England’s least stressed areas: new research has revealed England’s least stressed areas, with Dartford taking the top spot.
• Dartford takes the top spot as England’s least stressed area, based on new data from the Office for National Statistics
• Richmondshire and Surrey Heath take second and third, respectively
The study by CBD oil products company CBDfx analysed data from the Office for National Statistics’ new edition of their health index and picked three factors to measure across all local authorities: The mental health of residents, feelings of anxiety, and life satisfaction. Each local authority was scored based on these factors, and the area with the highest score was chosen as England’s least stressed area.
It found that Dartford is England’s least stressed area, with the area coming in with the best average score for stress at 127.8, indicating that stress levels in the area are nearly 28% better than the national average. The area scored 106.3 for mental health and 125.2 for life satisfaction, but its overall score is raised with a life satisfaction score of 152, the highest of any area.
The North Yorkshire district of Richmondshire takes second in the list, with a stress score of 124.7 based on each factor showing that stress levels are 24.7% better than the national average. This is due to a score of 110.4 for mental health, 132.6 for anxiety, and 131.1 for life satisfaction.
Surrey Heath ranks third on the list, with a stress score of 123.1. It scores best in anxiety with a score of 144.1, with the area also coming in with a score of 102.2 for mental health and 123.1 for life satisfaction.
The Lancashire area of Pendle takes fourth place, with a stress score of 122. This is due to a score of 114.2 for mental health, 130.3 for anxiety, and 121.4 for life satisfaction.
Rounding out the top five is High Peak, with the Derbyshire area scoring 121.7 on the study’s stress score. It scored 97.0 for mental health, 127.4 for anxiety, and 140.6 for life satisfaction.
The study found that the Harrow area scored best for mental health, scoring 129.9, but doesn’t make the top ten. Dartford scored best for feelings of anxiety with 152.0, and High Peak scored best for life satisfaction with 140.6.
# Area Name Mental health Feelings of anxiety Life satisfaction Stress score (Mental health, anxiety + life satisfaction average)
1 Dartford 106.3 152.0 125.2 127.8
2 Richmondshire 110.4 132.6 131.1 124.7
3 Surrey Heath 102.2 144.1 123.1 123.1
4 Pendle 114.2 130.3 121.4 122.0
5 High Peak 97.0 127.4 140.6 121.7
6 Rochford 114.2 128.0 120.4 120.9
7 Hambleton 95.9 134.4 127.3 119.2
8 Three Rivers 117.4 119.0 118.8 118.4
9 Hinckley and Bosworth 113.8 114.6 123.1 117.2
10 Lichfield 96.3 128.0 125.7 116.7
Score of 100 = National Average
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for CBDfx said: “It’s interesting to see just how much these areas score better for stress when compared to the national average, and how a few of these areas are considered more rural, showing that a break from urban life can be beneficial in some cases. What also is worth noting is how the different individual factors can be so different in certain areas, for example, with an area scoring lower than the national average for its mental health but higher for life satisfaction.”
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