Think life is stressful here in North Carolina? For many it is, according to an interesting gathering of data from Chris Kolmar at the Movoto Real Estate blog, who attempts to determine the top 10 most stressful states in the U.S.
Spoiler alert: We're No. 9.
Kolmar got there by compiling data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey on six different causes of stress - hours worked, population density, unemployment, percentage of income devoted to housing, lack of insurance, and length of commute. Studies show that at least some of those indicators can contribute to stress in our lives. Other indicators like statewide population density are a bit more loosely linked to stress, but if you live in a dense, urban area, you can make a pretty good common sense case for the strain that brings.
Kolmar's results, in visual form:
Now, the numbers:
An obvious caveat: Kolmar's study is not about your life, but the collective life of people in each state. But there are policy implications here. A state that treats its unemployed comparatively poorly or makes it difficult to obtain medical coverage (ahem, North Carolina) adds to the stress of its citizens. North Carolina, of course, has climbed to the top of some lists of the most attractive states for businesses. That's good, but it doesn't necessarily have to be done by ending up at the wrong end of lists like these.
Peter St. Onge
(h/t - vox.com)
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5 comments:
"if you live in a dense, urban area, you can make a pretty good common sense case for the strain that brings".
Hmmm, so Mary Newsom and David Walters and the Observer Editorial Board are wrong and suburb lovers are right?
Knock me over with a feather.
Having to read about the blatantly selfish acts of our politicians is stressful to me.
Florida number one? Are you kidding me? I live in Florida and I haven't had anything to be stressful about since the last hurricane several years ago.
Alaska and Hawaii aren't states anymore?
To go along with Garth Vader's comment--just last week the 28277 zip (Ballantyne and environs) was described as the "2nd most moved into zip" in the nation. The part of Charlotte that so many love to hate (or are encouraged to hate by those named by Garth) apparently remains very popular with many of the rest of us. Maybe everyone in the Charlotte urban environment would feel less stressed if these same folks would stop drumming up resentment against the 'burbs.
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