This report delves into the labor landscape of the United States, presenting a comprehensive ranking of states based on their perceived work ethic. Drawing on a detailed analysis by WalletHub, the study examines various facets of working life, from average weekly hours to volunteer engagement and leisure time, to illustrate where each state stands in terms of dedication and productivity.Unveiling America's Labor Leaders: A State-by-State Look at Work Ethic
Understanding the Metrics: How States are Evaluated
American workers typically dedicate around 1,800 hours annually to their jobs. However, this figure varies considerably across the nation. A 2026 WalletHub report assessed all 50 states, categorizing them by how diligently their residents work. The evaluation relied on ten distinct indicators, divided into “direct work factors” and “indirect work factors.”
Direct Work Factors: Gauging Core Labor Contributions
The direct work factors included metrics such as the average length of a workweek, overall employment rates, the proportion of employees with unused vacation days, findings from Gallup polls on employee engagement, and the prevalence of “idle youth.” This latter category refers to individuals aged 18-24 who have not pursued education beyond a high school diploma or GED and are neither employed nor enrolled in school.
Indirect Work Factors: Beyond the Clock
Indirect work factors provided a broader perspective, incorporating average commute times, the percentage of the workforce holding multiple jobs, annual volunteer hours per resident, and the typical amount of daily leisure time. Data for this analysis was sourced from reputable institutions like the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US Travel Association, Gallup, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and AmeriCorps.
The Least Diligent: Michigan’s Persistent Ranking
For the second consecutive year, Michigan was identified as the state with the lowest work ethic. Its direct work factors received the lowest ranking among all states, characterized by the fifth-lowest employment rate nationwide. Its indirect work factors were positioned 34th.
Oregon: Second from the Bottom
Oregon closely followed Michigan as the second-least diligent state. Its direct work factors were ranked 49th, mainly due to the fourth-lowest average workweek hours and employment rate. In contrast, its indirect work factors ranked 21st.
New Jersey: Low Employment and Effort
New Jersey secured the third spot among the least hardworking states, primarily due to its third-lowest employment rate across the US. The state’s direct work factors ranked 48th, while its indirect factors were 33rd.
Ohio: A Blend of Direct and Indirect Work Rankings
Ohio’s direct work factors were ranked 47th, with its indirect work factors placing 27th.
Nevada: High Idle Youth Rates
Nevada exhibited the second-lowest employment rate nationally, only surpassed by California. It also shared the highest idle youth rate with Louisiana and Mississippi. Overall, Nevada’s direct work factors were 40th, and its indirect factors were 47th.
Rhode Island: Short Workweeks and Volunteerism
Rhode Island reported the third-shortest average workweek and the third-lowest annual volunteer hours per resident. However, it tied with Massachusetts and North Dakota for the second-lowest idle youth rate. Its direct work factors were 44th, and indirect factors were 37th.
California: The Lowest Employment Rate
California recorded the lowest employment rate among all states. It ranked 46th in direct work factors and 26th in indirect work factors.
New York: Brief Workweeks
New York shared the fifth-lowest average workweek hours with Massachusetts. Its direct work factors were 45th, and indirect work factors were 24th.
West Virginia: Idle Youth Challenge
West Virginia, along with Oklahoma, had the fifth-highest idle youth rate. This resulted in a 42nd ranking for direct work factors and 39th for indirect work factors.
Pennsylvania: Mid-Range Performance
Pennsylvania’s direct work factors were ranked 36th, while its indirect work factors were 31st.
Illinois: Balancing Direct and Indirect Efforts
Illinois ranked 38th in direct work factors and 22nd in indirect work factors.
New Mexico: Minimal Leisure Time
Residents of New Mexico reported the fourth-lowest average daily leisure time. The state’s direct work factors ranked 35th, and its indirect work factors were 29th.
Washington: Strong Indirect Work Factors
Washington’s direct work factors were 41st. Notably, its indirect work factors achieved a top 10 position, ranking seventh.
Massachusetts: A Mix of Short Workweeks and Low Idle Youth
Massachusetts ranked 43rd in direct work factors and fifth in indirect work factors. It shared the fifth-lowest average workweek hours with New York and the second-lowest idle youth rate with North Dakota and Rhode Island.
