The 15 Hardest-Working States in the U.S.

What you consider a hard day’s work may depend on where you live. The 40-hour work week is standard in some states, while workers in others treat that as the bare minimum. To see if your state boasts the hardest-working employees in the country, check out the list below.

Wallethub weighed factors such as average workweek hours, employment rate, and volunteer hours to quantify the work ethic of residents in all 50 states. North Dakota outperformed the rest, with a combined score of 67.80 out of 100. It’s tied with Wyoming for the longest average workweek. No.1 in that category is Alaska, which ranks second on the overall list with a score of 67.44. Nebraska, the state with the highest employment rate, comes in third.

The work habits of these states aren’t the norm throughout America. New Mexico, the least hard-working U.S. state, earned just 31.26 points out of 100. Rhode Island, New York, Michigan, and West Virginia also appear at the bottom of the list.

Though it’s an impressive distinction, belonging to hard-working state isn’t always easy. In addition to the high employment rates and overtime pay, workers in these states are more likely to take fewer annual vacations and daily leisure time. If relaxation is more important to you than keeping busy at work, consider moving to one of the least stressed-out states in the country.

The 15 Hardest-Working States in the Country

1. North Dakota
   
2. Alaska
   
3. Nebraska
   
4. South Dakota
   
5. Texas
   
6. Virginia
   
7. Oklahoma
   
8. Kansas
   
9. New Hampshire
   
10. Wyoming
    
11. Georgia
    
12. Colorado
    
13. Tennessee
    
14. Maryland
    
15. Hawaii