More Than 1 in 3 People in This State Suffer From Anxiety or Depression

We are quickly finding out that depressive disorders and anxiety are more common than we thought they were. There were especially large increases in the percentage of adults who reported clinically significant levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The largest increases were in people aged 18 to 29 at the time, or those who had less than a high school education. The national average anxiety score increased by 13% from August to December 2020. Additionally, the national depression score increased by 14.8% in the same period. So, what states were most impacted? Let’s look at those with the highest depression and anxiety rates.

To populate this list we used the data from a recent study by mushroom spore specialists SporesMD, which aggregated data from healthcare record systems, to determine the aggregate percentage of the population of each state that exhibited signs of either anxiety or depressive disorders. (Here's how to tell the difference between depression and anxiety.)

The least depressed and anxious state in the United States is Minnesota, according to SporesMD's probe into the health care system's records. 25.47% of Minnesota residents have a diagnosis of a depressive or anxiety disorder. (Podcast fan? These are the top podcasts for mental health.)

The state with the second-lowest rate of depression and anxiety is Vermont. 26.19% of people in Vermont are being treated for a depressive disorder, anxiety, or both.

Moving into the bottom three, we have Hawai'i with the third-lowest incidence of depressive and anxiety disorders in the country. 26.24% of Hawai'i residents and native Hawai'ians report struggling with symptoms of some type of depressive or anxiety disorder.

Delaware has the fourth-lowest rate of depression and anxiety in the United States. 26.33% of Delaware residents receive treatment in-state for anxiety, depression, or both.

In the state of Wisconsin, approximately 26.69% of residents have a diagnosis of a depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, or both. This means Wisconsin has the fifth-lowest rate of these disorders nationwide.

Twenty-seven percent of North Dakota residents receiving care in the state get treated for depression, anxiety, or both, making it the sixth-least depressed and anxious state in the country.

As per SporesMD's recent study, Maryland has the seventh-lowest rate of depression and anxiety in the U.S. This state's residents have an incidence rate of anxiety and depressive diagnoses of 27.15%

Going back out to the Midwest, South Dakota has the eighth-lowest incidence of anxiety and depressive disorders in the country. 27.18% of South Dakota residents report clinically significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both.

Right next door to New York is New Jersey, which has the ninth-lowest rates of depression and anxiety. 27.51% of New Jersey residents who receive care in the state get treated for either a depressive disorder, anxiety, or both.

According to SporesMD's recent study, New York is the 10th-least depressed and anxious state. Their data shows that 27.55% of New Yorkers have a diagnosis of depression or anxiety.

The state of Connecticut ranks as the 11th-least likely state for people to have depressive or anxiety disorder diagnoses. 27.81% of Connecticut residents receive in-state treatment for anxiety or depression.

SporesMD uncovered that Rhode Island has the 12th-lowest rates of anxiety and depressive disorders in the U.S. 28.02% of the Rhode Island population reports clinically significant symptoms of a depressive or anxiety disorder.

New Hampshire was the state with the 13th-least incidences of depression and anxiety in America. In this state, 28.35% of the population is receiving treatment for some type of anxiety or depressive disorder.

According to SporesMD's study, Nebraska is the 14th-least depressed and anxious state in the nation. 28.92% of Nebraska's population that receives care in the state has a diagnosis of some kind of depressive or anxiety disorder.

The state with the 15th-lowest rate of anxiety and depression diagnoses in the U.S. is Maine. 28.98% of Maine's population receives some kind of treatment for a depression or anxiety diagnosis.

Virginia has the 35th-highest (or 16th-lowest, depending on how you look at it) rate of depression and anxiety in the United States. 29.07% of the population in this state suffers from clinically significant symptoms of anxiety or depression.

The state of Illinois is the 34th-most depressed and anxious state, as per SporesMD's recent study. 29.21% of people receiving care in the state get treatment for an anxiety disorder of some kind or a depressive disorder.

According to SporesMD, Massachusetts has the 33rd-highest rates of depression and anxiety in the country. 29.38% of people in the Bay State experience clinically significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both.

Michigan was SporesMD's 32nd state for the highest rates of anxiety and depression. According to their study, 29.52% of Michigan residents have a diagnosis of depression, an anxiety disorder, or both.

The 31st-most anxious and depressed state in the United States, according to SporesMD, is Iowa. Their data indicates that 29.8% of Iowa's population reports clinically significant symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both.

SporesMD found that Kansas ranks as the 30th state for the most depressed and anxious people in the country. Their study shows that 29.63% of people receiving care in the state of Kansas get treatment for anxiety, depression, or both.

As per SporesMD's data, Arizona came in 29th for the highest rates of depressive disorders and anxiety. 29.71% of the people in Arizona reported clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both during the window of records studied.

North Carolina was the 28th-most depressed and anxious state in the Union, according to SporesMD's recent study. The study shows that 29.86% of North Carolinians are receiving in-state treatment for symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both.

