I was born and raised in New York City, and live there to this day. It’s an incredible place to live, full of excitement and opportunity. But there’s also a whole lot about it that can be difficult, frustrating, and stressful.
Apparently, so much so that New York City was crowed with a rather dubious honor: The most stressful city in all of America. This was a result of a study by Remitly, a money transfer server. They looked at 170 major cities worldwide and rated stressors such as the average amount of time it takes to commute on a daily basis, cost of living, how accessible and affordable the available healthcare options are, the crime index, and the air quality, as far as level of pollution.
The results of each of these categories contributed to what they called the “stress score,” and New York City scored scarily high (or, should we say low, considering the results?) and came in at 7.56 out of a possible 10. This was due to high crime, tons of traffic and population congestion, poor air quality, and out-of-control cost of living. Manhattan has some of the highest costs of living in the entire world, and that was a huge factor in this ranking as well!
“New York, United States, might be the city that never sleeps, but its relentless pace comes at a price…While excellent healthcare and cleaner air help offset some strain, financial pressure remains part of daily life in one of the world’s most dynamic cities,” read the ranking results.
As a lifetime New Yorker, I can’t help but agree. I’m a professional woman in my mid-forties and I can only afford to rent a small studio apartment (in a fourth-floor walkup!) in New York City. My health insurance now costs nearly as much as my rent, and no matter how much I work, making ends meet is often a struggle. It doesn’t help that this city is so expensive and you spend a ton of money just getting anywhere.
But despite being the most stressful city, what makes New York City a great city that I always encourage people to visit? It’s incredibly diverse, and that leads to incredible people with amazing stories and amazing food on every corner. It’s also bursting with creativity, in the form of the best shows and entertainment, and beauty and history is all around you.
So, yes, it’s stressful. But maybe sometimes take a moment to walk through Central Park or visit a landmark building and breathe for a bit. It’ll help!