People around the world have spent the past year coming to terms with the dramatic life changes foisted upon them by COVID-19 — and by no means all of these changes have to do with actually getting sick. Rising poverty levels, unemployment, and safety concerns around commuting are among the many additional factors that lead to increased stress levels.
According to estimates for 2020 by the Urban Institute, the percentage of Americans living in poverty reached 12.4% (without benefit of stimulus checks, the SNAP program, or unemployment benefit increases), with a level of 20.5% for African-Americans. The overall poverty rate in 2019, in comparison, was 10.5%. (Here’s how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minority communities in every state.)
As of January of this year, “The labor market continued to reflect the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it,” according to a report on the current employment situation by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the unemployment rate fell slightly as of the beginning of the year, it still stands at 6.3% — compared to 3.5% in 2019, the lowest rate since 1969.
The situation is worse in some places than others. It may not come as a surprise that New York is the country’s most stressed-out city, but the fact that six of the ten most stressed are in supposedly laid-back California might be food for thought. Every state, however, suffers from the same problems to a greater or lesser extent. Here’s a list of the most stressed-out city in every state.
Click here for the 50 most stressed out cities in the U.S.
50. Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA
> Poverty rate: 11.9% — 236 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 9.3% — 86 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 28 minutes — 42 out of 383 cities
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49. Sumter, SC
> Poverty rate: 19.4% — 28 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 7.3% — 180 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 25 minutes — 121 out of 383 cities
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48. Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
> Poverty rate: 22.2% — 12 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 7.4% — 174 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 23 minutes — 201 out of 383 cities
47. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
> Poverty rate: 12.1% — 226 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.9% — 38 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 30 minutes — 30 out of 383 cities
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46. Odessa, TX
> Poverty rate: 10.4% — 297 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.7% — 43 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 24 minutes — 145 out of 383 cities
45. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
> Poverty rate: 16.4% — 77 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 9.2% — 87 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 26 minutes — 73 out of 383 cities
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44. Trenton, NJ
> Poverty rate: 12.8% — 196 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 8.4% — 124 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 30 minutes — 33 out of 383 cities
43. Yuba City, CA
> Poverty rate: 13.4% — 166 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 12.5% — 15 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 28 minutes — 47 out of 383 cities
42. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
> Poverty rate: 13.5% — 164 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 8.1% — 138 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 30 minutes — 27 out of 383 cities
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41. Flint, MI
> Poverty rate: 16.5% — 72 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 11.3% — 30 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 26 minutes — 77 out of 383 cities
40. Visalia-Porterville, CA
> Poverty rate: 18.8% — 36 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 13.9% — 7 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 23 minutes — 229 out of 383 cities
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39. Napa, CA
> Poverty rate: 6.8% — 374 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 8.6% — 112 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 27 minutes — 68 out of 383 cities
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38. Urban Honolulu, HI
> Poverty rate: 8.1% — 354 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.5% — 47 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 29 minutes — 34 out of 383 cities
37. Alexandria, LA
> Poverty rate: 17.6% — 57 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 5.3% — 321 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 28 minutes — 48 out of 383 cities
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36. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
> Poverty rate: 12.9% — 190 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 8.0% — 145 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 31 minutes — 24 out of 383 cities
35. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
> Poverty rate: 10.3% — 301 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 9.5% — 79 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 27 minutes — 66 out of 383 cities
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34. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
> Poverty rate: 9.4% — 326 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 6.5% — 235 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 32 minutes — 18 out of 383 cities
33. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
> Poverty rate: 9.1% — 337 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 8.4% — 124 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 32 minutes — 14 out of 383 cities
32. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
> Poverty rate: 7.8% — 361 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 8.1% — 138 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 32 minutes — 20 out of 383 cities
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31. Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
> Poverty rate: 11.1% — 272 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 18.5% — 3 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 26 minutes — 82 out of 383 cities
30. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
> Poverty rate: 27.3% — 1 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.4% — 49 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 24 minutes — 144 out of 383 cities
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29. Salinas, CA
