It might be time for us Mainers to pause, take a breath, and try to relax a bit. A new report on stress levels across the U.S. suggests that we aren’t exactly living the stress-free life we’d hope for.
Wallethub.com, a personal finance website, recently released its annual report on the most and least stressed states in the country.
Unfortunately, Maine didn’t perform too well—especially when compared to other New England states.
Maine Tops New England for Stress Levels
Maine was ranked as the most stressed state in New England, even coming in higher than Connecticut.
Overall, Maine ranked 22nd most stressed in the nation—not the worst result, but definitely behind its New England neighbors.
The next highest-ranking New England state was Rhode Island, which placed 29th.
Breaking Down Maine’s Stress Score
Maine earned a total stress score of 45.52 out of 100. The report evaluated states based on four main categories: Work-Related Stress, Money-Related Stress, Family-Related Stress, and Health & Safety-Related Stress.
These categories were further divided into 41 subcategories to provide a detailed analysis.
Interestingly, Maine performed fairly well in work-related and family-related stress, ranking 35th nationally in both categories—on par with other New England states.
Money and Health Issues Are Driving Maine’s Stress
What really hurt Maine’s overall ranking were the money-related and health-related categories.
The state ranked 13th for money-related stress and 11th for health-related stress.
This points to issues such as debt, lack of savings, poor mental and physical health, expensive medical care, and inadequate healthcare access—all of which understandably contribute to higher stress levels.
How Does the Rest of New England Compare?
Rhode Island ranked 29th, followed closely by Vermont at 30th. Connecticut performed much better, coming in at 42nd, while Massachusetts ranked 45th.
New Hampshire stood out as the 3rd least stressed state in the entire country—proving that the “Live Free or Die” motto might have some truth to it.
What Can Maine Do Better?
Maine’s overall ranking isn’t terrible, but it does lag behind its New England neighbors. This raises the question: What are other New England states doing differently to manage stress better?
Addressing money and healthcare-related issues could go a long way in improving Maine’s stress levels and helping the state climb the rankings.
At Least Maine Isn’t New Mexico
On the bright side, Maine isn’t dealing with the stress levels of New Mexico.
The southwestern state topped the list as the most stressed in the nation with a score of 60.52. But hey, maybe the dry heat doesn’t help after all.
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