The United States has long produced a culture defined by strong work ethic, but a new study by Wallet Hub reveals that some states exemplify this trait more dramatically than others — often to the detriment of work-life balance.
Out of all 50 states, North Dakota was found to be the hardest working in the U.S., defined by its high employment rates and longer workweeks. Residents of North Dakota hold the highest employment rate in the U.S., with over 98% of individuals aged 16 to 64 engaged in the workforce. These workers also log 39.7 working hours per week, making North Dakota a leader in both employment participation and total work hours.
As part of a nationwide study measuring 10 distinct factors including average workweek hours, employment rates, and daily leisure time, WalletHub looked at what is influencing both productivity and personal well-being.
The study found that a high dedication to work comes at a cost to employees. North Dakota, for example, holds the second-lowest amount of daily leisure time when compared to all other states and 33.5% of employees reported leaving some of their vacation days unused.
Reduced leisure time and underutilized vacation days can lead to increased risk of burnout for employees.
Alaska and Nebraska closely follow North Dakota as the hardest working states.
Alaskans work an average of 41.6 hours per week, which is the highest in the country. The state also ranks ninth in terms of workers holding multiple jobs. The data also reveals a notable rate of unused vacation time among employees (27.5%).
Nebraska ranked third and holds the third largest share of workers juggling multiple jobs. About 7.4% of Nebraskans are reported to hold more than one job — reflecting both economic pressures and the strong work ethic of the state’s residents.
WalletHub reports that Nebraska also benefits from a low “idle youth” rate. Idle youth are young adults (ages 18 to 24) “who are not in school, are not working and have no school experience beyond a high school diploma.”
The top 20 hardest working states were:
| 1. North Dakota | 11. Virginia |
| 2. Alaska | 12. Oklahoma |
| 3. Nebraska | 13. Georgia |
| 4. Wyoming | 14. Hawaii |
| 5. South Dakota | 15. Tennessee |
| 6. Maryland | 16. Mississippi |
| 7. Texas | 17. Iowa |
| 8. Colorado | 18. Alabama |
| 9. New Hampshire | 19. Louisiana |
| 10. Kansas | 20. Missouri |
The study shows changing work priorities where the focus on productivity and long work hours is increasingly being weighed against the importance of employee well-being.