> Poverty rate: 12.7% — 200 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 12.1% — 18 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 25 minutes — 111 out of 383 cities
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28. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
> Poverty rate: 8.6% — 349 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.8% — 41 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 33 minutes — 11 out of 383 cities
27. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
> Poverty rate: 12.8% — 194 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 15.4% — 5 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 26 minutes — 86 out of 383 cities
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26. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
> Poverty rate: 11.8% — 242 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.6% — 45 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 31 minutes — 23 out of 383 cities
25. Farmington, NM
> Poverty rate: 21.2% — 14 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 13.1% — 9 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 23 minutes — 222 out of 383 cities
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24. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
> Poverty rate: 6.3% — 376 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 7.4% — 174 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 30 minutes — 28 out of 383 cities
23. Las Cruces, NM
> Poverty rate: 25.9% — 3 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 11.3% — 30 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 21 minutes — 301 out of 383 cities
22. Anchorage, AK
> Poverty rate: 10.0% — 311 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 7.4% — 174 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 23 minutes — 208 out of 383 cities
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21. Monroe, LA
> Poverty rate: 26.0% — 2 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 6.3% — 246 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 22 minutes — 249 out of 383 cities
20. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
> Poverty rate: 12.2% — 221 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.4% — 49 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 34 minutes — 7 out of 383 cities
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19. Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI
> Poverty rate: 11.9% — 235 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 21.0% — 1 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 21 minutes — 299 out of 383 cities
18. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
> Poverty rate: 10.6% — 290 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 11.8% — 23 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 32 minutes — 13 out of 383 cities
17. Modesto, CA
> Poverty rate: 12.7% — 197 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 12.1% — 18 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 32 minutes — 15 out of 383 cities
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16. Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
> Poverty rate: 8.9% — 341 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.2% — 58 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 35 minutes — 6 out of 383 cities
15. Pine Bluff, AR
> Poverty rate: 23.6% — 6 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 9.5% — 79 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 22 minutes — 233 out of 383 cities
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14. Albuquerque, NM
> Poverty rate: 15.5% — 106 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 10.9% — 38 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 24 minutes — 150 out of 383 cities
13. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
> Poverty rate: 10.1% — 306 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 9.8% — 69 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 30 minutes — 26 out of 383 cities
12. Bakersfield, CA
> Poverty rate: 19.1% — 32 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 13.7% — 8 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 24 minutes — 159 out of 383 cities
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11. Fresno, CA
> Poverty rate: 20.6% — 17 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 11.9% — 20 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 24 minutes — 154 out of 383 cities
10. East Stroudsburg, PA
> Poverty rate: 13.0% — 185 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 12.8% — 11 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 40 minutes — 1 out of 383 cities
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9. Merced, CA
> Poverty rate: 16.8% — 68 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 12.6% — 12 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 31 minutes — 21 out of 383 cities
8. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
> Poverty rate: 15.4% — 110 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 11.9% — 20 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 25 minutes — 127 out of 383 cities
7. Hammond, LA
> Poverty rate: 22.9% — 7 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 9.1% — 92 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 32 minutes — 19 out of 383 cities
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6. Madera, CA
> Poverty rate: 17.6% — 56 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 11.2% — 33 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 33 minutes — 10 out of 383 cities
5. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
> Poverty rate: 8.2% — 353 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 9.0% — 98 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 35 minutes — 5 out of 383 cities
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4. El Centro, CA
> Poverty rate: 25.1% — 5 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 20.4% — 2 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 24 minutes — 186 out of 383 cities
3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
> Poverty rate: 12.4% — 208 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 14.4% — 6 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 32 minutes — 16 out of 383 cities
2. Stockton-Lodi, CA
> Poverty rate: 13.7% — 159 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 12.3% — 17 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 36 minutes — 3 out of 383 cities
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1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
> Poverty rate: 11.6% — 247 out of 383 cities
> Unemployment rate (August 2020): 12.9% — 10 highest out of 383 cities
> Average commute time: 38 minutes — 2 out of 383 cities
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