Study: A2 residents live low-stress lives

“A college town is a great place to live and Ann Arbor is
a great example of that,” said Bert Sperling, who conducted
the study with Oregon-based research firm Fast Forward, of which he
is chief executive officer. “The young people add vibrancy
and there is so much to do for the community, including sporting
events, plays and lecture series.”

Sperling has 16 years of experience analyzing people and places.
But students had a variety of reactions — from laughing to
raised eyebrows — to his latest study, which ranks Ann Arbor
the sixth least stressful city out of 100 like-sized metropolitan
areas in the country.

“I saw that study and I don’t know how they
calculated it, but it doesn’t seem appropriate to my stress
level,” said LSA freshman Amruta Mundade. She added that at
the least there is stress “trying to not lose sensation in my
limbs walking to class.”

Sperling’s survey, which was published this month, ranked
Tacoma, Wash. the most stressful city, followed by Miami, Fla. and
New Orleans, La. The least stressful city was Albany, N.Y. Detroit
was ranked as ninth most stressful.

Nine factors were considered in the study, including
unemployment rate, violent and property crime, commute time,
suicide rate, divorce rate, alcohol consumption, mental health and
the number of cloudy days normally experienced by each city.

Ann Arbor’s low unemployment rate — about 2 percent
and half that of the national average, according to
Sperling’s website — contributes to its low stress
level. Ranking in the 8th percentile, the city has a stable
economic base, and is populated by people who enjoy what
they’re doing, Sterling said.

“Ann Arbor is higher stress than where I live out in the
boonies in Jackson, but I used to work in East Lansing and people
are far more stressed out there,” said Erik Berg, assistant
manager at Kinko’s Inc. on East Liberty Street. “About
half the business people that come through here want their projects
completed by yesterday. But the other half are pretty cool about
when it can get done.”

When it comes to weather, the number of cloudy days in Ann Arbor
was high — in the 81st percentile — which can lead to
seasonal depression, Sperling said.

Ami Badami, an LSA freshman, said she thinks her stress level
will decrease when the snow is gone. “The winter adds stress
because you’re cooped up and less likely to go outside. So
either you’re studying or thinking about how you should be
studying,” she said.

Students who recognized that they have stress in their lives
said they have a variety of ways to cope with it. Anne Byrne, a
senior undergraduate who is currently in her second year at the
School of Nursing, said she balances her life to limit stress.
“I see different people in school, at my job, and where I
live, so I don’t get sick of them and I look forward to
coming into work,” she said.

LSA freshman Alyssa Torby said she limits her stress level with
constructive outlets. “There are lots of fun things to do to
let off steam, like cultural events. I like having a job, too. It
balances my time management. I like the interaction with the
community I get working at the front desk of a residence
hall,” she said.

Ann Arbor’s commute time was average compared to other
cities studied.

“I give myself extra time to drive around those parking
structures looking for a spot. And people are always following so
closely you can’t back out either. That drives me
crazy,” said Samantha Hillman, an employee at Harry’s
Army Surplus, who commutes about six days a week from Dearborn.

Jean Campbell, LSA freshman, said she enjoys walking to class.
“Driving adds a whole other level of stress, especially in
Michigan with the snow. (I like) going outside and getting a breath
of fresh air,” she said.

Among other statistics in the study, Ann Arbor had a fairly low
divorce rate: crime was in the 10th percentile, suicide was in the
43rd percentile (actually high for a town it’s size, Sterling
said) and mental health was in the 33rd percentile.