Your city's plummeting property values, high unemployment rate, extreme weather, or chronic traffic could potentially stress you out. Some metropolises have a perfect storm of frustrating factors that landed them on Forbes's list of America's Most Stressful Cities.
Coming in at number one is Chicago, thanks to the city's poor air quality, 11 percent unemployment rate, and falling home prices. Los Angeles comes next, then New York, Cleveland, and Providence, RI.
My current place of residence, San Francisco, ranks number six, but I beg to differ with its stressful status. Besides worrying about the next big earthquake, I find that my city's passable public transportation, moderate climate, and breathtaking views make me feel more relaxed.
What about you — does your city stress you out?
Isotoner
I live in Los Angeles and the only time i stress out is if i am running late to school and there is traffic.
1I love my city (tiny little Adelaide), it's really beautiful and there are so many open spaces. It's just lovely.
2The only downside is that it takes 3 hours on public transport to go somewhere that takes half an hour by car.
Being out of the NY metro has made me calmer, but I'm still high strung...even in the town I live in now down south. The city itself is not stress-inducing. Far from it.
3Toronto is great but we don't have any beautiful vistas, we have bad smog, and bad traffic.
4Baltimore ... I do sometimes get stressed about being murdered.
5Love Minneapolis! Wonderful lakes, great food, and warm people. The traffic can be a bit stressful though.
6i love chicago. i guess im not one of those people who is getting stressed by living here :S
7I live in the suburbs of Jersey and it stresses me out completely. There's NOTHING around me. I have to drive 20 minutes to get to a decent grocers and 15 to a gas station. It's irritating and stressful because nothing gets done and if I need something specific, I have to waste a half tank of gas or something. The people are nice though, but that's about it. If you want to go out to eat, you only have the chain restaurants and a few chinese buffets. And if you want a smoothie, you have to drive 45 minutes to Jamba Juice since the only smoothie place closed down
. I'm a city girl and I CAN'T wait till I relocate. I would gladly trade in my car for walking
shoes and high taxes.
8No, I grew up in a major city. It's all I know.
Going to a less metropolitan area stresses me out. It's all subjective.
9Yes, when I get lost or there's traffic or no parking or when there are weirdos around. But there are so many great things about my city, like the multiculturalism and proximity to NYC, that I try not to focus on the stressful things.
10I live in a Los Angeles suburb and it is stressful. Now mind you, I'm originally from Philadelphia where public transportation is abundant, quality of life and its costs are reasonable, and the city is diverse in culture.
L.A. is the direct opposite for me. The public transportation is scarce, you have to drive everywhere, the cultural sites are few and in-between (the beach, abundant malls, and mountains don't cut it) and the shallowness is deafening. Never mind the cost of living is ridiculous for so little.
11I live in Portland (Or) and I think it can be really relaxing because it's so scenic.
12Not at all I live in a small town that so far I love it here!
13My life stresses me out. My city is actually one of the few things in it that doesn't (I live in DC).
14I don't live in a city. Born and raised in a small town and I love it. Living in a city would stress me out because of the lack of green. I need my forests, grass, and flowers. It would also really stress me out to not be able to hop in my car and hit the open road. I would be a basketcase if I had to live right on top of my neighbors as well. I appreciate my privacy, freedom, and nature.
15I love my city! I live in Sydney and while the atrocious transport system stresses me out, if Im not commuting, there's so much to be grateful for - clear skies, beaches, bush, great food.
16Great, moving from one on the list to another. *sigh*
17I grew up on Dupont Circle, TLSgirl. Awesome!
I live in Boston. The economy worries me less than the coming cold weather.
18I LOVE Miami with all my heart, but only number 20 on most stressful cities? Obviously, the people who compiled this list never drove down the 826 during rush hour.
19Nope - Edinburgh is pretty relaxing.
I'm so used to it I can't handle Glasgow,
London or even Newcastle more than a couple of days in a row.
20Living in the Chicago suburbs is stressful due to traffic, but the city itself isn't very stressful due to the abundance of public transportation...but I have to say the winter in Chi-town SUCKS!
21I grew up in the South and I now live in Chicago, its a different pace but not stressful at all. I also enjoy the winters.
22I live like 30 minutes outside of Providence, and I can tell you, its not just Providence that is stressful. The whole state of Rhode Island is having a lot of unemployment issues. My sister and her boyfriend just graduated college, and they are having a really hard time finding jobs around here. They've gotten to the point where they are just applying everywhere, even if its really far away and they would have to move.
23America alone can stress people out.
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