South Dakota Shines As One Of America’s Least Stressful States

If you've ever felt like we don't experience stress at the same levels in South Dakota as other places across the United States, you're not wrong.

A new study says it's one of the least stressful states in America.

Methodology

Legacy Healing Center ranked stress levels across all 50 states using 31 factors grouped into four main categories, each accounting for 25% of the total score:

• Work-related stress included hours worked, unemployment, underemployment, leisure time, and multiple jobholders.
• Money-related stress considered income-to-cost of living, debt, credit scores, bankruptcy, financial anxiety, poverty, and late rent or mortgage payments.
• Family-related stress captured divorce rates, single-parent households, struggles with children’s medical bills, lack of parental emotional support, and parents leaving work for childcare.
• Health and Safety-related stress encompassed overall health, depression, suicide, skipped medical care, insurance costs, access to psychologists, physical activity, sleep quality, bullying, infrastructure quality, and self-reported unhealthy days.

The Results?

Trailing only New Hampshire as the least stressed state in America, the Mount Rushmore State was second overall in the least amount of work and money stress, seventh best in family stress, and ninth best in health and safety stress.

Good Company

Four of South Dakota's neighboring states were also among the most chill: North Dakota (3rd best), Minnesota (5th best), Iowa (9th best), and Nebraska (10th best)..

Least Stressed States

1. New Hampshire
2. South Dakota
3. North Dakota
4. Vermont
5. Minnesota
6. Hawaii
7. Wisconsin
8. Massachusetts
9. Iowa
10. Nebraska

READ MORE: Check Out These Hilariously Named Streets In The Midwest

As for the states most on edge, Louisiana was number one overall and in work stress. Alabama topped the states in most money stress. Nevada is home to the most family stress. West Virginia is at the top of health and safety stress.

Most Stressed States

1. Louisiana
2. Mississippi
3. Alabama
4. Kentucky
5. West Virginia
6. Nevada
7. Arkansas
8. Oklahoma
9. Texas
10. Tennessee

The American Psychological Association's 2024 report highlights that 77% of adults consider the future of the nation a significant source of stress, surpassing concerns about money, work, and health.

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