Stressed? The Least and Most Stressful Cities Index 2021 will show you where you can move to for a happier, less stressful life
If you’re really looking to escape from Hong Kong’s demanding city stress, perhaps it’s time to consider a change of environment.
According to The Least and Most Stressful Cities Index 2021, which analyzed and ranked a hundred global cities according to how stressful they are, Hong Kong ranked at number 74, placing just above New York and Kuala Lumpur—a non-shocker to most Hong Kongers seeing that the city has been named one of the unhappiness places on Earth time and time again. Hong Kong’s ranking took a hit from the city’s low social security score of 17.4 out of 100, placing it as the third worst city for social security.
The title of the least stressful city in the world was won by Reykjavik, Iceland’s coastal capital city. Reykjavik offers sweeping nature views of the sea and green hills while also being home to the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. In March, Iceland was named the second happiest country in the world, falling behind Finland, which won four consecutive years in a row since 2018.
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Following Reykjavik, Bern, Switzerland came in second place as the least stressful city in the world, while Helsinki, Finland came third. The study, which was commissioned by CBD brand Vaay, looked at fifteen stress indicators based on structural and environmental factors including safety, unemployment rate, air pollution, density, social security, mental health, access to healthcare and more. Researchers began their study with 500 cities in the world before removing those without reliable data, narrowing it down to the top chosen 100 cities.
On the other side of the spectrum, Mumbai, India’s largest city, was the most stressed city. Mumbai is followed by Lagos, Nigeria, and Manila, Philippines. Shanghai, the only Chinese city that made it to the list, ranked at number 83, making it the 18th most stressful city to live in worldwide.