2018’s Most & Least Stressed States

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.

1. What tips do you have for fighting stress without spending money?
2. What steps can people take to reduce stressing over finances?
3. Should insurance companies cover treatments that help reduce stress?
4. 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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