Here are the 20 most economically stressed counties with populations of at least 25,000 and their January 2011 Stress scores, according to the Associated Press Economic Stress Index:

1.Imperial County, Calif., 29.32

2.Lyon County, Nev., 27.79

3.Merced County, Calif., 26.25

4. Yuba County, Calif., 25.71

5.San Benito County, Calif., 25.45

6.Yuma County, Ariz., 25.33

7.Nye County, Nev., 25.3

8.Sutter County, Calif., 25.23

9.San Joaquin County, Calif., 24.31

10.Lake County, Calif., 24.17

11.Taney County, Mo., 23.97

12.Stanislaus County, Calif., 23.91

13.Luna County, N.M., 23.37

14.Siskiyou County, Calif., 23.28

15.Clark County, Nev., 22.74

16.Fresno County, Calif., 22.08

17.Kings County, Calif., 21.94

18.Tulare County, Calif., 21.87

19.Glenn County, Calif., 21.86

20.Kern County, Calif., 21.8

A list of the 20 least economically stressed counties with populations of at least 25,000 and their January 2011 Stress scores, according to The Associated Press Economic Stress Index:

1.Ellis County, Kan., 4.16

2.Buffalo County, Neb., 4.30

3.Ford County, Kan., 4.63

4.Arlington County, Va., 4.79

5.Brown County, S.D., 4.79

6.Sioux County, Iowa, 4.84

7.Brookings County, S.D., 4.9

8.Ward County, N.D., 4.92

9.Madison County, Neb., 4.93

10.Grand Forks County, N.D., 5.04

11.Burleigh County, N.D., 5.23

12.Lancaster County, Neb., 5.33

13.Cass County, N.D., 5.34

14.Albany County, Wyo., 5.34

15.Platte County, Neb., 5.35

16.Lincoln County, Neb., 5.48

17.Chittenden, Vt., 5.53

18.Johnson County, Iowa, 5.54

19.Adams County, Neb., 5.57

20.Midland County, Tex., 5.63