What is the least stressful state in America?

There isn't one single "least stressful" state, as rankings change yearly, but recent reports (2024-2025) consistently highlight states like Minnesota, Nebraska, Utah, New Hampshire, and South Dakota as having low overall stress due to factors like good health, financial stability, work-life balance, and community well-being. Minnesota often leads for low money/family stress, while Utah excels in low work-related stress, and New Hampshire/Nebraska/SD show strong financial and health indicators, notes Advisory Board, WalletHub, Fortune, CNBC, and Yahoo Creators.

What is the least stressed state in the US?

The least stressed states in America consistently feature Midwestern and Northeastern states, with Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire frequently appearing at the top, often alongside Utah, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey, depending on the study's metrics (work, money, family stress, sleep, etc.) and year, with recent 2025 reports highlighting Vermont, Rhode Island, and Maine for low work/health stress.
 

What is the most relaxed state?

There's no single "most laid-back" state, as it depends on the study, but Hawaii, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Montana, Vermont, Colorado, and Alaska frequently appear as low-stress, relaxed, or peaceful, often due to nature, community, or less financial pressure, with the Midwest and mountain states often cited.
 

What is the most happiest state in the USA?

Hawaii is the happiest state in America for the second year in a row. Hawaii landed the top spot on WalletHub's list with an overall score of 65.50. It ranked third for emotional and physical well-being, 16th for work environment and 13th for community and environment.

What state is the most stressed?

According to 2025 data, New Mexico is often cited as the most stressed U.S. state, followed closely by Nevada and Louisiana, with factors like work, money, health, and safety considered, though some analyses highlight Georgia as the most stressful for workers. These rankings use metrics like work hours, poverty, healthcare costs, and crime to determine overall stress levels, with Southern states frequently appearing high on the lists.
 

10 Most Stressed Cities in the United States

What is the hardest US state to live in?

These states are America's worst for quality of life in 2025:

• Arkansas.
• Alabama.
• Georgia.
• Louisiana.
• Utah.
• Indiana.
• Texas.
• Tennessee.

What is the #1 worst habit for anxiety?

The #1 worst habit for anxiety isn't one single thing, but often a cycle involving procrastination/avoidance, driven by anxiety and leading to more anxiety, alongside fundamental issues like sleep deprivation, which cripples your ability to cope with stress. Other major culprits are excessive caffeine, poor diet, negative self-talk, sedentary living, and constantly checking your phone, all creating a vicious cycle that fuels worry and physical symptoms.
 

What state is #1 in quality of life?

There isn't one single answer, as different reports rank states differently, but Vermont is frequently cited as #1 for Quality of Life (CNBC), while Massachusetts often leads overall livability/best state rankings (WalletHub), and Utah ranks high overall for Best States (U.S. News). These rankings vary by the specific metrics used, such as health, safety, environment, education, or economic opportunity. 

What is the kindest state in America?

There's no single "friendliest" state, as it depends on the study, but Minnesota often tops lists for its "Minnesota Nice" politeness, while Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming consistently rank high, often due to Southern hospitality or sparse populations. Other states like Hawaii, New Jersey, and California are also noted as welcoming, particularly for visitors, but some data suggests Midwestern/Southern states excel in general warmth. 

What is the cheapest but safest state to live in?

For the best combination of cheap and safe, consider states like Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas, which consistently rank high in affordability (low housing, groceries, overall cost of living) while also offering manageable safety, with Vermont and New Hampshire often topping pure safety lists, though they are pricier. The ideal balance depends on whether you prioritize the lowest cost (Mississippi) or strong safety (Vermont), with Midwestern/Southern states generally offering lower expenses and Northern/New England states often leading in safety metrics. 

Which U.S. state is the strictest?

There isn't one single "strictest" state, as it depends on the category, but California consistently ranks as the most heavily regulated overall due to the sheer volume of its administrative rules, with New York and New Jersey also having extensive regulations. Other states might be strictest in specific areas, like Massachusetts for data privacy or Utah for alcohol laws, while states like Alaska, Oregon, and Texas might be noted for driving laws. 

What is the freest state to live in?

For the 24th time, New Hampshire is the freest state among all U.S. states, having scored 8.34 out of 10 in this year's report, which measures government spending, taxation, regulations and labor market restrictions using data from 2023, the most recent year of available comparable data.

What is the unhealthiest state?

While rankings vary slightly by study, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Kentucky consistently appear as the most unhealthy U.S. states, often due to high rates of obesity, smoking, chronic disease, substance abuse, poor nutrition, mental distress, and lower life expectancies, with many of these top contenders located in the South.
 

Which US city has the best quality of life?

The best U.S. cities for quality of life vary by ranking, but Brookline, MA, often tops lists for blending small-town feel with big-city access, while Columbia, MD, excels for women's opportunities, and Chicago is noted as a top big city for overall livability, despite some drawbacks. Other top contenders include Alexandria, VA, Bellevue, WA, Chapel Hill, NC, and cities in the < !nav>Research Triangle (NC) / NC/VA/MD area for strong education, healthcare, and amenities. 

What is the least violent state in America?

The least dangerous states in the U.S. consistently rank as Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, often leading in safety metrics due to extremely low violent and property crime rates, strong community safety, and overall good scores in areas like financial stability, road safety, and emergency preparedness. The Northeast region generally dominates these rankings, with several of its states appearing in the top 10. 

What is America's prettiest state?

There's no single "most beautiful" state, as it's subjective, but California, Alaska, Hawaii, Utah, and Washington consistently rank high for diverse, breathtaking scenery, offering everything from epic coastlines and massive mountains to lush rainforests and unique desert landscapes, with California often cited for its unparalleled variety. 

What is the least friendly state in the US?

The least welcoming states are Missouri, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Most Americans greet strangers with a handshake (60%), smile (47%), or by making eye contact (25%). Over 1 in 5 Americans say they aren't comfortable with physical contact when greeting. 30% of Americans don't smile at strangers.

What is the #1 state to live in the US?

1. Massachusetts. According to WalletHub's study, Massachusetts is the best state to live in, excelling in all key factors—and earning the top spot in the ranking. It has the lowest premature death rate in the US, and residents earn a cushy median household income of over $101,000.

Which state is worth moving to?

The study found the best states to move to are Utah, New Hampshire, Idaho and Virginia. According to the list, worst states to move to are California, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oregon.

Which state has the nicest people?

There's no single "nicest" state, but studies and surveys often point to Minnesota, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming as top contenders for friendliness, based on factors like tourist impressions and acts of kindness. Other states like Hawaii, Iowa, and parts of the South (like Kentucky, North Carolina) are also frequently praised for their welcoming and kind residents, though perceptions of niceness can vary by individual and region.
 

What is the 3-3-3 rule for habits?

The "3-3-3 Rule" for habits generally refers to a psychological framework for habit formation, suggesting it takes roughly 3 days (resistance), 3 weeks (routine), and 3 months (integral behavior) to solidify a new habit, helping overcome initial hurdles. Another popular version is the productivity method, involving 3 hours on a key task, 3 important short tasks, and 3 maintenance tasks daily. A third application is for anxiety relief, focusing on noticing 3 things you see, 3 things you hear, and 3 things you can move. 

What is the 321 anxiety trick?

What is the 54321 method? The 54321 (or 5-4-3-2-1) method is a grounding exercise designed to manage acute stress and reduce anxiety. It involves identifying 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.