The 27th state for the highest rates of anxiety and depression in 2024 is Pennsylvania. 29.89% of Pennsylvanians experience clinically significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both.

Moving toward the bottom of the list, Montana came in 26th for the highest rates of depressive disorders and anxiety in the United States. 30.04% of Montana's population is receiving care in-state for clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both.

Right in the middle of the list is Colorado, the 25th-most anxious and depressed state in the country. 30.46% of people from Colorado who receive medical care in the state are being treated for symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both.

Approaching the median line, South Carolina has the 24th-highest rate of anxiety and depression according to SporesMD. The recent probe indicates that 30.48% of South Carolinians struggle with symptoms of an anxiety disorder or a depressive disorder, such as major depressive disorder.

California has the 23rd-highest rate of depression and anxiety, according to the data from SporesMD. Their study shows that 30.49% of Californians report clinically significant symptoms of a depressive disorder, anxiety, or both.

According to SporesMD, the 22nd-most anxious and depressed state in the U.S. is Washington state. They found that 30.73% of Washington state residents were receiving care in-state for clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both.

Alaska was the 21st state with the highest rates of depression and anxiety in the country, according to SporesMD. 30.89% of Alaskan residents who receive medical care in the state were being treated for symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both.

The state of Florida was the 20th-most depressed and anxious state in the U.S., according to SporesMD. Their data indicates that 30.95% of Floridians experience clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both.

The 19th-most anxious and depressed state according to SporesMD's probe was Ohio. In this state, 31.12% of people experience symptoms of depression or anxiety.

The state of Idaho doesn't just have a ton of potatoes, it also has a massive rate of depression and anxiety, the 18th-highest in the country. 31.15% of Idaho residents report clinically significant symptoms of a depressive disorder, anxiety, or both, according to SporesMD.

According to SporesMD, the 17th-most depressed and anxious state in the Union is Indiana, where 31.35% of people are receiving care for a depressive disorder, anxiety, or both.

SporesMD found that Wyoming was the 16th-most anxious and depressed state in America. The data from their study indicates that 31.52% of Wyoming residents getting medical care in the state are being treated for symptoms of either an anxiety disorder or a depressive disorder like major depressive disorder.

The 15th-most depressed and anxious state in America is Tennessee. According to SporesMD, 31.74% of the population experiences clinically significant symptoms of a depressive disorder or anxiety.

Georgia was the 14th-most depressed and anxious state in the U.S., according to SporesMD. Their data shows that 31.77% of Georgians report clinically significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both.

The study from SporeMD indicates that Missouri is the 13th-most depressed and anxious state in the Union, with at least 31.85% of residents being treated for symptoms of a depressive disorder or anxiety.

According to SporesMD, Texas has the 12th-highest rate of depression and anxiety in the nation. Their probe found that 31.88% of Texans experience clinically significant symptoms of either depression or anxiety.

SporesMD found that the 11th-most depressed and anxious state in America is New Mexico. Their study discovered that 32.4% of New Mexico residents receiving regular care in the state were being treated for anxiety, depression, or both.

The 10th state with the highest rates of anxiety and depression according to SporesMD's study is Oregon. The organization's data reports that 32.79% of Oregon residents receive care for depression, anxiety, or both.

The SporesMD probe indicated that Nevada was the ninth-most depressed and anxious state in the country. According to their data, 33.52% of Nevada residents are receiving care in the state for depression, anxiety, or both.

The study from SporesMD showed that the eighth-most anxious and depressed state in the United States is Alabama. According to their probe, 33.62% of people in Alabama receive regular care for depression, anxiety, or both.

According to SporesMD, the seventh-most depressed and anxious state in the United States is Utah. Their study found that 33.87 % of Utah residents receiving regular medical care in the state were being treated for depression, anxiety, or both.

SporesMD's study indicates that the sixth-most depressed and anxious state in the U.S. is Kentucky. The study found that at least 33.87% of Kentucky residents receiving regular healthcare in the state are getting treatment for anxiety, depression, or both.

Coming in fifth for the most depressed and anxious state in the United States is West Virginia. SporesMD's look at the health records systems in America found that 33.95% of West Virginians suffer from anxiety, a depressive disorder, or both.

Another state with a high rate of depression and anxiety is Arkansas. The probe by SporesMD showed that at least 34.51% of people from Arkansas are receiving treatment for depression, anxiety, or both within the state.

The third-most anxious and depressed state according to SporesMD's study is Oklahoma. Their research into health records revealed that 34.54% of Oklahoma's population is currently receiving treatment for anxiety, depression, or both.

The study by SporesMD showed that 34.98% of Louisana residents receiving medical care in the state reported clinically significant levels of symptoms of either anxiety or a depressive disorder.

According to SporesMD's study, the state with the highest rate of anxiety and depression in the United States is Mississippi. SporesMD's study indicates that at least 35.46% of Mississippi residents receiving care in the state are getting treatment for a depressive disorder, anxiety, or both.