Baltimore Ranked Second-Most Stressed City in the U.S.

Baltimore residents face significant stress, according to a recent analysis by WalletHub, which has placed the city as the second-most stressed in the nation.

Despite a decline in violent crime rates in recent years, factors such as high rental costs and persistent violent crime contribute heavily to the stress levels experienced by city inhabitants. WalletHub's analysis also noted that Baltimore ranks 15th in the country for separation and divorce rates, 11th for traffic congestion, and 9th for food insecurity.

In the surrounding region, Washington, D.C. was ranked 33rd, Wilmington, Delaware at 22nd, and Columbia, Maryland at 166th.

The rankings were derived from an evaluation of 39 different factors categorized into four types of stress: work, financial, family, and health and safety. Baltimore was found to have the highest level of work-related stress in the country, influenced by elements such as work hours, traffic conditions, unemployment rates, and job security.

Financial stress was another area where Baltimore performed poorly, landing as the second-highest in the nation. This category included metrics like household income, debt levels, poverty rates, food insecurity, and housing affordability. Notably, the city has the fourth-highest percentage of “seriously underwater mortgages.”

Overall, WalletHub assessed 180 cities nationwide, with Detroit topping the list as the most stressed city, followed by Baltimore, Cleveland, Memphis, and Shreveport, Louisiana. In contrast, the least stressed cities included Fremont, California; South Burlington, Vermont; Bismarck, North Dakota; Fargo, North Dakota; and Lincoln, Nebraska.

Among major U.S. cities, New York ranked 41st, Los Angeles 55th, Chicago 44th, and Philadelphia 7th.

Reported by HarborBeat based on The Baltimore Banner (source).