Health

Most and least stressed states in America

Written by:
Andrew Lisa
October 24, 2018
f11photo // Shutterstock

Most and least stressed states in America

According to the Mayo Clinic, stress can affect your body, mind, and behavior. Left unchecked, stress can reduce productivity, cause insomnia, lower your sex drive, increase fatigue, contribute to drug, alcohol or tobacco use, and even lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood, pressure, or heart disease.

In short, stress is a killer—and where you live can have a lot to do with how much stress you endure. Using data from Wallethub, Stacker ranked all 50 states and Washington D.C., from the least-stressed to the most. The rankings are based on four broad dimensions: work-related stress, money-related stress, family-related stress, and health-related stress. Using 38 weighted metrics, each dimension was given a score out of 100, with 100 being the highest stress level. A weighted average across all metrics was used to calculate a state's overall score. States were then ranked from least to most stressed.

Feel free to learn more about the full methodology with all the metrics, or just read on to find out where your state ranks. Either way, take a load off, indulge in some "you time" and find a way to decompress—your health and well-being will thank you.

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#51. Minnesota

Total Score: 25.68

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 42

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:51

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 49

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 51

#50. North Dakota

Total Score: 26.85

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 38

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:50

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 51

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 47

#49. Utah

Total Score: 29.77

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 51

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:37

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 50

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 41

#48. Iowa

Total Score: 30.89

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 36

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:46

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 47

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 49

#47. South Dakota

Total Score: 31.98

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 39

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:45

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 41

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 48

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#46. Wisconsin

Total Score: 33.66

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 43

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:44

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 43

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 36

#45. Colorado

Total Score: 34.17

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 48

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:34

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 34

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 43

#44. Massachusetts

Total Score: 34.62

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 47

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:42

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 31

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 44

#43. Hawaii

Total Score: 34.74

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 44

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:26

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 44

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 45

#42. Nebraska

Total Score: 35.60

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 30

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:41

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 40

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 39

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#41. New Hampshire

Total Score: 35.82

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 33

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:47

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 33

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 31

#40. Kansas

Total Score: 36.50

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 19

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:38

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 45

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 37

#39. Montana

Total Score: 36.66

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 40

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:32

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 42

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 30

#38. Connecticut

Total Score: 37.93

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 14

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:36

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 38

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 40

#37. Maryland

Total Score: 38.02

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 18

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:39

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 22

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 46

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#36. Vermont

Total Score: 38.63

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 22

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:10

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 48

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 42

#35. Maine

Total Score: 38.71

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 46

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:25

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 39

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 17

#34. Idaho

Total Score: 38.83

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 49

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:12

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 36

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 28

#33. Virginia

Total Score: 39.29

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 16

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:40

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 30

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 35

#32. Washington

Total Score: 39.57

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 34

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:33

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 25

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 25

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#31. New Jersey

Total Score: 40.68

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 6

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:43

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 35

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 26

#30. Wyoming

Total Score: 40.75

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 2

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:48

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 46

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 27

#29. Oregon

Total Score: 41.33

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 50

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:9

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 23

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 22

#28. Illinois

Total Score: 42.24

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 11

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:27

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 28

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 38

#27. Pennsylvania

Total Score: 42.35

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 13

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:31

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 27

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 24

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#26. New York

Total Score: 42.54

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 15

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:23

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 21

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 34

#25. California

Total Score: 42.62

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 21

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:14

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 29

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 33

#24. Rhode Island

Total Score: 42.76

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 45

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:13

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 10

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 29

#23. Missouri

Total Score: 43.15

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 35

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:20

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 32

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 12

#22. Delaware

Total Score: 43.37

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 7

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:29

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 20

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 32

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#21. Michigan

Total Score: 43.76

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 32

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:30

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 19

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 11

#20. North Carolina

Total Score: 44.08

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 27

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:21

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 14

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 21

#19. Ohio

Total Score: 44.10

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 23

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:24

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 17

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 18

#18. Texas

Total Score: 44.46

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 12

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:35

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 7

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 23

#17. Indiana

Total Score: 45.22

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 31

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:17

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 9

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 16

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#16. Florida

Total Score: 45.34

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 37

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:22

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 6

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 20

#15. South Carolina

Total Score: 46.16

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 28

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:16

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 16

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 10

#14. Alaska

Total Score: 46.58

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 1

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:49

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 37

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 15

#13. District of Columbia

Total Score: 46.64

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 3

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:28

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 4

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 50

#12. Georgia

Total Score: 46.67

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 24

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:11

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 12

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 14

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#11. Arizona

Total Score: 48.22

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 17

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:18

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 3

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 19

#10. Tennessee

Total Score: 48.37

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 41

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:7

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 13

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 9

#9. Kentucky

Total Score: 49.07

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 26

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:8

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 18

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 4

#8. Alabama

Total Score: 50.26

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 20

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:6

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 26

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 6

#7. Oklahoma

Total Score: 51.10

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 9

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:15

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 11

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 5

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#6. Arkansas

Total Score: 52.16

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 25

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:4

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 24

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 2

#5. Nevada

Total Score: 52.69

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 29

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:19

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 1

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 8

#4. Mississippi

Total Score: 56.44

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 10

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:1

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 5

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 7

#3. West Virginia

Total Score: 57.06

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 8

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:2

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 15

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 1

#2. New Mexico

Total Score: 57.22

'Work-Related Stress' Rank: 5

'Money-Related Stress' Rank:5

'Family-Related Stress' Rank: 2

'Health- & Safety-Related Stress' Rank: 13

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#1. Louisiana

Total Score: 57.26

‘Work-Related Stress’ Rank: 4

‘Money-Related Stress’ Rank:3

‘Family-Related Stress’ Rank: 8

‘Health- & Safety-Related Stress’ Rank: 3

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