Most And Least Stressed States 2017: How Your Environment, Poverty, Affect Stress Levels
It’s not news that Americans are stressed, but you might not be as stressed as you think. According to the American Psychological Association, in August 2016, Americans reported the lowest stress levels in the past 10 years. The organization’s findings show that most people are concerned about money, the economy and work. A new study by WalletHub shows how your environment can impact stress levels with its list of least and most stressed states.
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The most stressed state in the country is Alabama followed by Louisiana, Mississippi, West Virginia and Kentucky. The least stressed state in the nation? Minnesota. The list ranks states, plus the District of Columbia, for 51 total slots.
It may come as a surprise to hear that the number of hours worked per week didn’t seem to correlate with stress levels. WalletHub found that Alaska worked the most hours per week, with North Dakota and Wyoming tied for second place. However, Alaska ranked 12th for most stressed state while North Dakota ranked 50 and Wyoming came in at 38.
Also surprising is that the availability of affordable housing might not have a huge impact on stress. Hawaii has the least affordable housing but came in as the 36th most stressed state. District of Columbia had the second least affordable housing, but was number 18 for the stressed list.
Not surprising is that poverty is linked to increased anxiety levels. Mississippi, which is the third most stressed state, comes in at number one for the state with the highest percent of the population living below the poverty line. New Mexico has the second highest number of people living below poverty and is the sixth most stressed state.
The American Psychological Association’s annual survey indicated that even though stress levels haven’t increased, many Americans are still having difficulty dealing with their worries. About half said they could use more emotional support and one fourth reported wanting to have better coping mechanisms.
To find out how stressed your state is, visit WalletHub for the full report.
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