Wealth Without Well-Being: U.S. Tops the World in Money, Not in Mood

The United States is showing signs of emotional fatigue. After weeks of a grinding federal shutdown, widening economic uncertainty, and a wave of immigration raids in major cities, nearly six-in-ten Americans are reporting record levels of stress, worry, and frustration on a daily basis.

A new Gallup and World Health Organization (WHO) study found that the country’s mood mirrors a global pattern defined by exhaustion and instability, rather than post-pandemic recovery. Although the U.S. is the world’s wealthiest nation overall, with a $29 trillion economy and more millionaires and billionaires than any other country, everyday citizens are deeply uneasy and stressed out.

In economic contrast, Burundi, with a life expectancy of 63, remains the world’s poorest nation, with a GDP per capita (PPP) of about $836 in 2024, reflecting deep economic hardship. South Sudan, with a life expectancy of 57, ranks just above it, with estimates between $716 and $1,155, underscoring how both nations struggle at the bottom of the global wealth scale.

According to “The State of the World’s Emotional Health 2025” report, nearly four in ten adults worldwide said they felt significant worry or stress during most of the previous day, a trend that has been growing over the last decade, WHO and Gallup researchers found. The data, drawn from 145,000 interviews across 144 nations, show that negative emotions such as anger, sadness, and pain continue to shadow much of the world’s population.

Caribbean nations, especially those closest to the Americas, reflect moderate to high stress and worry levels tied to economic fragility, political instability, and exposure to climate shocks. Classified as a fragile or conflict-affected state, Haiti shows high emotional distress, driven by political violence, poverty, and weak institutions. The Dominican Republic and Jamaica both reported above-average stress and worry, largely due to economic inequality and exposure to natural disasters. Trinidad and Tobago showed moderate distress, influenced by crime and economic volatility in the energy sector. Despite relatively peaceful conditions, emotional strain mirrors the instability of the broader Latin American and Caribbean region, the study noted.

The least stressed nations tend to be smaller, more egalitarian societies with strong community ties and social safety nets, researchers wrote. Countries such as Finland, Denmark, and Iceland regularly report the lowest stress levels and the highest levels of well-being, supported by balanced work hours, universal healthcare, and high trust in institutions.

How can the wealthiest nation on earth lead the world in stress? What role does America’s booming economy play in the nation’s growing lack of peace of mind?

Economists describe the national situation as “quiet recession anxiety” — a slow, grinding uncertainty that never fully fades. Gallup’s global analysis backs that up: even in relatively stable economies, worry and stress remain stubbornly high. Researchers warn that such emotions, when prolonged, can corrode physical health and shorten life expectancy.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, warned through his social media account that recession odds in the U.S. over the next 12 months are now at 48 percent, which he called an “uncomfortably high” level historically associated with downturns.

“It’s less than 50 (percent), but historically, the probability has never gotten this high, and a recession has not ensued,” he wrote on X.

Last month, researchers reported that an estimated 47.8 million Americans are currently living with depression — the highest number on record. The share of adults being treated for or experiencing depression has climbed to 18.3 percent in 2025, up eight percentage points since 2015, with most of the increase occurring after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Depression among young adults has surged sharply since 2017, with rates doubling from 13 percent to 26.7 percent in 2025, which is up from 24.6 percent in 2023, according to recent data. The rise is most severe among those under 30, signaling that mental health challenges continue to deepen for younger Americans.

Low-income households have been hit even harder. Among adults earning less than $24,000 a year, reported depression has climbed from 22.1 percent in 2017 to 35.1 percent in 2025, a 13-point jump in eight years, including a nine-point spike since 2023, highlighting the disproportionate burden of financial strain on mental health.

Earlier this year, researchers using Gallup data also said the U.S. has fallen to its lowest ranking ever (24th place)in the World Happiness Report 2025, underscoring a deepening crisis in social connection.  

According to WalletHub’s 2025 “Happiest States in America” report, Illinois ranks 22nd overall in well-being, based on factors such as emotional health, work satisfaction, and community engagement. It drew its conclusions from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others.

Illinois has the fifth-largest state GDP in the U.S., with a gross state product of about $1.13 trillion in 2024. In real GDP per person, Illinois ranks 12th among the 50 states, at roughly $70,443 (inflation-adjusted) in 2024.

Stability remains in question after the Trump administration targeted “The Land of Lincoln” for cuts in federal funding due to its sanctuary status and opposition to his threats of “war,” military intervention, and aggressive immigration tactics in Chicago and other Black-led cities, such as Broadview, Maywood, and Forest Park.

On Sept. 23, 2025, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker issued an executive order directing state agencies to identify spending cuts and build reserves in response to “unprecedented economic and fiscal impact” from changes in federal policy (e.g., H.R. 1, tariffs) that would reduce state revenues.

“Illinois has built a strong economy and proven its fiscal responsibility, but Trump’s disastrous policies threaten to undo that progress,” said Pritzker. “Trump and Congressional Republicans sealed one of the largest wealth transfers in American history, stripping health care, food assistance, and other essential supports for working families to fund permanent tax breaks for the wealthy. 

“At the same time, tariffs are hurting our farmers and businesses, slowing job growth, and driving up costs for Illinois families. I’m taking executive action to mitigate the impact of Trump’s economic policies on our state finances, maintain critical services, and preserve our economic stability,” the governor said.

That warning has special relevance for African American communities in Chicago, where the cost of stress is measurable in blood pressure readings, heart disease rates, and mental health statistics. According to state and city health data, the city’s South and West sides still bear the highest concentrations of stress-related illness rooted in a legacy of redlining, poverty, and environmental neglect. 

In many South Side neighborhoods, life expectancy is estimated in the low 60s, compared with well into the 80s in wealthier communities.  Data in the city’s health portal shows Chicago’s average life expectancy has climbed recently to about 78.7 years, but Black Chicagoans still face the lowest average life expectancy among racial groups. 

The amped up federal immigrant enforcement actions, job loss, threats of cuts to city services, a reported zero net worth, and negative, war-like rhetoric from the White House can’t be helping.

On city finances, Mayor Brandon Johnson has warned that Chicago has “reached a point of no return” financially, saying core systems like education, health care, housing, and transportation are “woefully underfunded” and the city must be creative in addressing looming shortfalls.

The mayor has repeatedly called for progressive revenue solutions at the state level. “We don’t have a spending problem, we have a revenue problem,” Johnson told the press at a budget briefing.

A 2024 report by The New School’s Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy found that the median net worth for Black Chicago-area households was $0. This means that, at the median, a Black family’s debts cancel out their assets. In contrast, the median net worth for white Chicago families is $210,000.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) says stress is a response to an external cause, goes away once the situation is resolved, and can be either positive or negative depending on the circumstance. Anxiety, on the other hand, is an internal reaction to stress and involves a persistent feeling of apprehension or dread, and is constant, even if there is no immediate threat.

The group recommends exercise, healthy eating, avoiding alcohol, and reaching out to family and friends as ways to combat stress. NAMI also offers a free helpline, support groups, and referrals to over 700 mental health resources in the Chicago area.  For assistance, people are encouraged to call  833-626-4244.

There was a silver lining in the State of the World’s Emotional Health report: Seventy-three percent of adults worldwide reported smiling or laughing a lot the previous day, and 73 percent still managed to identify some forms of enjoyment.