Jersey on the Edge: NJ Ranked Third Most Stressed Out State

Real estate blog Movoto has ranked New Jersey the third most stressed state in the US. They used the length of the commute, hours spent at work, population density, amount of income spent on housing, and percentage of population who don't have health insurance to rank the states. 

1. The Commute: The average is half an hour, and for the overwhelming majority (80 percent) that means driving. And that means traffic., which is probably why 15 percent of New Jersey workers have commutes longer than 60 minutes. 

Better make sure you've got your EZ pass, too: 14 percent of New Jersey residents travel out of state for work. The flow of New Jersey residents working in New York is higher than any other interstate commute in the country. 

2. The Workweek: The average New Jerseyan 38.5 hours per week, according to The American Community Survey Movoto used. But a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists New Jersey as the highest average earnings per hour, at $34.03. So we may have to disagree with Movoto on this count. 

3. The Cost of Living: The majority of New Jersey residents spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Whether you rent or own a house or apartment, most real estate brokers suggest spending only a quarter of your income on housing. 

4. Lack of Health Insurance: 58 percent of New Jersey residents don't have health insurance, including more than half of the seniors in the state. Ironically, this paywall might keep residents from seeking treatment for stress and stress-related illness. 

5. The Population Density: Motovo thinks the worst thing about New Jersey is how crammed together we all are: New Jersey has the densest population at 1195.5 people per square mile. 

Movoto also pointed out New Jersey's high property taxes, which WalletHub places as third worst in the US when adjusted for the cost of living. Only Georgia and Florida were ranked as more stressed than New Jersey.

Do you agree with Movoto? Are you feeling stressed?