Do you live in the most stressful city to work in? Is it Las Vegas?
For most of us, sadly, work consumes the majority of our time. Whether you run a small business or you’re employed full-time, your waking hours are probably consumed by either working, commuting, or thinking about work.
While some have been lucky enough to find the ideal (but elusive to most) work-life balance, others struggle with work-related stressors such as long hours and commutes, low wages as well as lack of income growth.
LLC.org took a hard look at these factors as well as other factors across more than 170 cities, to determine the most stressful cities to work in.
Their metrics included eight weighted factors: average hours worked per week, average commute time, percentage of workers who commute before 7 a.m., percentage of workers who are not able to work remotely, single-income families, income growth rate, percentage of employees without health insurance, and each city’s crime rate.
Each city in the analysis had a population of at least 150,000 or more.
If you live in Texas, bad news – Texas cities dominate the list of most stressful places to work. The Lone Star State is home to 10 cities in the top 30 most stressful places to work.
Before I tell you where Las Vegas sits on the list, here are the least stressful cities for workers:
Madison, Wisconsin tops the list for the least stressful city to work in. The average workweek (36.6 hours) is below the national average and the average roundtrip commute (37.4 minutes) is also far less than the national average (51.2).
Rounding out the top 10 least stressful cities:
2. Fort Collins, Colorado
3. Fremont, California
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota
5. Providence, Rhode Island
6. Lincoln, Nebraska
7. Portland, Oregon
8. Seattle, Washington
9. St. Paul, Minnesota
10. Boise, Idaho
Regardless of where you work, remember that stress can affect you both physically and mentally. It’s important to try to have a work-life balance to avoid burnout and long-term health complications. Sadly, that’s often very hard in a country that has become very costly to live in, after a pandemic that changed the US dramatically.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), taking frequent breaks throughout the workday, tracking your stressors in a journal, establishing boundaries between work and your personal life, and developing healthy responses to work stressors are all ways to avoid work-related stress.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at work, listen to your body and take time to recharge. Even small breaks throughout the day can go a long way in helping to reduce work-related stress.
Now here’s the top five most stressful cities to work in. See the full list here.
-Carla Rea
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1. Houston, Texas
Everything is bigger in Texas, including the stress levels for workers. Texas cities dominate the list of most stressful places to work. Houston comes in at No. 1. Overall, workers in Houston clock in an average of 39.5 hours per week at work, which is above the national average of 38.7 hours. Houstonians also have an above average daily commute of 52.8 minutes roundtrip. One in three are on the road each morning before 7 a.m.
Along with long hours and commutes, many workers in Houston lack health insurance. The percentage of workers in Houston without health insurance (30.4%) is well above the national average (10.5%).
And when it comes to stressful financial factors, 46.6% of families in Houston are single-income families. The income growth rate in Houston (4.5%) is below the national average (6.2%).
Workers in Houston also have limited flexibility in terms of remote work, according to Census Bureau data. Studies have shown that working remotely can reduce work-related stress, but only 15.6% of Houstonians work remotely, which is also below the national average (17.9%).
Loren Elliott via Getty Images
2 Arlington Texas
Head to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to find the second most stressful city for workers. Arlington, Texas is number 2. It’s located roughly 20 miles from Dallas. its long average workweek (39.9 hours) and long commute (52.2 minutes roundtrip) are rough. 29.5% of workers in Arlington start their commute before 7 a.m. each day. Nearly half (49.6%) of families in Arlington are single-income families, which is well above the national average (38.6%).
Elsewhere, the income growth rate in Arlington (3.4%) is nearly half of the national average (6.2%). These factors, combined with a low percentage of remote workers and high percentage of workers who lack health insurance led to Arlington being ranked at the No. 2 spot on our list.
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3. Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas has one of the highest average workweeks, so it’s no surprise why the city ranks so high on the list. Overall, workers in Dallas clock in an average of 40.2 hours per week, which is well above the national average of 38.7. Among the more than 170 cities within our analysis, Dallas ranks ninth for longest workweek.
Compared to Houston and Arlington, Dallas has a slightly lower average commute of 51.4 minutes roundtrip. Among commuters, one in three (30.8%) are on the road before 7 a.m. daily. Elsewhere, one-quarter work without health insurance, which is well above the national average (10.5%).
Stewart F. House / Stringer via Getty Images
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is the first city on our list located outside of Texas, but the stress levels don’t improve much for those working in Memphis.
Overall, the average workweek in Memphis is 39 hours, which is above the national average. And workers in the city find themselves with an average commute time of 43 minutes roundtrip. Nearly one in three begin their commute before 7 a.m. in order to get to work.
Memphis is home to one of the highest percentages of single-income families (52.6%). In fact, the city ranks No. 11 for the most single-income families on the list of more than 170 cities within our analysis.
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5. Las Vegas, Nevada
Casinos are open all day and all night, so chances of having a “regular” schedule are often slim.
More than one-third (35%) of workers in Vegas and 44.3% of workers in North Las Vegas leave for work before 7 AM. In fact, nearly one-quarter (27%) of Vegas workers are on the road before 6:30 AM. Among workers in Vegas, 16.6% are employed without health insurance, which is above the national average of 10.5%. In nearby North Las Vegas, the number is slightly higher at 17%.
The income growth rate in Las Vegas (5.1%) trails the national average (6.2%). It might be the Entertainment Capital of the World, but it’s a very stressful place for workers to keep it running.
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