This new report ranks the most stressed states in America

The horrors persist, but so do we. That doesn't mean that anxiety and stress aren't taking a toll, though. And things are looking pretty rough in a few states specifically, according to a new report. 

A study from My Denver Therapy ranked all 50 states using a composite “stress score” that combines five factors: average weekly work hours, income relative to the national average, a comprehensive health score, divorce rates and unemployment. By blending economic, health and social indicators into a single index, researchers aimed to capture how multiple pressures stack up in everyday life.

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Topping the list as the most stressed state in America is Mississippi, with a stress score of 84.21 out of 100. Residents there work slightly more than the national average (102.05% of typical weekly hours) while earning just 73% of the national average income. The state also posted the lowest health score in the country, reflecting limited healthcare access and poorer health outcomes, factors that can intensify financial and workplace strain.

Close behind are Arkansas (81.74) and Nevada (79.92). Arkansas struggles with below-average income and one of the highest divorce rates among the top 10 states. Nevada, meanwhile, stands out for having the highest unemployment rate (5.2%) and the highest divorce rate (9.3%), even though residents work roughly average hours.

Rounding out the top 10 are Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and New Mexico. In many of these places, residents face a similar pattern of lower incomes, weaker health infrastructure and above-average work hours.

To no one's surprise, Hawaii ranks as the least stressed state, with a score of 28.14. Residents work slightly fewer hours than average, earn close to the national income baseline and benefit from low unemployment (2.2%). Massachusetts follows closely (28.39), buoyed by the highest income levels in the nation (109% of the national average) and a standout health score of 81.37.

New York, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Connecticut also rank among the least stressed, joined by North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Montana. Nine of these 10 states have health scores above 60, suggesting that access to care plays a major role in buffering other pressures.

Courtneyrose Chung, clinical director at My Denver Therapy, says the findings reflect what clinicians see in practice: stress compounds when systems fail simultaneously. “When someone faces low income, they might manage if they have strong health support and stable employment,” she said in a statement. “But what we see in these high-stress states is a convergence of disadvantages. Limited income meets inadequate healthcare access. Long work hours don't translate to financial security. Stress becomes inescapable rather than manageable when multiple systems fail simultaneously.”

Here is the ranking of the 10 most-stressed states in America:

1. Mississippi
2. Arkansas
3. Nevada
4. Kentucky
5. Louisiana
6. Oklahoma
7. Tennessee
8. Texas
9. West Virginia
10. New Mexico