Study: Los Angeles is the 2nd Most Stressful City in the U.S.

Small business journal Portfolio.com yesterday released a study detailing the most and least stressful cities in the country, finding Detroit at the top of the list and Salt Lake City at the bottom. It wasn't based on personal interviews, rather it was based on data from issues that contribute to a populace's stress: Unemployment, poverty, unhealthy air, commuting and sunshine, to name a few.

L.A. may have the sunshine going for it, making it attractive for businesses and employees, but not everything else is up to par.

"The runner-up on the stress index is Los Angeles, which is saddled with the most expensive housing and second-worst air pollution among the 50 biggest metros," said Portfolio. "It’s also afflicted with an unemployment rate of 11.6 percent."

Speaking to that point, Editor J. James Moss added, in an interview with Reuters, that "Unemployment and the general state of the economy are certainly adding to stress, especially in larger metropolitan areas in which most workers live."

Riverside came in fourth, followed by Sacramento at 19, Las Vegas at 21, San Francisco-Oakland at 22, San Diego at 26 and San Jose at 38. The full list can be downloaded here (.pdf).