iStockphoto
Stress is something that affects everyone. Even the most easygoing of us has moments in life where anxiety creeps in and the pressure creeps up.
More often than not stress is caused by one of eight things: money, health, family, friends, relationships, jobs, crime and the economy. (Or in the case of people who live in Philadelphia, the 76ers.)
Speaking of cities where people are stressed out, a recent study conducted by personal finance company WalletHub compared more than 180 cities (the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state) across 39 key metrics to determine where the most and least stressed people in America live.
“Some stress is out of our control, due to issues with family, friends or employers,” said Cassandra Happe, 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. When moving, it’s important to consider how a certain city may impact your mental health – not just your financial opportunities.”
What they discovered as a result of their study is that Cleveland is the most stressed city in the United States of America.
Cleveland is the most stressed city in the U.S., due in part to the fact that it has one of the lowest median household incomes in the country after adjusting for the cost of living, at under $41,000. Low wages contribute to Cleveland also having the fourth-highest share of households that fell behind on bills in the last 12 months, the second-highest foreclosure rate, and the second-highest poverty rate.
It’s not just financial issues that stress out Cleveland residents, though. The city also has the second-highest separation and divorce rate in the country, at nearly 41%, along with the 19th-highest percentage of single-parent households.
Cleveland is also stressful when it comes to health and safety. Over 20% of adults have 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month, and 43% of adults sleep less than seven hours per night. On top of that, Cleveland has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country.
The second-most stressed citizens in America, according to the study, live in Detroit.
Having the highest unemployment rate in America, at 8.2%, certainly causes a lot of anxiety, as does the fact that Detroit has the lowest median household income after adjusting for the cost of living, the highest poverty rate, and the highest separation and divorce rate.
Baltimore is the third-most stressed city. There the average annual rent for a two-bedroom apartment is nearly 40% of the median household income. Having one of the highest violent crime rates in the country also doesn’t help calm residents nerves.
Rounding out the top 10 most stressed cities in America are Memphis, Gulfport (MS), Philadelphia (those dang Sixers!), Birmingham (AL), Akron (OH), New Orleans (LA), and Jackson (MS).
Also, out of the 182 cities that were evaluated, the top 10 least stressed places to live in America were Fremont (CA), South Burlington (VT), Fargo (ND), Lincoln (NE), Bismarck (ND), Sioux Falls (SD), Boise, Nashua (NH), Portland (ME) and Overland Park (KS).
View the full results and the methodology of Wallethub’s study on the most and least stressed cities in America here.