Methodology

To create the list, WalletHub compared all 50 U.S. states on 40 different metrics across four key dimensions:

• Work-related stress, including average hours worked per week, average commute time, and job security (25 points)
• Money-related stress, including median income, median credit score, and economic security (25 points)
• Family-related stress, including separation and divorce rates, childcare costs, and parental stress (25 points)
• Health and safety-related stress, including share of adults in fair or poor health, physical activity rate, and suicide rate (25 points)

Each metric was scored on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most amount of stress. A weighted average across all metrics was used to determine a state's overall score and final ranking on the list.

WalletHub used data from several sources to create the list, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CDC, FINRA Investor Education Foundation, and more.

The most (and least) stressed US states

According to WalletHub, the 10 most stressed states were:

1. New Mexico
2. Nevada
3. Louisiana
4. West Virginia
5. Mississippi
6. Tennessee
7. Arkansas
8. Alabama
9. Florida
10. Oregon 

In comparison, the 10 least stressed states were:

1. Nebraska
2. Minnesota
3. New Hampshire
4. South Dakota
5. Iowa
6. Massachusetts
7. Wisconsin
8. North Dakota
9. Connecticut
10. Hawaii 

How to reduce stress, according to experts

WalletHub also spoke to several experts about how to reduce stress, especially without having to spend money.

Dana Anspach, founder and CEO of Sensible Money, said that she's "found simple things work best" in moments of stress, like taking a short walk outside, putting on a happy song, or closing her eyes and taking 10 deep breaths.

To help manage longer-term stress, Anspach says she uses biweekly massages, regular exercise, and meditation apps. Business coaches and therapists can also help you find customized stress management techniques.

"During a period where work was hectic, a therapist gave me the mantra 'I have all the time in the world,'" Anspach said. "That mantra immediately helped calm my nerves and allowed me to tackle my to-do list slowly and methodically, one item at a time, without getting overwhelmed wondering how I would get everything done."

Lisa Hagermoser Sanetti, a professor at the University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education, recommends people identify the situations or people that cause them stress so that they can better manage them.

Being aware of your stressors can help you change or avoid them. For example, if you're worried about the state of global affairs and keep doom-scrolling, you can delete apps and limit your time with technology.

For stressors outside of your control, Hagermoser Sanetti recommends working on controlling your own thoughts and beliefs instead. "An effective, and free, approach to stress management is learning to recognize and change the sorts of thinking patterns that intensify your emotions and lead to poor coping," she said.

Finally, Susan Paik, a professor of education and psychology at Claremont Graduate University, said that meaningful activities, like spending time with family and friends, can help reduce stress and improve your quality of life.

"Simple, but meaningful activities not only reduce stress, but research studies have found they help us to become even more productive in work and life," Paik said.