Sure, we've got things that stress us out here in the Land of Lincoln, but it would appear some other states have it worse.

Thinking about some of the current difficulties facing our state of Illinois (highest tax rates, crime, gridlock, leading the nation in people leaving a state, etc.), I assumed that we'd be leaning toward the higher-stressed states. However, when you look at the numbers, we here in the Midwest have a pretty good handle on things.

Personal-finance site WalletHub just released their study of "2018’s Most & Least Stressed States." Here's what their numbers-crunchers looked at to determine the stress level of each state and the District of Columbia:

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 38 key indicators of stress to determine the places to avoid and achieve a more relaxing life. Our data set ranges from average hours worked per week to personal bankruptcy rate to share of adults getting adequate sleep.

Let's first take a look at the top 5 most stressed-out places in the U.S.:

1) Louisiana

2) New Mexico

3) West Virginia

4) Mississippi

5) Nevada

 

Now, the top 5 spots where calm and cool heads prevail:

47) South Dakota

48) Iowa

49) Utah

50) North Dakota

51) Minnesota

As for Illinois, we're about half stressed-out. Illinois sits in the #28 spot. Here's a breakdown:

Stress Levels in Illinois (1=Most Stressed, 25=Avg.):

  • 30th – Avg. Hours Worked per Week
  • 35th – Share of Adults Getting Adequate Sleep
  • 20th ­– % of Adults in Fair/Poor Health
  • 7th – Job Security
  • 26th – Median Credit Score
  • 31st – Housing Affordability
  • 27th – % of Population Living Below Poverty Line
  • 42nd – Divorce Rate
  • 30th – Crime Rate per Capita
  • 29th – Psychologists per Capita

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