America’s Most Stressed and Relaxed Cities
According to a recent study by the American Psychological Association, one in four Americans reports being highly stressed. The most-often cited sources of that stress are money -- not enough -- and work -- too much. A full two-thirds of Americans are stressed about money and nearly as many, 65%, are stressed about work. In its 2015 study, the APA noted that family responsibilities rose to third place (57%), with personal health concerns (51%), family health problems (50%), and the economy (50%) rounding out the top five.
The younger you are, the more stress you feel. Millennials' average stress level is 6 (on a 10-point scale) compared with 5.8 for GenXers, 4.3 for boomers, and 3.5 for matures. Urban dwellers feel more stress (5.6) than suburban adults (5.9) or rural dwellers (4.7).
ALSO READ: As Powerball Lottery Hits $151 Million, 12 Things Not to Do If You Win
Researchers at the National Association of Realtors' realtor.com website compiled a list of 11 metrics that indicate stress levels and, using their list, ranked the 10 most stressed cities and the 10 most relaxed cities. Among the items on the list, housing affordability, commute times, and percentage of people who say their health is "fair" or "poor."
The 10 most stressed cities and their median home prices are:
Los Angeles, California: $673,000
Riverside, California: $350,000
Miami, Florida: $349,000
Anchorage, Alaska: $315,000
New York City, New York: $422,000
Houston, Texas: $315,000
New Orleans, Louisiana: $250,000
Lafayette, Louisiana: $218,000
Phoenix, Arizona: $300,000
Sacramento, California: $427,000
The 10 most relaxed cities and their median home prices are:
Fargo, North Dakota: $253,000
Burlington, Vermont: $296,000
Madison, Wisconsin: $275,000
Bismarck, North Dakota: $275,000
Sioux Falls, South Dakota: $220,000
Portland, Maine: $329,000
St. Cloud, Minnesota: $192,000
Cedar Rapids, Iowa: $175,000
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: $191,000
Duluth, Minnesota: $170,000
Related Articles