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Two North Jersey cities showed up at opposite ends of the spectrum in a recent study that ranked the stress levels of residents in the United States.
Newark appeared at 22 among 182 municipalities on the most stressed list compiled by WalletHub, a personal finance company that helps users compare payments for credit cards, car insurance and bank accounts. Jersey City came in at 167, meaning it is actually the 16th-least stressed place in the country as determined by the study.
The findings, published July 7, ranked the cities in four key categories: work stress, financial stress, family stress, and health and safety stress. Each area incorporated a variety of metrics, from average weekly work hours to rates of unemployment and suicide.
“Some stress is out of our control, due to issues with family, friends or employers. However, where you live can play a big role in how stressed you are,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “Cities with high crime rates, weak economies, less effective public health and congested transportation systems naturally lead to elevated stress levels for residents.”
Newark placed 12th in work stress and 16th in financial stress, though its relatively low ranking of 107 in health and safety brought it down on the overall list. Jersey City was found to have the fourth-best health and safety stress level and the 22nd-best family stress level, contributing to its place near the bottom of the high-stress rankings.
Most-stressed cities in U.S.
Detroit finished atop the list of most stressed cities, followed by Cleveland; Baltimore; Gulfport, Mississippi; and Memphis, Tennessee. The five least-stressed cities, in order, were South Burlington, Vermont; Fremont, California; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Irvine, California; and Burlington, Vermont.
The study featured the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populous municipalities in each state.