Stress is a prevalent issue for numerous individuals, particularly amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The extent of stress varies among cities, influenced by factors like employment, finances, family dynamics, health, and safety. A recent study conducted by WalletHub scrutinized over 180 major cities in the United States to identify the most and least stressed ones, with several cities in North Carolina making the list.
How was the stress level assessed?
The study employed four crucial dimensions to gauge the stress levels of each city: work stress, financial stress, family stress, and health and safety stress. These dimensions were assessed using 41 relevant metrics, including job security, income growth, unemployment rate, foreclosure rate, poverty rate, food insecurity, housing affordability, divorce rate, childcare cost, the percentage of adults diagnosed with depression, the percentage of adult smokers, and crime rate, among others.
Each metric received a grade on a 100-point scale, where 100 denoted the highest stress level. The scores for each metric were then weighted, averaged across all cities, resulting in a total stress score for each city. The lower the score, the lower the stress level.
Which city in West North Carolina experienced the highest stress?
According to the study, the most stressed city in West North Carolina was Fayetteville, earning a total stress score of 54.72 out of 100. Fayetteville ranked 49th among all cities in the study and 11th among medium-sized cities, with populations ranging from 300,000 to 1 million.
Fayetteville displayed high scores across all four stress dimensions, particularly in health and safety stress, where it secured the 13th position among all cities. Additionally, Fayetteville had elevated scores in family stress (28th), work stress (38th), and financial stress (57th).
Factors contributing to Fayetteville’s heightened stress levels included a high poverty rate (18.3%), a significant divorce rate (13.4%), a substantial percentage of adults diagnosed with depression (20.9%), a considerable percentage of adult smokers (21.8%), and a high violent crime rate (7.6 per 1,000 residents).
How did other cities in West North Carolina compare?
The second most stressed city in West North Carolina was Winston-Salem, with a total stress score of 51.64 out of 100, ranking 68th among all cities and 17th among medium-sized cities.
Winston-Salem exhibited elevated scores in financial stress (35th), health and safety stress (47th), and work stress (58th), but a relatively lower score in family stress (115th).
Contributing factors to Winston-Salem’s heightened stress included a high unemployment rate (6.4%), an elevated foreclosure rate (0.9%), a notable percentage of adults with poor health (17.9%), a significant percentage of adults with inadequate sleep (37.9%), and a high number of COVID-19 cases per capita (10,857 per 100,000 residents).
The third most stressed city in West North Carolina was Greensboro, with a total stress score of 46.96 out of 100, ranking 116th among all cities and 29th among medium-sized cities.
Greensboro had elevated scores in financial stress (50th) and health and safety stress (63rd), with moderate scores in work stress (94th) and family stress (97th).
Factors contributing to Greensboro’s heightened stress levels included a high poverty rate (16.5%), a substantial percentage of households with food insecurity (12.9%), a notable percentage of adults with poor health (16.4%), a significant percentage of adults with inadequate sleep (36.9%), and a high number of COVID-19 cases per capita (10,101 per 100,000 residents).
What measures can be taken to alleviate stress in these cities?
Stress can adversely affect both physical and mental health, as well as overall social and economic well-being. Hence, it is crucial to identify strategies to cope with stress and provide assistance when needed. Some potential strategies to reduce stress in these cities include:
- Enhancing accessibility to affordable and high-quality healthcare, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment.
- Offering increased support and resources for low-income families, such as food assistance, housing support, and childcare subsidies.
- Creating more job opportunities and improving working conditions, including flexible hours, paid leave, and fair wages.
- Strengthening public safety and reducing crime through measures such as increased police presence, community policing, and violence prevention programs.
- Encouraging healthy lifestyles and behaviors, such as maintaining a balanced diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and discouraging smoking and excessive drinking.
- Promoting social connectedness and community engagement, involving activities like joining support groups, volunteering, and participating in recreational pursuits.
Conclusion
Stress is a prevalent issue for many individuals, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the level of stress varies among cities due to factors like work, finances, family, health, and safety. A recent study by WalletHub disclosed that Fayetteville, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro were the most stressed cities in West North Carolina. These cities displayed elevated scores across all four stress dimensions, particularly in health and safety stress. To alleviate stress in these cities, addressing underlying causes and providing increased support and resources for residents are crucial steps.