Americans are hard workers, putting in an average of 1,811 hours per year, according to the World Economic Forum. That’s 470 hours per year more than Germans work, but 594 fewer than Colombians do.
Even when given the chance to not work as hard, many Americans won’t. Americans left 55% of their paid time off unused in 2022. While leaving vacation time on the table may seem strange to some people, there are plenty of reasons why workers choose to do so. Some fear that if they take time off they will look less dedicated to the job than other employees, risking a layoff. Others worry about falling behind on their work or are concerned that the normal workflow will not be able to function without them.
It is possible to work hard without overdoing it, though. Hard work is key to success, and the people of some states understand that better than others. To determine where Americans work the hardest, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 10 key indicators. They range from average workweek hours to share of workers with multiple jobs to annual volunteer hours per resident.
Main Findings
Hardest-Working States in the U.S.
Overall Rank* | State | Total Score | Direct Work Factors | Indirect Work Factors |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | North Dakota | 67.68 | 1 | 44 |
2 | Alaska | 65.47 | 2 | 27 |
3 | South Dakota | 61.44 | 3 | 22 |
4 | Nebraska | 61.44 | 5 | 7 |
5 | Wyoming | 61.42 | 6 | 3 |
6 | Texas | 58.77 | 4 | 40 |
7 | Virginia | 55.69 | 11 | 12 |
8 | Colorado | 55.24 | 10 | 16 |
9 | Kansas | 55.22 | 9 | 19 |
10 | Hawaii | 54.88 | 18 | 2 |
11 | Maryland | 54.88 | 16 | 5 |
12 | Iowa | 54.08 | 17 | 9 |
13 | Georgia | 54.03 | 8 | 35 |
14 | Oklahoma | 53.77 | 7 | 46 |
15 | New Hampshire | 53.21 | 13 | 18 |
16 | Tennessee | 53.04 | 12 | 24 |
17 | Idaho | 49.95 | 26 | 4 |
18 | Missouri | 49.81 | 21 | 20 |
19 | Mississippi | 49.30 | 14 | 42 |
20 | Louisiana | 48.30 | 19 | 38 |
21 | Alabama | 48.17 | 15 | 47 |
22 | Indiana | 48.06 | 22 | 29 |
23 | Minnesota | 47.58 | 28 | 8 |
24 | Montana | 46.56 | 30 | 6 |
25 | Maine | 46.16 | 35 | 1 |
26 | South Carolina | 45.69 | 23 | 41 |
27 | North Carolina | 45.66 | 25 | 34 |
28 | Utah | 45.41 | 32 | 10 |
29 | Arizona | 44.75 | 27 | 28 |
30 | Arkansas | 44.31 | 20 | 50 |
31 | Florida | 43.60 | 24 | 48 |
32 | Wisconsin | 42.37 | 31 | 36 |
33 | New Jersey | 42.31 | 37 | 13 |
34 | Kentucky | 41.48 | 29 | 43 |
35 | California | 41.08 | 33 | 32 |
36 | Washington | 40.80 | 39 | 14 |
37 | Delaware | 40.74 | 34 | 33 |
38 | Vermont | 39.93 | 36 | 37 |
39 | Massachusetts | 38.93 | 41 | 15 |
40 | Illinois | 38.82 | 40 | 17 |
41 | Pennsylvania | 38.03 | 42 | 21 |
42 | Oregon | 36.75 | 49 | 11 |
43 | Rhode Island | 36.36 | 43 | 30 |
44 | Ohio | 36.24 | 46 | 23 |
45 | Nevada | 35.62 | 38 | 49 |
46 | Connecticut | 35.04 | 48 | 25 |
47 | Michigan | 34.38 | 47 | 31 |
48 | West Virginia | 34.34 | 45 | 39 |
49 | New York | 33.94 | 50 | 26 |
50 | New Mexico | 33.24 | 44 | 45 |
Note: *No. 1 = Hardest Working
With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Highest
- 1. Alaska
- 2. Texas
- T-3. North Dakota
- T-3. Wyoming
- 5. Louisiana
- Lowest
- T-45. Connecticut
- T-45. Massachusetts
- 47. Oregon
- 48. Rhode Island
- 49. Vermont
- 50. Utah
- Highest
- 1. South Dakota
- 2. North Dakota
- 3. Utah
- 4. Nebraska
- 5. Missouri
- Lowest
- 46. New York
- 47. Pennsylvania
- 48. Delaware
- 49. Illinois
- 50. Nevada
- Lowest
- T-1. New Hampshire
- T-1. North Dakota
- T-3. Massachusetts
- T-3. Nebraska
- T-5. Connecticut
- T-5. Delaware
- Highest
- T-46. Nevada
- T-46. West Virginia
- T-48. Alaska
- T-48. Louisiana
- T-48. New Mexico
- Highest
- T-1. Utah
- T-1. Wyoming
- 3. Maine
- 4. Idaho
- 5. Nebraska
- Lowest
- 46. Texas
- 47. Georgia
- 48. Arkansas
- 49. Mississippi
- 50. Florida
- Lowest
- 1. Hawaii
- 2. Massachusetts
- 3. Wyoming
- 4. Iowa
- 5. Idaho
- Highest
- 46. New Hampshire
- 47. Oklahoma
- 48. Nevada
- 49. Delaware
- 50. Vermont
Ask the Experts
The hard work ethic of Americans has brought about the creation of many successful businesses. But overworking can take a harsh toll on workers. For additional insight on both productivity and the condition of workers, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their thoughts on the following key questions:
- In the current economic environment, do you believe wages will register a true increase or people might need to work extra or get a second job?
- What impact do you believe AI will have on the American worker?
- Do you believe job conditions are on the rise in the U.S.? What measures should authorities undertake in order to better protect workers?
- What are the main changes in the job market in 2023 and how will they impact employee engagement?
- What seems to be the cause of the downward trend of labor productivity and how does it affect the average American worker?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
In order to determine where the hardest-working Americans live, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key dimensions: “Direct Work Factors” and “Indirect Work Factors.”
We evaluated those dimensions using ten key metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the “hardest-working.”
We then determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the states.
Direct Work Factors – Total Points: 80
- Average Workweek Hours: Triple Weight (~36.92 Points)
- Employment Rate: Full Weight (~12.31 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: civilian population aged 16 and over employed / total civilian population aged 16 and over in labor force. - Share of Households where No Adults Work: Full Weight (~12.31 Points)
- Share of Workers Leaving Vacation Time Unused: Half Weight (~6.15 Points)
- Share of Engaged Workers: Half Weight (~6.15 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of employees who are “involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace,” as defined by Gallup. - Idle Youth (18-24) Rate: Half Weight (~6.15 Points)
Note: This metric measures the rate of residents aged 18-24 who are not currently enrolled in school, not working and have no degree beyond a high school diploma or GED.
Indirect Work Factors – Total Points: 20
- Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Share of Workers with Multiple Jobs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as share of employed population with multiple jobs among total employed population. - Annual Volunteer Hours per Resident: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Average Leisure Time Spent per Day: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Travel Association, Gallup, The Annie E. Casey Foundation and AmeriCorps.
WalletHub experts are widely quoted. Contact our media team to schedule an interview.