The States With the Most—And Least—People in Financial Distress

Americans are under stress when it comes to their finances, and it's a problem that could be even worse depending on the state you live in.

Just how stressed are Americans feeling about their personal finances? A Gallup poll, for example, found that only 16% of Americans feel financially fulfilled. A majority of Americans said it's harder for younger Americans to achieve financial milestones like buying a house or saving for the future, according to Pew Research Center.

But that stress can vary depending on which state you live in, with more stress on some people more than others. Here's which states are feeling the most—and least—stress, according to data from WalletHub.

The Most Financial Stress

1. Kansas
2. Louisiana
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. South Carolina

Kansas tops the list as the state with the most financial distress for its residents based on data reviewed by WalletHub. Kansans are searching online for terms that reflect their distress, with queries for financial terms like "debt" and "loans" at a high rate, pushing them to the top spot. The state also saw around a 12% increase in non-business bankruptcy filings in the past year causing stress among residents.

Southern states are also showing signs of stress, with four states in the top five in this region. These states include high numbers of residents with accounts in distress or credit accounts with deferred payments. The dramatic changes in bankruptcy filings from March 2025 to March 2026 were also major factors for Florida and Texas, which made the top-five rankings in that category.

Southern states also made an impression on the top 10 rankings for WalletHub as well with North Carolina and Georgia making the list. Mississippi and Alabama barely missed out, ranking 11th and 14th, respectively on the list. 

The Least Financial Stress

1. Maine
2. Rhode Island
3. Hawaii
4. Vermont
5. Michigan

New England states dominate the list of least-stressed, with three states in the top five and a fourth—New Hampshire— in the list's top 10 states with the least amount of financial stress.

Maine ranked well when it came to accounts in distress and credit scores, as well as online searches. Terms such as "debt" and "loans" came up less in Maine than most other states on the list. Mainers also saw the least change in bankruptcy filings between March 2025 and March 2026.

Rhode Island and Vermont did well when it came to residents with accounts in distress, but both states were beaten by Michigan in that category. The Great Lakes state ended up with the lowest rank for people with accounts in distress and the average number of accounts in distress.

Michigan was joined by other Great Lakes states in the 10 states with the least amount of financial stress with Wisconsin and Illinois showing little signs of personal financial stress for their residents.

Financial Stress Is Felt Throughout the Country

Surveys conducted by Gallup illustrate how frustrated adults in U.S. and Canada are with their finances, regardless of which state they live in.

Only 16% of U.S. and Canada adults consider themselves financially fulfilled, while 32% describe themselves as financially stressed. A majority of respondents— 51%—said they were financially conflicted.

One of the major issues of conflict is the high cost of living and inflation, which Americans say is the biggest financial problem they face. The high cost of living was a major issue for 31% of respondents, followed by energy costs and the cost of housing tied at 13%. Another 8% of respondents said healthcare costs are the more important financial issue they're currently facing, according to Gallup.

More State-By-State Data: