Study Finds Most Irritated Cities to Be in the South

Rochester, NYAgents whose clients live in the South should consider sending them North. A study commissioned by Sperling’s BestPlaces, on behalf of Edge Shaving Gel's "anti-irritation zone" campaign, found the most "irritated" cities in the United States included Atlanta (number one), Houston (number two), Washington D.C. (number three), Baltimore (number four) and Los Angeles. Up (mostly) North, among the lowest, were Rochester (number 50), Milwaukee (number 49), Minneapolis (number 48), Buffalo (number 47) and Tucson (number 46). Factors affecting irritation levels included overall traffic congestion, weather and flight delays, sleeplessness and the presence of comedy clubs.

Atlanta ranked high in all categories. Houston and Washington ranked high in sleep difficulties and long commutes, compared to Baltimore's higher-than-average commute times and sleeplessness rates. In contrast, Rochester ranked low across the board, followed closely by Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Buffalo. Closing in on Buffalo was Tucson, which reported the lowest air pollution and the least in sleep difficulty, in spite of high heat-index rankings.

The study examined 11 categories, which compared national data to find metropolitan rankings. Categories included were humidity levels; weather conditions; incidence of traffic delays and congestion; average commute times; frequency of flight delays and cancellations; rates of sleeplessness; underemployment; pollens and allergens; pests and comedy clubs per capita. While examining categories, BestPlace's study discovered differences specific to each region.

Most Irritating Commutes

New York holds the longest overall commute time, while Los Angeles experiences the most delays— totaling 70 hours per year stuck in traffic, compared to Rochester's eight.

Most Irritating Weather and Airports

Nashville is the highest in irritating weather, including rain and thunderstorms, while New Orleans has the highest rates of humidity. Oklahoma City residents reported the most irritating airport delays, averaging nearly an hour's delay on departures and 51 minutes on arrivals. In contrast, Portland, OR, has the fewest delays and overall flight cancellations.

Most Irritating Cities to Sleep In

True to its designation as "the city that never sleeps," New York reports the highest number of sleepless nights, at 11 nights of sleep difficulties per month. Comparatively, Chicago and San Francisco ranked the lowest at six and seven nights per month, respectively.

Most Comedy Clubs Per Capita

Las Vegas, Austin and Kansas City found the most respite relief in comedy. Dallas, Memphis and Philadelphia found the least.