A new study has revealed Lincoln as England's most stressed city, based on government data analysing factors such as divorces, anxiety, road safety, drug and alcohol misuse, and noise complaints. Researchers examined seven reports from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) covering physical and mental health, addictions, unemployment, and civil and criminal offences.
The study, conducted by office furniture firm Deskup, scored 90 major English cities and towns across 20 factors grouped into five categories: addiction, offences, physical activity, mental wellbeing, and social environment. Mental health accounted for 30% of the overall stress score, social environment 27%, physical health 20%, addiction 15%, and offences 8%.
Birmingham ranked second overall, with high levels of alcohol misuse, noise complaints, unemployment, rough sleeping, and workplace safety issues. Manchester came third, facing challenges with sedentary behaviour, road safety, rough sleeping, and divorce, alongside lower life satisfaction. Nottingham, Lancaster, and Liverpool completed the top five most stressed locations.
Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire was found to be the least stressed town, with low crime rates and better mental health compared to other areas. Chris Trembath from Deskup commented: 'Birmingham topping the list as the most stressed city isn't too surprising when you look at the challenges it faces. On the flip side, Newcastle-under-Lyme has lower crime rates and better mental health scores, which suggests a stronger sense of community and support.'
Trembath added that stress is not caused by a single factor but by a combination of elements, noting that job security, healthcare, and strong community ties all play significant roles in reducing stress. The study highlights how financial pressure and daily environmental stress can impact wellbeing, while also showing that towns with lower crime and better mental health can mitigate stress.
