Think Living In Boston Is Stressful? This Study Says Think Again
Is Living In Boston Stressful?
In this fast-moving world, stress could very well be your best friend. This friend makes an appearance at all sorts of events—be it in the trouble of money or financial issues, family conflicts, tiffs and fights, stress over health, or just petty issues. Hence, stress is certainly unavoidable in life. But it could altogether change when you live elsewhere. WalletHub’s recent data gives some of the most stressed U.S. cities, ranking Cleveland and Detroit at the top. Of all those cities known for their traffic or cost of living, Boston does not figure anywhere in the top 100 most stressed cities.
The Study at a Glance
WalletHub’s inherent study gauged more than 180 U.S. cities on 39 ‘stress-inducing’ features—financial, workplace, family, health, and safety stress. This deep analysis gave a clear look into which cities could be strangling the most with stress.
Cleveland and Detroit: High Stress Hubs
Cleveland, Ohio, ranks as the most overwhelmed city in America. Factor in one of the lowest average household incomes—adjusted for cost of living—of less than $41,000, and Cleveland residents are feeling major money woes. It also ranked highly in health and safety stress due to a high poverty rate, along with some serious family stress factors, including an extremely high divorce rate and really bad sleep quality.
Following closely in the second position is Cleveland, Michigan. The case of Detroit has shown slight improvements in the recent past but still holds the top position among cities plagued by economic and health challenges that might be the root cause of their high-stress levels.
Boston: A Remarkable Exception
Compared to cities like Cleveland and Detroit, Boston represents the other end of the spectrum among low-stress cities, ranking 117th and barely cracking the top 100 list of the most stressed cities. The factors that may have caused this are Boston having proper public health infrastructure, strong economy, and robust social support systems that alleviate stress from this major urban center with notorious traffic and a high cost of living.
Key Findings and Insights
This research represents financial issues, health problems, and economic difficulties as highly stressful to Americans. Of interest, most individuals avoid discussing stress not to burden others, and workplace stress alone costs the economy in excess of $300 billion annually.
Least Stressed Cities
On the other end, Fremont, California, South Burlington, Vermont, and Fargo, North Dakota, showcase some of the least-stressed cities across the country. Low unemployment, better health conditions, and very efficient public health systems place these cities at the bottom end of this overall stress-filled environment.
Conclusion: Boston’s Secret to Low Stress
While cities such as Cleveland and Detroit struggle under heavy loads of stress, the exclusion of Boston from this top-100 list of most stressed cities says a lot about good governance and community support. Indeed, Boston is a large city with heavy economic demands but provides a relatively stress-free living environment, rendering the evidence that big-city living doesn’t have to go hand-in-glove with high levels of stress.
