Rural Maine City Is ‘Epicenter’ of Anxious State

A New York Times analysis has found that a small city in northern Maine is the "epicenter of anxiety."

The Portland Press Herald reports that the analysis recently published in the New York Times rated Maine's anxiety level as the highest in the country. It looked at the rise of anxiety-related Google search rates over the past eight years.

Presque Isle Manager Martin Puckett says the city's designation was surprising, but mental health experts say it's not uncommon for people in rural areas with a lower median income to deal with anxiety.

The city has just over 9,500 residents and is a service center for the northern part of Aroostook County, the state's center for potato farming.

Federal data shows more than 20 percent of residents live in poverty.(AP)