Buffalo, NY |
46.43 |
57 |
77 |
24 |
65 |
|
43 |
Wilmington, DE |
46.43 |
38 |
36 |
90 |
58 |
|
44 |
Moreno Valley, CA |
46.27 |
59 |
47 |
10 |
113 |
|
45 |
Modesto, CA |
46.03 |
75 |
122 |
8 |
74 |
|
46 |
Little Rock, AR |
45.94 |
159 |
16 |
87 |
51 |
|
47 |
Brownsville, TX |
45.73 |
166 |
33 |
32 |
62 |
|
48 |
Los Angeles, CA |
45.70 |
34 |
54 |
34 |
117 |
|
49 |
Norfolk, VA |
45.66 |
113 |
32 |
46 |
85 |
|
50 |
Miami, FL |
45.60 |
118 |
25 |
61 |
83 |
|
51 |
Bridgeport, CT |
45.50 |
6 |
49 |
82 |
145 |
|
52 |
Columbus, OH |
45.49 |
55 |
80 |
70 |
37 |
|
53 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
45.23 |
92 |
68 |
51 |
47 |
|
54 |
Charleston, WV |
45.22 |
78 |
117 |
114 |
4 |
|
55 |
Henderson, NV |
45.09 |
71 |
67 |
28 |
110 |
|
56 |
Richmond, VA |
45.03 |
49 |
40 |
73 |
92 |
|
57 |
Corpus Christi, TX |
45.00 |
139 |
79 |
83 |
13 |
|
58 |
Long Beach, CA |
44.94 |
46 |
56 |
30 |
141 |
|
59 |
Chattanooga, TN |
44.84 |
123 |
37 |
117 |
31 |
|
60 |
Springfield, MO |
44.81 |
127 |
43 |
134 |
9 |
|
61 |
Knoxville, TN |
44.59 |
134 |
71 |
81 |
28 |
|
62 |
Phoenix, AZ |
44.59 |
85 |
73 |
55 |
56 |
|
63 |
Columbia, SC |
44.59 |
77 |
28 |
135 |
49 |
|
64 |
El Paso, TX |
44.55 |
148 |
48 |
40 |
72 |
|
65 |
Vancouver, WA |
44.51 |
39 |
95 |
47 |
69 |
|
66 |
Fort Smith, AR |
44.46 |
174 |
41 |
121 |
8 |
|
67 |
Tulsa, OK |
44.39 |
145 |
50 |
110 |
18 |
|
68 |
Spokane, WA |
44.28 |
138 |
123 |
23 |
57 |
|
69 |
Jacksonville, FL |
43.87 |
137 |
38 |
89 |
59 |
|
70 |
Fort Wayne, IN |
43.76 |
126 |
61 |
56 |
67 |
|
71 |
Winston-Salem, NC |
43.75 |
108 |
78 |
33 |
112 |
|
72 |
Tacoma, WA |
43.72 |
72 |
133 |
25 |
76 |
|
73 |
Louisville, KY |
43.59 |
22 |
53 |
158 |
48 |
|
74 |
Denver, CO |
43.44 |
5 |
139 |
105 |
98 |
|
75 |
Bakersfield, CA |
43.35 |
119 |
51 |
59 |
103 |
|
76 |
Laredo, TX |
43.35 |
181 |
64 |
37 |
50 |
|
77 |
Fort Worth, TX |
43.33 |
94 |
96 |
64 |
63 |
|
78 |
Worcester, MA |
43.29 |
53 |
151 |
16 |
126 |
|
79 |
Ontario, CA |
43.27 |
150 |
66 |
27 |
122 |
|
80 |
Salem, OR |
43.18 |
101 |
127 |
76 |
38 |
|
81 |
Glendale, AZ |
43.06 |
125 |
46 |
72 |
96 |
|
82 |
Garland, TX |
42.98 |
97 |
88 |
69 |
68 |
|
83 |
Albuquerque, NM |
42.87 |
93 |
75 |
75 |
81 |
|
84 |
Nashville, TN |
42.70 |
20 |
91 |
126 |
87 |
|
85 |
Reno, NV |
42.60 |
154 |
146 |
43 |
43 |
|
86 |
Arlington, TX |
42.58 |
87 |
89 |
98 |
61 |
|
87 |
Kansas City, MO |
42.58 |
91 |
83 |
150 |
15 |
|
88 |
Portland, OR |
42.55 |
12 |
134 |
78 |
134 |
|
89 |
Stockton, CA |
42.50 |
98 |
92 |
54 |
108 |
|
90 |
Greensboro, NC |
42.46 |
88 |
82 |
79 |
89 |
|
91 |
Aurora, CO |
42.36 |
41 |
93 |
77 |
101 |
|
92 |
Las Cruces, NM |
42.22 |
168 |
29 |
95 |
111 |
|
93 |
