Many of the highest stress states located in the West and Northeast
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Hawaiians were the least likely in the United States in 2010 to say they felt stressed for much of the previous day, at 30.2%. Residents of Utah were the most likely to report experiencing stress, at 45.1%, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
These state-level data are based on daily surveys conducted from January through December 2010 and encompass more than 350,000 interviews. Americans' average stress level was 39.4% last year, similar to 2009 (39.9%) and 2008 (38.8%).
Hawaii has had the distinction of being the least stressed state for three years in a row. Utah and Kentucky have been among the top two most stressed states for the past three years.
Stress levels decreased at least somewhat for residents living in about half of the states in 2010. This is a positive turnaround from 2009, when residents' stress levels increased in most states.
