Right off the bat, I can tell you that we're not talking about finances here. Which is pretty shocking considering how expensive New Jersey is to live in.

Another shock is that New Jersey isn't among the most stressed-out states in the nation. In fact, we actually fall fairly close to the top 10 least stressed states in the country.

There is, however, one category that sticks out like a sore thumb. Had it not been for this, New Jersey could easily land within the top 10 states with the least amount of stress.

According to Wallet Hub, New Jersey ranks 39th out of all 50 states where its citizens are feeling the most stress. If you look at this from the opposite perspective, New Jersey would be the 11th least stressful state.

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11th Least Stressful?

What's more, we ranked 48th in having the most money-related stress. That's pretty amazing since our state is so incredibly expensive when it comes to taxes.

We landed in the 41st position for having the most family-related stress, and 38th for having the most health-related stress. It's no wonder we're only the 39th most stressed-out state in the nation.

But... we might've done even better if it weren't for one key category. And it was this single category that no doubt prevented us from being among one of the top least stressed-out states.

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The Outlier

Apparently, our biggest stressor is work-related. According to Wallet Hub, New Jersey ranks as the 7th most stressed state in the category of work-related stress.

The biggest reason for this shouldn't surprise anyone. It all boils down to job security.

It's not that we're worried about our finances specifically. Instead, we're more concerned that we're going to lose our jobs and not be able to afford the quality of life we have now.

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The Top 10 Least Stressed Cities In America

According to Wallethub, These are the ten least stressed cities in America.

Gallery Credit: Kyle Matthews

New Jersey home price increases in 2024 by county

The New Jersey real estate market continues to chug along.
Below is a county-by-county breakdown of median home prices and how they much they jumped in 2024. Many counties saw double-digit increases in home values, according to the data from New Jersey Realtors from November 2023 to November 2024.

Gallery Credit: Rick Rickman

17 towns in NJ among 100 hottest real estate markets

New Jersey locations that made the Top 100 list by Realtor.com measuring views on real estate listings and average length of time on the market.

Gallery Credit: Realtor.com

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.

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