Life

The Most Stressed Out State Is...

by Savannah O'Leary
Joe Raedle/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Considering the plethora of Disneyland enthusiasts, retired folk and Miami-bound bitties, the recent announcement that Florida is the most stressed-out state in America seems an unlikely one. Though the statistics responsible for this reputation might not affect tourists of the sunshine state, born-and-raised Floridians are all-too-familiar with unemployment and a lack of health insurance.

Movoto.com recently came to this conclusion based on data surveys of national unemployment rates, work hours, population density, income spent on housing, percentage of population with long commutes, and the number of people without health insurance. They concluded that Florida suffered the most in all of these categories, followed by Georgia, New Jersey— and an unlikely fourth, California. Georgians worked the most hours on average among residents from any other state, while New Jersey was infamous for overcrowding, expensive real estate, and long commutes (predictably). Meanwhile, unaffordable housing contributed to California’s unfortunate ranking.

North Dakota enjoys the award for the least stressed-out state, a likely consequence of its rich oil industry. The state had especially impressive unemployment rates.

It is certainly ironic that some of the sunniest states are the most unhappy ones. I will have to remember these statistics next time someone harps on the harsh winters of New York!

Images: Movoto