Map Shows the Most and Least Stressed US States

The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and yet, according to recent Gallup polls, it is also one of the most stressed.

More than a quarter of U.S. adults report feeling too stressed to function most days, according to a poll conducted by the American Psychological Association in 2022. However, people in some states are significantly more stressed than others. So which states top the list?

Chronic high levels of stress can have negative repercussions for both our mental and physical well-being, including anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, asthma and diabetes. Stress can also lead to chronic fatigue, obesity, digestive problems and immune system disorders.

Clearly, stress is a public health concern. To determine who is most at risk, researchers from the wellness brand Komowa Wellness compared all 50 states across 16 key indicators of stress. These include hours worked, commute times, credit card debt, income, utility costs, divorce rates, child care costs, health care costs, physical health and mental health.

"Stress can be caused by many different factors, whether your job is causing you to work too many hours or you have financial issues that are causing you to worry," Rogelio Berrelleza, operations manager at Komowa Wellness, said in a statement.

Read more: How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt in 2024

Data was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Energy Information Administration and Energy.gov.

After scoring each state according to the 16 indicators, the researchers were able to rank the most stressed-out states in the U.S. These were:

1. Tennessee
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma
4. Louisiana
5. Nevada

The least stressed-out states were:

1. North Dakota
2. Utah
3. Iowa
4. Nebraska
5. Minnesota

Regardless of where you live, what can you do to minimize your stress level?

"The first step to minimizing your stress is to identify the cause," Berrelleza said. "When you have identified the cause, you can then work on solving the problem. Whether you need to change your situation, do more exercise, tell people your problems, or simply have more 'Me Time.'

"Unfortunately, some things are out of your control and you can't change them, such as losing a job. In these circumstances focus on the aspects that you can control, like looking for a new one."

Is there a health problem that's worrying you? Do you have a question about stress? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

Update 3/12/24, 6:08 a.m. ET: An interactive map has been added to this article.