The number of people dealing with anxiety and depression in each state has changed significantly over the last two years. Our team of analysts found that anxiety and depression levels increased during the first year of the pandemic, decreased dramatically in 2021 and are now rising again.

Key findings:

  • Nearly 30% of people are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression
  • Anxiety and depression has increased by as much as 89% in some states since 2021
  • Mississippi and Oklahoma have the highest rates of anxiety and depression

Changes in anxiety or depression in each state

Anxiety and depression levels have fluctuated throughout the pandemic. Levels first started rising in early 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic began and peaked in December 2020 when 43% of people were dealing with either anxiety, depression or both. The number of people dealing with anxiety and depression then decreased throughout 2021 to a low of 29% before gradually rising in the beginning of 2022.

Anxiety Depression COVID  

Nationwide, nearly 30% of Americans are struggling with feelings of anxiety or depression several times a week. However, some states' struggles are particularly pronounced. We found that the number of people dealing with anxiety or depression increased by more than 15% in eight states over the last year.

Anxiety and depression changes in each state
State % of people with symptoms of anxiety or depression % change since 2021
Alabama 31% 11%
Alaska 31% 5%
Arizona 29% 5%
Arkansas 28% -16%
California 33% 2%
Colorado 24% -27%
Connecticut 30% -7%
Delaware 24% -7%
Florida 28% -2%
Georgia 29% -5%
Hawaii 25% -4%
Idaho 29% 1%
Illinois 30% 2%
Indiana 29% 3%
Iowa 28% 7%
Kansas 28% 11%
Kentucky 36% 14%
Louisiana 31% -8%
Maine 31% 16%
Maryland 28% 1%
Massachusetts 31% 9%
Michigan 32% 11%
Minnesota 27% 11%
Mississippi 38% 18%
Missouri 32% 19%
Montana 32% 19%
Nebraska 29% 14%
Nevada 30% 6%
New Hampshire 32% 16%
New Jersey 30% 13%
New Mexico 32% 11%
New York 32% -1%
North Carolina 28% 0%
North Dakota 30% 28%
Ohio 28% -1%
Oklahoma 38% 15%
Oregon 33% 0%
Pennsylvania 32% 4%
Rhode Island 25% -5%
South Carolina 31% 2%
South Dakota 19% -21%
Tennessee 32% -4%
Texas 34% 5%
Utah 37% 33%
Vermont 26% -9%
Virginia 30% -7%
Washington 34% 10%
West Virginia 31% -2%
Wisconsin 27% -11%
Wyoming 27% -17%
United States 30% 3%

States with the most anxiety and depression

Kentucky, Utah and Oklahoma have the highest numbers of people who are dealing with anxiety. More than 30% of people in these three states reported feeling symptoms of anxiety almost every day. New Hampshire, Vermont and Colorado experienced the biggest changes in anxiety levels over the last year. The number of people dealing with anxiety increased by 59% in New Hampshire and decreased by nearly 30% in Vermont and Colorado.

Depression is highest in Oklahoma, Mississippi and Texas. Nearly 25% of people in those three states say they feel depressed almost every day. Delaware, Colorado and South Dakota reported the lowest numbers of people experiencing symptoms of depression. The number of people dealing with depression increased by nearly 50% in six states.

Anxiety in each state
State % experiencing Anxiety % change since 2021
Alabama 26% 10%
Alaska 25% 8%
Arizona 25% 6%
Arkansas 24% -17%
California 26% 0%
Colorado 21% -27%
Connecticut 24% -13%
Delaware 21% -2%
Florida 21% -15%
Georgia 22% -15%
Hawaii 20% 4%
Idaho 26% 10%
Illinois 25% 3%
Indiana 23% -7%
Iowa 23% 5%
Kansas 24% 13%
Kentucky 33% 34%
Louisiana 26% 4%
Maine 27% 17%
Maryland 24% 11%
Massachusetts 26% 4%
Michigan 25% 0%
Minnesota 23% 14%
Mississippi 28% 2%
Missouri 27% 21%
Montana 26% 4%
Nebraska 25% 22%
Nevada 26% 4%
New Hampshire 29% 59%
New Jersey 24% 1%
New Mexico 25% 10%
New York 27% -1%
North Carolina 25% 5%
North Dakota 24% 12%
Ohio 23% -1%
Oklahoma 30% 11%
Oregon 28% -3%
Pennsylvania 27% 2%
Rhode Island 19% 0%
South Carolina 26% -3%
South Dakota 16% -10%
Tennessee 25% -7%
Texas 27% 4%
Utah 32% 39%
Vermont 20% -28%
Virginia 24% -13%
Washington 28% 2%
West Virginia 25% 0%
Wisconsin 22% -13%
Wyoming 22% -23%
United States 25% 0%
Depression in each state
State % experiencing depression % change since 2021
Alabama 19% 11%
Alaska 18% 10%
Arizona 18% 20%
Arkansas 20% 10%
California 21% 5%
Colorado 12% -37%
Connecticut 16% -14%
Delaware 13% -27%
Florida 17% -10%
Georgia 17% -6%
Hawaii 13% -12%
Idaho 18% 26%
Illinois 14% -16%
Indiana 17% -5%
Iowa 16% 0%
Kansas 17% 8%
Kentucky 22% 79%
Louisiana 19% 11%
Maine 17% -19%
Maryland 13% -4%
Massachusetts 18% 28%
Michigan 20% 22%
Minnesota 16% 22%
Mississippi 23% 87%
Missouri 18% 7%
Montana 17% 19%
Nebraska 15% 3%
Nevada 20% 21%
New Hampshire 20% 38%
New Jersey 18% 38%
New Mexico 17% 2%
New York 22% 15%
North Carolina 18% -13%
North Dakota 17% 9%
Ohio 15% 22%
Oklahoma 27% 28%
Oregon 19% -5%
Pennsylvania 19% 1%
Rhode Island 14% -26%
South Carolina 19% 49%
South Dakota 11% -26%
Tennessee 19% 46%
Texas 22% 10%
Utah 21% 18%
Vermont 16% -17%
Virginia 17% 3%
Washington 20% 5%
West Virginia 20% 19%
Wisconsin 17% -10%
Wyoming 17% -4%
United States 19% 7%

