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New York City was recently ranked the “most stressed” city in the world. Having a higher income may protect you from some of that — for example, you may not be as stressed about housing costs — but not all of it.
If you’re a high earner, your stress may not come from financial anxiety. It may come from the sustained pressure it takes to maintain your life. That kind of stress tends to be less visible, even though it can affect your mental health just as much.
The Lieberman Center for Psychotherapeutics provides integrative psychiatry and stress management in NYC for high-achieving professionals who are looking for clinically sophisticated care. Our New York mental health clinics are located in Manhattan, Garden City (Long Island), and Scarsdale (Westchester County). Schedule a free consultation now.
Is NYC the most stressed city in the world?
A recent report from Remitly dubbed NYC “the most stressed-out city in the world.” This came as no surprise to most New Yorkers. But it’s important to understand exactly what this report measured, and how that conclusion was reached.
The report didn’t ask people how stressed they feel subjectively. It looked at external indicators, like cost of living, work intensity and hours, commute times, and safety, and used those to “measure” each city’s stress levels. Using those metrics, our beautiful city came out on “top.”
Those factors definitely matter, but they don’t completely capture what it’s like to live here day after day.
Other data paints a more nuanced picture. According to the American Psychological Association, about two-thirds of New Yorkers report being satisfied with their lives overall, which is comparable to the national average.
There is no objective, robust study that has measured which city has the highest stress levels. But the Remitly report rings true for many New York residents. And there’s no doubt that life in this city comes with unique stressors that most other people don’t need to deal with.
How living in NYC affects your mental health
Living in New York can be energizing and rewarding. Many of us love it, which is why we stay. But life here can also put an intense amount of pressure on your nervous system. It can be easy to overlook just how stressful life is here, especially when everyone around you is living at the same pace.
Why is living in New York so stressful?
A lot of the stress in NYC comes down to structural factors — things that are built into daily life, and you can’t usually avoid.
- Cost of living: The cost of living in NYC is one of the biggest sources of pressure. Just this month, the median rent in Manhattan rose to an all-time high of $5000 per month. That means that even high earners can feel financially stretched.
- Long commutes: Daily commutes can be physically and mentally draining. Long subway rides, crowded trains — or traffic if you’re driving — can add stress to your day before it even begins. Having to repeat that commute on the way home after putting in long hours can feel completely overwhelming.
- Work culture and pace: NYC work environments often reward long hours and high output, especially in fields like finance, law, and tech. It’s easy to internalize the expectation that you should always be doing more, which can keep your stress levels high.
- Safety concerns: Even if you’re not directly affected by crime, awareness of safety risks in NYC can increase vigilance. Reports show that New Yorkers tend to be more stressed about crime and safety overall.
None of these factors exists in isolation. They stack upon each other. Over time, they can create a baseline level of stress that starts to feel normal — “just part of life here” — even if your mental health is deteriorating.
How NYC stress can affect your mental health
People deal with the stress of living in the city in different ways. Some stress symptoms you might notice include:
- Anxiety: Your mind feels constantly active, like you’re always thinking ahead or anticipating the next problem. You might not necessarily be “worrying,” but just feel like your mind is racing.
- Irritability or anger: You might notice that you’re more irritable and lashing out. Small frustrations start to feel bigger than they are, especially when they build up without much downtime in-between.
- Depression: You might experience high-functioning depression, where you’re still showing up in important areas (like work) but feel emotionally numb inside.
- Insomnia: You could have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, even when you’re exhausted. Insomnia is one of the top mental health issues affecting C-suite executives.
- Unexplained physical symptoms: Stress can show up in your body as headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, or fatigue without a clear medical cause. You should always rule other medical conditions out, but these symptoms could be related to stress.
- Substance use: Alcohol, pain relievers, or prescription medications can start to feel like a way to decompress after long days. This can become a spiral over time, where you’re over-relying on these substances to cope.
A high income helps — but it doesn’t protect you completely
If you’re a high earner, you may have a buffer against some of the major sources of stress in the city, like living costs. But that doesn’t mean you’re 100% protected against the stress of living in NYC. If you’re experiencing overwhelming stress despite being stable, that’s valid.
Recent data highlights this clearly. Quality of life ratings among higher-income New Yorkers have declined sharply in recent years. The gap in satisfaction between income groups has narrowed. Households earning over $100,000 once reported noticeably higher satisfaction levels, but that advantage has faded.
Today, New Yorkers report nearly identical ratings of overall quality of life regardless of income. Only about 35% of people in both the lowest (less than $35k) and highest (over $200k) income brackets describe life here as “excellent” or “good.”
So why is this?
The relationship between income and happiness
First of all, the link between income and happiness is complex. A higher income does lead to more happiness, but for many people, it’s only up to a certain point. Research has found that for people who are already stressed and unhappy to begin with, earning a higher income doesn’t make them happier.
In other words, if you were already stressed about life in NYC, then you may continue to feel that way, even as you move up the ranks in your career.
High income in NYC often comes with high-pressure environments
Many high earners in NYC work in demanding fields that require long hours and constant availability. You may face intense pressure at work and have to make high-stakes decisions.
That kind of environment can keep your stress response activated for extended periods of time. Even when you’re not at work, it can be difficult to fully disconnect and relax.
Over time, that can lead to mental health concerns like burnout, anxiety, substance use, and insomnia.
The mental health profile of high achievers
Having a high-achieving mindset is a great strength, and it often means you show grit and resilience even when times get tough. But there are also unique mental health challenges that come with being a high achiever.
You may hold yourself to very high standards or feel a constant need to improve. It can be difficult to feel satisfied with what you’ve already achieved, especially when you’re surrounded by other high performers.
In NYC, where success is highly visible and often compared against other people, this kind of pressure can become more intense. Even if you’re doing well by most standards, it may never feel like enough.
Psychiatry & stress management therapy NYC for overwhelmed executives
Whether NYC is truly “the most stressed city in the world” is up for debate. But if you feel overwhelmed by the pace of life here — despite fiercely loving the city — that’s completely valid. And the solution may be deeper than simply practicing relaxation techniques.
Our New York mental health clinic is led by a former attorney who understands exactly what it’s like to maintain a high-pressure life. We specialize in helping executives and other professionals in high-stakes careers to learn how to manage stress in evidence-based ways.
We use integrative psychiatry practices, including labwork, genetic testing, and targeted supplementation, to help you identify the underlying causes of your stress (and other symptoms). We’ll walk with you every step of the way with the goal of targeting these issues at their root.
If you’re ready to start integrative psychiatry for stress management in NYC, schedule a free discovery call today.
Brad Lieberman, PMHMP-BC, JD, MSN, is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner providing integrative psychiatry in NYC. A former attorney trained at Columbia and Johns Hopkins, he brings analytical rigor and advocacy to his patients’ mental healthcare.