Which are the most, least stressed states?

WalletHub compared the 50 states across 40 key indicators of stress to determine which states are the most and least stressed? The idea is to help people determine where to live in order to achieve a more relaxing life, the group said.

The data set ranges from average hours worked per week to the personal bankruptcy rate to the share of adults getting adequate sleep.

Most Stressed States            Least Stressed States

1. New Mexico                       41. Hawaii

2. Nevada                               42. Connecticut

3. Louisiana                            43. North Dakota

4. West Virginia                      44. Wisconsin

5. Mississippi                          45. Massachusetts

6. Tennessee                           46. Iowa

7. Arkansas                             47. South Dakota

8. Alabama                             48. New Hampshire

9. Florida                                49. Minnesota

10. Oregon                             50. Nebraska

 Key stats:

• South Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate, which is 3.4 times lower than in Nevada, the highest.
• New Hampshire has the lowest share of the population living in poverty, which is 2.7 times lower than in Mississippi, the highest.
• Utah has the lowest separation and divorce rate, which is 1.7 times lower than in New Mexico, the highest.
• Vermont has the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health, which is 1.9 times lower than in Arkansas, the highest.
• Massachusetts has the most psychologists per 100,000 residents, which is 5.8 times more than in Mississippi, the fewest.

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A look at the most stressed states:

New Mexico

New Mexico is the most stressed state, in large part because it has the highest violent crime rates per capita and property crime rates per capita. These types of threats cause residents to worry about their safety.

Residents of New Mexico also have the highest separation and divorce rate in the country, and the third-highest share of households that have a single parent. These conditions can put excess stress on children and parents alike.

Financial conditions in New Mexico also contribute to people’s stress levels. New Mexico has the third-highest poverty rate in the country, and residents have one of the lowest median credit scores, at just 697. Low incomes and low credit scores make it difficult for residents to get credit, purchase homes and vehicles and improve their economic status.

Nevada

Nevada has the second-most stressed residents, and many of the largest contributing factors are financial in nature. The state has the highest unemployment rate in the country, one of the highest bankruptcy rates and one of the lowest median credit scores, at 693. These difficult conditions will impact their financial capabilities for years to come, WalletHub said.

Nevada State residents experience a lot of stress in their family lives, too, with some of the highest rates of separation, divorce and single-parent households in the country.

[Read more: Which states are the happiest?]

Finally, health is a big concern. Around 21% of Nevada residents report that their health is “fair” or “poor,” the eighth-highest rate in the country. Some contributing factors include the second-lowest percentage of people not visiting a doctor and less widespread health insurance coverage compared to residents of other states.

Louisiana

Louisiana ranks as the third-most stressed state, in large part because it has the second-highest poverty rate in the country. Around 12% of residents haven’t seen a doctor in the past year due to the cost. In addition, Louisiana ranks among the 10 worst states for both the share of adults reporting poor mental health and the share of adults diagnosed with depression. Residents may also find it difficult to find someone to address mental health issues, since Louisiana has fewer psychologists per capita than most other states.

Lastly, the Bayou State had the sixth-highest average unemployment rate in the country last year, and it has the lowest job security than all states.

“New Mexico is the most stressed state, in large part because it has the highest violent crime rates per capita and property crime rates per capita. Residents of New Mexico also have the highest separation and divorce rate in the country, and the third-highest share of households that have a single parent. These conditions can put excess stress on children and parents alike,” said Chip Lupo, a WalleHub analyst. 

Lupo added, “There are plenty of small ways for people to manage stress, from staying active and participating in hobbies to taking vacations from work and getting help from a mental health professional. What many people don’t realize, though, is that changing location can also be a big stress reducer. For example, states that have lower crime rates, better health care and better economies tend to have much less stressed residents.”

[Read more: Which cities are the healthiest?]

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit here.