How Much Free Time People Have in Each State, Mapped

You may know to look at average salaries and housing costs when planning to move to a new state, but there's another factor to consider: the amount of free time you'll have when you get there. Having some extra spending cash suddenly seems a lot less appealing if you need to spend most of your day in the office or in traffic to earn it. Luckily, sacrificing a work-life balance isn't the only way to make a decent living. The map below shows the states where workers get the most free time for themselves.

The resume builder site Zety calculated the ranking by looking at how much time the average person spends working and commuting in each state. They determined that Utah residents have the most leisure time, topping the list at 127 hours a week. It's followed by Rhode Island with 126.52 hours of free time per week and Montana at 126.42.

All that time off the clock does come with some downsides. The average U.S. salary overall is $49,577, while the average salary for the top 10 states with the most free time is $47,531. On the other end of the spectrum, people living in states with longer work hours and commute times generally take home higher paychecks. In Alaska, where residents devote the largest portion of their weeks to work with just 123 hours of free time, the average salary is $58,710. Washington, the runner-up for the most overworked state, also has a high average salary of $59,410.

Along with economic health, activities, and public safety, the amount of disposable time you get per week is just one factor to consider when looking for a new place to live. If you need help narrowing down the field, here are some of the best options in the U.S.