We all deal with a fair amount of stress on a daily basis, from paying the bills and relationships to career demands... even rush hour traffic.
On top of all that, a recent article by the American Psychological Association indicates that 83% of Americans are extra stressed out by the impacts of inflation. How we deal with stress is obviously an important element of happiness and life satisfaction.
Well, it appears Minnesotans are coping better than most, if a new report from personal finance website WalletHub is on target. The Gopher state actually graded out as America's least-stressed state on WalletHub's 2023 list, which compared all 50 states across 41 key indicators of stress to determine the places to both seek out and avoid to achieve a more relaxing life. Unlike most studies, in this one a lower score is actually better, stress-wise.
Researchers compiled data in a number of areas ranging from average hours worked to personal bankruptcy and percentage of adults getting adequate sleep. Here's how Minnesota stacked up.
Stress Levels in Minnesota (1=Most Stressed, 25=Avg.):
- 40th – Avg. Hours Worked per Week
- 49th – Share of Adults Getting Adequate Sleep
- 46th – % of Adults in Fair/Poor Health
- 24th – Job Security
- 50th – Median Credit Score
- 33rd – Housing Affordability
- 47th – % of Population Living in Poverty
- 45th – Divorce Rate
- 28th – Crime Rate per Capita
- 41st – Psychologists per Capita
Our neighboring midwestern states scored well on the low stress-meter as well, with South Dakota ranking 47th, Iowa 45th, North Dakota 42nd and Wisconsin 35th.
The states with the highest stress levels include Nevada, West Virginia, New Mexico and Louisiana, with Mississippi claiming the crown as most-stressed state.
For more on the study, expert perspective on the impacts of stress and advice on how to turn down the temperature of your life, check out the WalletHub website.
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