Study: Minnesota is ranked least stressed state

DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) - A study determined Minnesota to be the least stressed state in the U.S.

According to WalletHub, 83% of adults are stressed out due to inflation.

With April being Stress Awareness Month, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 41 key metrics to determine stress levels.

Analysts looked at four main areas and evaluated them using the 41 relevant metrics, each given a corresponding weight.

Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale.

A score of 100 represents the highest level of stress.

Minnesota ranked 50th out of all 50 states, making it the least stressed state in the U.S.

In the four main categories, the state ranked:

• 44th: Work-Related Stress
• 50th: Money-Related Stress
• 47th: Family-Related Stress
• 43rd: Health & Safety-Related Stress

Minnesota finished with a total score of 30.42 points.

The top five most stressed states were:

1. Mississippi: 58.80 points
2. Louisiana: 58.32 points
3. New Mexico: 58.24 points
4. West Virginia: 57.58 points
5. Nevada: 57.17 points

The state’s weighted average across all metrics was determined to calculate its overall score.

Work-Related Stress – Total Points: 25

• Average Hours Worked per Week: Double Weight (~5.26 Points)
• Average Commute Time: Half Weight (~1.32 Points)
• Average Leisure Time Spent per Day: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Job Security: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~5.26 Points)
• Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Income Growth Rate (2021 vs. 2020): Double Weight (~5.26 Points)

Money-Related Stress – Total Points: 25

• Median Income: Double Weight (~3.57 Points) - Adjusted for cost of living.
• Debt per Median Earnings: Full Weight (~1.79 Points)
• Median Credit Score: Full Weight (~1.79 Points)
• Personal Bankruptcy Rate: Double Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Adults with Financial Anxiety: Double Weight (~3.57 Points) - Measures the percentage of adults who agree that thinking about their personal finances makes them feel anxious.
• Economic Security Score: Full Weight (~1.79 Points) - Based on Sharecare’s “Community Well-Being Index”, particularly the “Economic Security” element, defined as “community members who are employed, insured, and otherwise stable financially.”
• Share of People Unable to Save for Children’s College: Full Weight (~1.79 Points)
• Share of Adults Paying Only Minimum on Credit Card(s): Full Weight (~1.79 Points)
• Share of Population Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~1.79 Points)
• Housing Affordability: Double Weight (~3.57 Points) - This metric was calculated as follows: Housing Costs (accounts for both rental and sale prices) / Median Annual Household Income.

Family-Related Stress – Total Points: 25

• Separation and Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
• Share of Single Parents: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
• Cost of Childcare: Triple Weight (~8.33 Points) - Adjusted for median household income.
• “Parental-Leave Policy” Score: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
• Parental Stress: Full Weight (~2.78 Points) - This composite metric considers the percentage of parents who felt angry with their child, felt the child does things to bother them or felt the child is difficult to care for.
• Share of Parents Without Emotional Support: Full Weight (~2.78 Points) - Measures the percentage of parents who do not have someone they can turn to for day-to-day emotional support with parenting or raising children.
• Share of Parents Who Changed /Quit Jobs Due to Problems with Child Care: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)

Health & Safety-Related Stress – Total Points: 25

• Percentage of Residents 5+ Who Are Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19: Quadruple Weight (~4.26 Points)
• Share of Adults in Fair or Poor Health: Double Weight (~2.13 Points)
• Share of Adults Diagnosed with Depression: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
• Mental Health: Double Weight (~2.13 Points)
• Suicide Rate: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
• Unaffordability of Doctor Visits: Full Weight (~1.06 Points) - Measures percentage of adults aged 18 and older who reported not seeing a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost.
• Share of Parents Frustrated in Efforts to Get Health Services for Their Child: Full Weight (~1.06 Points) - Measures the share of parents frustrated in their efforts to get health services for their child in the past 12 months.
• Increase in Annual Health Insurance Premiums: Double Weight (~2.13 Points)
• Share of Insured Population: Double Weight (~2.13 Points) - “Population” includes noninstitutionalized civilians aged 16 and older.
• Psychologists per Capita: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
• Physical Activity Rate: Half Weight (~0.53 Points)
• Share of Adults Getting Adequate Sleep: Full Weight (~1.06 Points) - Measures percentage of adults aged 18 and older who reported getting seven or more hours of sleep per 24-hour period.
• Bullying Incidents Rate: Full Weight (~1.06 Points) - Measures both the percentage of high school students who were bullied on school property and the percentage of high school students who were bullied electronically/online.
• Crime Rate per Capita: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
• Hate-Crime Incidents per Capita: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
• Well-Being Index: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)
• Quality of Infrastructure: Full Weight (~1.06 Points)

You can find the report’s full findings here.

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