Riverside, CA |
42.19 |
146 |
69 |
52 |
104 |
|
94 |
Amarillo, TX |
41.76 |
159 |
86 |
113 |
35 |
|
95 |
Oakland, CA |
41.53 |
13 |
153 |
45 |
151 |
|
96 |
Santa Clarita, CA |
41.36 |
31 |
76 |
66 |
170 |
|
97 |
Sacramento, CA |
41.26 |
90 |
100 |
37 |
154 |
|
98 |
Grand Prairie, TX |
41.18 |
144 |
126 |
57 |
64 |
|
99 |
Lubbock, TX |
40.99 |
164 |
59 |
141 |
39 |
|
100 |
Glendale, CA |
40.99 |
26 |
84 |
80 |
164 |
|
101 |
Pittsburgh, PA |
40.97 |
79 |
58 |
146 |
82 |
|
102 |
Fontana, CA |
40.84 |
167 |
106 |
44 |
99 |
|
103 |
Fort Lauderdale, FL |
40.69 |
35 |
74 |
148 |
94 |
|
104 |
Wichita, KS |
40.68 |
151 |
57 |
151 |
52 |
|
105 |
Providence, RI |
40.66 |
82 |
85 |
93 |
136 |
|
106 |
Garden Grove, CA |
40.43 |
128 |
99 |
36 |
159 |
|
107 |
Colorado Springs, CO |
40.13 |
157 |
104 |
71 |
109 |
|
108 |
Mesa, AZ |
40.07 |
129 |
90 |
99 |
118 |
|
109 |
Tampa, FL |
39.92 |
106 |
115 |
88 |
120 |
|
110 |
Casper, WY |
39.82 |
122 |
135 |
145 |
33 |
|
111 |
West Valley City, UT |
39.82 |
182 |
118 |
26 |
90 |
|
112 |
Oceanside, CA |
39.65 |
58 |
113 |
109 |
143 |
|
113 |
Orlando, FL |
39.63 |
178 |
65 |
92 |
93 |
|
114 |
Cape Coral, FL |
39.42 |
81 |
87 |
142 |
107 |
|
115 |
Oxnard, CA |
39.35 |
140 |
141 |
63 |
138 |
|
116 |
Tallahassee, FL |
39.27 |
180 |
60 |
123 |
80 |
|
117 |
Durham, NC |
39.24 |
116 |
161 |
58 |
123 |
|
118 |
Charlotte, NC |
39.21 |
25 |
147 |
111 |
155 |
|
119 |
Santa Ana, CA |
39.11 |
169 |
108 |
60 |
137 |
|
120 |
Honolulu, HI |
38.88 |
83 |
103 |
84 |
173 |
|
121 |
Boston, MA |
38.79 |
18 |
124 |
153 |
150 |
|
122 |
Port St. Lucie, FL |
38.78 |
158 |
119 |
143 |
55 |
|
123 |
Tempe, AZ |
38.71 |
170 |
107 |
86 |
128 |
|
124 |
Yonkers, NY |
38.61 |
11 |
98 |
136 |
172 |
|
125 |
Nampa, ID |
38.61 |
141 |
102 |
124 |
124 |
|
126 |
Des Moines, IA |
38.37 |
136 |
81 |
154 |
91 |
|
127 |
Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
38.36 |
100 |
130 |
106 |
142 |
|
128 |
Peoria, AZ |
38.34 |
63 |
114 |
133 |
139 |
|
129 |
Huntsville, AL |
38.33 |
175 |
138 |
147 |
30 |
|
130 |
Santa Rosa, CA |
38.29 |
54 |
145 |
118 |
148 |
|
131 |
St. Paul, MN |
38.28 |
74 |
140 |
132 |
106 |
|
132 |
Manchester, NH |
38.20 |
111 |
157 |
120 |
84 |
|
133 |
Lewiston, ME |
38.06 |
143 |
94 |
167 |
27 |
|
134 |
Irving, TX |
37.84 |
162 |
149 |
116 |
79 |
|
135 |
Austin, TX |
37.72 |
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Content may be edited for style and length. References/Sources/Materials provided by: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2022/concerned-future-inflation https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress https://wallethub.com/edu/most-least-stressed-cities/22759 |