Anxiety or depression by demographics

Men, women and people of different ages, ethnicities and education levels have all experienced the pandemic differently. Women report having higher levels of anxiety and depression than men, while older and more educated Americans currently have some of the lowest levels of anxiety or depression.

When we looked at race and ethnicity, our analysts found that Asian communities have experienced the largest declines in anxiety or depression. Black, white and Hispanic communities report roughly the same levels of anxiety or depression.

Ethnicity and anxiety or depression
Demographics % experiencing anxiety % experiencing depression
Hispanic 26% 22%
Asian 15% 13%
Black 24% 20%
White 25% 18%
Anxiety or depression by age and gender
Age % experiencing anxiety % experiencing depression
18-29 years 38% 31%
30-39 years 35% 25%
40-49 years 29% 20%
50-59 years 23% 18%
60-69 years 15% 11%
70-79 years 11% 8%
80 years and above 8% 7%
Men 22% 17%
Women 28% 20%
Education level and anxiety or depression
Education level % experiencing anxiety % experiencing depression
No high school diploma 26% 22%
High school diploma or GED 25% 21%
Some college/associate's degree 30% 23%
Bachelor's degree or higher 21% 12%

Sexuality and mental health

People who identify as gay or lesbian are more likely to report feeling symptoms of anxiety or depression than people who identify as straight. However, this trend depends heavily on where someone lives. Anxiety and depression levels are two to four times higher in gay and lesbian communities in the midwest and south than in straight communities in those same states.

In Alabama, for example, anxiety and depression levels are around 80% in the gay and lesbian community and around 20% in the straight community. In western states like Washington, Oregon and California however, anxiety and depression levels are nearly the same regardless of sexuality.

Sexual orientation and anxiety or depression
State % experiencing anxiety - straight % experiencing anxiety - gay or lesbian % experiencing depression - straight % experiencing depression - gay or lesbian
Alabama 22% 86% 16% 82%
Alaska 23% 36% 17% 30%
Arizona 22% 63% 14% 56%
Arkansas 22% 46% 19% 36%
California 24% 23% 19% 27%
Colorado 16% 25% 10% 12%
Connecticut 22% 22% 15% 20%
Delaware 19% 30% 12% 12%
Florida 20% 41% 16% 29%
Georgia 17% 43% 12% 28%
Hawaii 19% 7% 13% 7%
Idaho 24% 11% 16% 21%
Illinois 24% 33% 14% 11%
Indiana 19% 41% 15% 22%
Iowa 17% 75% 12% 28%
Kansas 20% 64% 15% 48%
Kentucky 29% 37% 18% 28%
Louisiana 25% 49% 19% 18%
Maine 23% 46% 14% 22%
Maryland 20% 39% 11% 37%
Massachusetts 22% 42% 16% 22%
Michigan 23% 12% 19% 28%
Minnesota 19% 25% 13% 20%
Mississippi 27% 36% 23% 5%
Missouri 25% 45% 16% 33%
Montana 25% 30% 16% 30%
Nebraska 22% 26% 14% 8%
Nevada 22% 36% 17% 21%
New Hampshire 24% 51% 15% 56%
New Jersey 21% 24% 16% 20%
New Mexico 21% 36% 13% 22%
New York 25% 30% 21% 25%
North Carolina 22% 29% 14% 33%
North Dakota 20% 67% 14% 62%
Ohio 21% 59% 13% 69%
Oklahoma 28% 46% 23% 33%
Oregon 23% 33% 16% 16%
Pennsylvania 24% 49% 16% 45%
Rhode Island 18% 3% 13% 12%
South Carolina 25% 36% 19% 11%
South Dakota 14% 9% 10% 9%
Tennessee 22% 53% 16% 36%
Texas 24% 27% 20% 20%
Utah 27% 58% 16% 56%
Vermont 18% 46% 14% 46%
Virginia 21% 26% 16% 17%
Washington 25% 28% 16% 27%
West Virginia 22% 48% 18% 48%
Wisconsin 17% 15% 13% 7%
Wyoming 19% 10% 14% 31%

Methodology:

QuoteWizard evaluated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mental health data on each state’s frequency of anxiety or depression from April 2020 to May 2022. We then compared the data over time and across state, gender, age, educational and ethnic lines.

References:

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