Stress levels can be measured in several ways. Among them are the effects of where people live. A new study shows that this includes poverty levels, unemployment, crime rates, travel time to work and cost of living. Based on these factors, Detroit is the most stressed city in America. (20 signs you are probably drinking too much coffee.)
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The new research is from Charlotte’s Web, a cannabidiol wellness products provider. It is based on data from the country’s 100 largest cities based on population. The eight metrics used included poverty, people without insurance, crime rates, unemployment rates, travel time to work, rent-to-income ratios, fitness scores and cost of living. These were taken together to create a “total index score.”
The authors pointed out that almost no one avoids stress completely: “According to the American Psychological Association, 76% of adults in the U.S. have reported experiencing health effects due to stress in the prior month.”
Detroit had a score of 519.29. The city has lost half its population since 1950, primarily because automakers located many of their offices and plants elsewhere. Poverty levels are above 30%. Despite efforts to revive the city, much of it is still in ruins, with thousands of abandoned houses. Detroit was given an F grade. New York City was the only other city to receive a grade this low.
The most recent Census Bureau data shows that Detroit’s population dropped again recently. The information angered local politicians, who believed those census figures were wrong. According to The Detroit News, “Mayor Mike Duggan is disputing Census figures showing Detroit lost nearly 8000 people from 2021 to 2022.” Even if the data for that short period is flawed, the long-term trend is very clear.
These are the 20 most stressed cities in America:
| City | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 519.29 | F |
| New York | 509.80 | F |
| Memphis | 489.63 | D− |
| Newark | 484.74 | D− |
| Houston | 467.30 | D |
| Miami | 464.52 | D |
| Los Angeles | 448.54 | D+ |
| Dallas | 447.98 | D+ |
| New Orleans | 442.54 | D+ |
| Cleveland | 440.77 | D+ |
| Oakland | 436.92 | C− |
| Jersey City | 434.75 | C− |
| Fresno | 432.17 | C− |
| Philadelphia | 430.47 | C− |
| Tulsa | 430.16 | C− |
| Bakersfield | 427.13 | C− |
| Stockton | 425.37 | C− |
| Baltimore | 425.26 | C− |
| Kansas City | 424.32 | C− |
| Las Vegas | 424.14 | C− |
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