Lansing Ranked Among 20 Worst U.S. Cities for Mental Well-Being
A new study by Lawnstarter ranking the mental well-being of the 500 largest cities in the United States finds that Lansing, Michigan, is among the 20 worst.
The data is part of the website's recent look at "2024's Most Relaxed U.S. Cities", and Michigan cities didn't fare all too well as a whole.
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The overarching study looked at 8 different key metrics, including mental, physical, and financial well-being; the availability of mental health boosters; work, environmental, and social stressors; and recreation options.
What Factors Into a City's Mental Well-Being?
When ranking cities by their mental well-being, the Lawnstarter study considered five main things:
- depression rates;
- the suicide rate over the most recent 5 years;
- the share of adults reporting frequent mental distress;
- the average number of poor mental health days per month;
- and the inadequate sleep rate.
Lansing's Mental Well-Being Struggles
An August 2024 article published by Lansing City Pulse quoted U of M Medicine governmental relations director Mandy Bolter as saying, "Lansing is in a mental health crisis. Our ER is built for 75 people, and we’re seeing 200 per day. Twenty to 30 of those people are mental health patients who are stuck there, and being a staff member working in an ER with emergency psych patients is not an easy thing to do."
Of the 500 largest cities in America, Lansing came in at #20 for overall mental well-being. Another Michigan city fared even worse - Flint, at #3.
Peep all the cities that made the Lawnstarter rankings here.
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