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10 Most Stressed-Out States — How Money and Work Play Key Factors

November 2, 2023

3 min Read

Written by David Nadelle

Edited by Nicholas Morine

Jackson, Mississippi, USA skyline over the Capitol Building.

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

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According to its recent “Stress in America 2023” study, the American Psychological Association (APA) found that the U.S. is suffering “collective trauma” from the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, causing many Americans to endure post-traumatic stress as well as mental and physical anguish.

But where in America are the most stressed-out people found? For that, WalletHub compared all 50 states using 41 weighted metrics in order to determine which ones were home to the most and least stressed.

Using four primary stresses — work related, money related, family related and health and safety related — WalletHub found that the most stressed state in the nation is Mississippi.

While landing in the top five for states with the least affordable housing, New York and California didn’t crack the top 10 stressed-out states. In fact, they ranked 20th and 22nd, respectively. Rounding out the top five most stressed states were Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia and Nevada.

Why Are Americans Stressed Out?

While workplace stress can be a fulfilling and challenging thing at times, sustained work stress can have a severe impact on workers and, according to Spill, “has become more common recently due to financial uncertainty (from an increase in the cost of living) and remote working (which has made communication and engagement at work more difficult for many people).”

‍In the APA study, global unrest, racial tension and climate-related disasters were having a significant impact on Americans, as were inflation and financial concerns. In a recent “Mind Over Money” survey conducted by Capital One and The Decision Lab, more than three-quarters (77%) of respondents said they felt anxious about their financial situation and about their future — specifically about not having enough money to retire, keeping up with the cost of living and managing debt levels.

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The 10 Most Stressed Out States in the U.S.

As CNBC pointed out, despite having the lowest cost of living in the U.S., Mississippi has a number of other metrics that are hurting its residents’ mental health. The Magnolia State’s workforce is one of the least educated, least productive and ranks among the worst for worker migration.

Here are the 10 states deemed the most stressed-out, with their stress category rankings, according to WalletHub study data: