This Is the Best Place to Live if You Love a Good Night's Sleep
Good sleep is essential for good health — both physical and financial. A 2016 RAND study found that the United States sustains economic losses of up to $411 billion per year thanks to the lower productivity rates and higher mortality risks caused by inadequate sleep.
For adults between the ages of 18 and 60, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting at least seven hours of sleep per night. In 2014, 35.2% of all adults reported sleeping less than the recommended amount, and it’s a good bet that number is higher now. A 2021 American Academic Academy of Sleep survey found that 56% of Americans reported an increase in sleeping disruptions since the onset of the pandemic.
Using data drawn from our 2021 Best Place to Live list, Money ranked counties based on the percentage of adults reporting less than seven hours of shuteye per night. The worst place for sleep quality was Honolulu, Hawaii, with nearly half the population reporting insufficient sleep. The Boulder County, Colorado area came in first place, with just 26.6% of adults in the towns of Lafayette, Boulder and Longmont reporting insufficient sleep.
Located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder County is a mecca for active families and outdoor enthusiasts. Just 30 miles from Denver, it’s home to a number of big tech offices including Google, Qualcomm and IBM as well as the University of Colorado at Boulder, which serves more than 30,000 students.
It’s also one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. The median price of home listings in the city of Boulder has risen more than 13% over the past year to $894,900, according to Realtor.com. Housing is considerably cheaper in Lafayette and Longmont, with median listing prices of $595,000 and $540,000, respectively.
More affordable is Carver County, Minnesota, which is home to the towns of Chanhassen and Chaska. In Carver, just 26.74% of adults reported sleeping fewer than seven hours per night. Chanhassen ranked first on Money’s 2021 Best Places to Live list thanks to its small-town feel and easy access to the big city just 20 miles away in Minneapolis. The median home listing price in Chanhassen is $549,900, according to Realtor.com. Home prices in Chaska are a little lower, with a median listing price of $429,900.
But don't expect a discount on real estate to make up for sub-optimal sleep: The median listing price of homes in Honolulu has risen 17.9% over the last year to $660,000, according to Realtor.com.
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