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Is life really a beach on the coast? How Florida, New Jersey and California are the most stressed-out states in the U.S.

  • The most relaxed lifestyles are in the Midwest, finds new study
  • States were ranked on a combination of factors including unemployment rates, long commutes and housing prices

By
Annabel Fenwick Elliott


Published:

11:03 EST, 9 June 2014

|
Updated:

11:03 EST, 9 June 2014

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Florida, the home of white beaches, oranges and Disneyland, is actually the most stressed-out state in the U.S., according to a new study.

Movoto.com compiled the rankings based on a number of lifestyle stressors, and rated Florida and its neighboring Georgia, which came in second, highest on the stress-out meter, both for having high unemployment rates and high numbers of people risking it without health insurance, among other factors.

New Jersey came in third and New York came in seventh, both for being particularly overcrowded, with inhabitants facing long commutes, and ‘stupid-expensive property tax’, while oil-rich North Dakota, and agricultural hubs Iowa and South Dakota, appear to have it easiest across the board, finds the study.

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Life’s no beach: Geographically speaking, it appears that states dotted around the coast experience some of the highest stress-out factors, while Midwestern regions have a much easier time of it (pictured)

Six stress-inducing factors were compiled to into a final ‘Big Deal Score’ for each of the 48 states analyzed; unemployment rates, hours worked, population density, percentage of income spent on housing, percentage of population with long commutes the number of people without health insurance.

In at number four on the scale was California, another state where even its exceptionally good weather doesn’t make up for its stress factors. Although Californians work some of the shortest hours nationwide, the unemployment rate is the fifth highest, housing costs swallow up a high percentage of people’s budget, plenty don’t have health insurance, and the commute time is up there as being the ninth worst in the U.S – Maryland taking the top spot on that factor.

Nevada was ranked the fifth most stressful state to live in, with the second highest unemployment rate in the country, beaten only by Michigan, and the second highest number of people without health insurance, narrowly beaten by Texas on that front. On the bright side, the population density is low, so at least Nevadans have space to stretch out as they contemplate their stressful existences.

Results: Florida (left) was ranked highest on the stress-o-meter for factors including its high unemployment rates and high numbers of people risking it without health insurance, while North Dakotans enjoy plenty of space, short commutes and cheap housing (right)

Illinois came in at number six on the scale, with more than 61per cent of its population faced with soul-destroyingly long commutes every day, as well as expensive housing.

North Carolina scored ninth, with a high number of people per square mile, but with housing costs below average. Similarly, working hours are long but commutes aren’t too bad, followed by Arizona at number ten, with very similar attributes.

Bang in the middle of the road in terms of stress-out factors, are Louisiana, Delaware and Ohio, and hanging loose as some of the least stressed states after North Dakota, Iowa and South Dakota, are Minnesota, Nebraska, Vermont, Wyoming and Montana.

Nightmare: Maryland (pictured) scored highly on the stress scale for being overcrowded, with the longest commute times in the whole country

The three hardest working states in terms of long hours are Wyoming, Louisiana and North Dakota respectively; all notably low on their overall stress-out scores, however. States with the shortest working hours are Utah, Oregon and Rhode Island.

Unemployment is highest of all in Michigan, Nevada and the aforementioned Florida, and lowest in North Dakota, followed by South Dakota and Wyoming.

And more people have health insurance in Massachusetts, Vermont and Minnesota than in any other states, but Texans, Nevadans and Floridians have the lowest numbers respectively. 

All rankings were compiled using data from the most recent U.S. Census’ American Community Survey, from 2008-2012.

TOP TEN MOST STRESSED STATES

  1. Florida

  2. Georgia

  3. New Jersey

  4. California

  5. Nevada

  6. Illinois

  7. New York

  8. Maryland

  9. North Carolina

  10. Arizona 

TOP TEN LEAST STRESSED STATES

  1. North Dakota

  2. Iowa

  3. South Dakota

  4. Minnesota

  5. Nebraska

  6. Vermont

  7. Wyoming

  8. Montana

  9. Maine

  10. Utah

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Comments (25)

what you think

The comments below have not been moderated.

Eiffle Tower,

Central Florida, United States,

6 minutes ago

DM, Disneyland is in California, we have Disney World

Steve,

Nampa,

44 minutes ago

Utah makes the top ten of least stressed states. Must be all the anti depression drugs they take. The highest level of any state in the country.

Labyrinth,

Hot Springs National Park, United States,

50 minutes ago

Commute times, cost of living, and too many people were the major factors that caused me to give up a higher paying job and move back to my hometown. I make less, but I have far less headaches. I don’t think it’s so individual states so much; it’s large metropolitan areas that I never want to live in again. Smaller towns are just better places to live as you get older and priorities change.

AeroJack7,

Highland California, United States,

40 minutes ago

I have lived in Detroit, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore and a few other cities for short stints. Also have lived in small town America….Whidbey Island, Washington was the best 7 years of my life. For this guy, the smaller the town, the tighter the community. And you have room to breathe. Currently live outside San Bernardino, California. Many deride the area…I really like it. Big house, swimming pool, beautiful views, great weather…all on the cheap.

Scottydoesntknow,

London, Ireland,

1 hour ago

They had to find a reason to make it where all the top states aren’t blue states. You will find that the amount of dissatisfaction felt by a certain populous is directly proportional to the amount of Democrats in that group.

Belle,

Beautiful America, United States,

1 hour ago

Wow. I thought all of the states were at maximum stress level at this moment, with our incompetent WH and such….

priscilla,

London, United Kingdom,

1 hour ago

Ridiculous. Arizonan’s are stressed when it’s rush hour and it’s 115° outside. Other than that they are laid back drinking margaritas by the pool.

deedee,

Springfield, United States,

1 hour ago

Less stress in places where the gap between the haves and have-nots is smaller. Middle classes in the midwest can expect decent pay for their hard work and reasonable living costs.

Completely Average,

Somewhere, United States,

1 hour ago

Texas would be a lot less stressed if we didn’t have 4 million liberal Californians fleeing to our state looking to take our jobs and then trying to elect their own proven failures liberal politicians to replace our extremely effective conservative government. ———————- What they do is leave the cesspool of California, and then come here and try to turn Texas into the same cesspool they just left. We Texans would much prefer they stay in California which already has the political and economic system that they love so much.

Liz CatWrangler,

Zebulon, United States,

36 minutes ago

The only thing keeping that dump of a state running is oil.

Molly,

Rky Mt High, United States,

35 minutes ago

They did the same thing to Colorado! Stay in California…you ruined it, you get to live there!

Britinsac,

Roseville,

1 hour ago

The State of California causes all the stress for the workers here. By taxing us and regulating and passing stupid laws that extract money to pay for all those on benefit. I hate it here and cannot wait to get out.

Completely Average,

Somewhere, United States,

1 hour ago

Don’t come to Texas. We’ve had enough of you liberals coming here and trying to make our state just like California.

AeroJack7,

Highland California, United States,

33 minutes ago

California is most stressful to me during voting season. Some of the most ignorant and selfish voters in America. “Ask not what you can do for your country, but what working tax payers can do for you”. Total welfare state.

Mike2000,

Washington D.C., United States,

1 hour ago

Interestingly, the most stressed states tend to have the most wealth or areas with very high concentrations of wealth.

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