South Carolina: Ample Leisure Time
South Carolina stood out for having the fifth-highest average daily leisure time. Its direct work factors ranked 32nd, and indirect work factors were 44th.
Connecticut: High Volunteerism
Connecticut boasted the fourth-highest annual volunteer hours per resident. Its direct work factors ranked 37th, and indirect work factors were 11th.
Delaware: Very Little Leisure Time
Delaware recorded the lowest average daily leisure time. Its direct work factors were 39th, and its indirect work factors were sixth.
Kentucky: Consistent Rankings
Kentucky’s direct and indirect work factors were similarly ranked, placing 34th and 32nd, respectively.
North Carolina: High Leisure, Low Indirect Work
North Carolinians enjoyed the third-highest amount of daily leisure time. The state ranked 22nd in direct work factors but 48th in indirect work factors.
Missouri: Balanced but Moderate
Missouri ranked 28th in direct work factors and 40th in indirect work factors.
Florida: Direct Work Outshines Indirect
Florida’s direct work factors were 26th, while its indirect work factors were 43rd.
Arkansas: Volunteerism and Idle Youth
Arkansas’s direct work factors ranked 23rd. Its indirect work factors were lower at 46th, marked by the fifth-lowest annual volunteer hours and the fourth-highest idle youth rate.
Arizona: Moderate in Both Categories
Arizona’s direct work factors ranked 29th, and its indirect work factors were 20th.
Maine: Middle-of-the-Road Performance
Maine’s direct work factors were 27th, and its indirect work factors were 23rd.
Idaho: High Volunteerism, Overall Moderate
Idaho ranked 31st in direct work factors and ninth in indirect work factors, placing it 26th overall. It also had the second-highest annual volunteer hours, trailing only Utah.
Minnesota: Low Idle Youth, High Indirect Work
Minnesota tied with Iowa for the fifth-lowest idle youth rate and ranked eighth in indirect work factors.
Vermont: Short Workweeks, High Employment
Vermont featured the second-shortest average workweek and the fourth-most daily leisure time. Despite this, it had the fourth-highest employment rate, ranking 24th for direct work factors.
Utah: Shortest Workweeks, Highest Volunteer Hours
Utah was the fourth hardest-working state by indirect work factors. Its workers had the shortest workweeks and contributed the most volunteer hours among all states.
Louisiana: Long Workweeks and Idle Youth
Louisiana shared the second-longest average workweek hours with Texas. It ranked 19th for direct work factors and 42nd for indirect work factors, also sharing the highest idle youth rate with Mississippi and Nevada.
Mississippi: Low Leisure, Long Workweeks
Mississippi workers had the second-lowest daily leisure time and the lowest annual volunteer hours. The state ranked last in indirect work factors and had the fourth-longest workweek.
Wisconsin: Direct vs. Indirect
Wisconsin ranked 25th for direct work factors and 17th for indirect work factors, placing it 20th overall.
Indiana: Balanced Work Factors
Indiana ranked 20th in direct work factors and 25th in indirect work factors.
Iowa: Low Idle Youth, Strong Direct Work
Iowa, tied with Minnesota for the fifth-lowest idle youth rate, ranked 17th for direct work factors and 30th for indirect factors.
Montana: Strong Volunteerism
Montana, ranked 13th for indirect work factors, reported the third-highest annual volunteer hours per resident.
Alabama: High Employment
With the fifth-highest employment rate nationally, Alabama ranked eighth among US states for direct work factors.
Colorado: Consistent Performance
Colorado ranked 16th for both direct and indirect work factors, making it the 15th hardest-working state.
Maryland: High Indirect Work
Maryland was the third hardest-working state by indirect work factors, while direct work factors placed it 18th.
Oklahoma: Strong Direct Work, High Idle Youth
Oklahoma ranked 10th for direct work factors, despite sharing the fifth-highest idle youth rate with West Virginia.
Kansas: Solid Middle Ground
Kansas ranked 15th in both direct and indirect work factors, earning it the 12th position overall.
Virginia: Strong and Balanced
Virginia ranked 14th for both direct and indirect work factors, making it the 11th hardest-working state.
Georgia: Strong Direct Work, Moderate Indirect
Georgia ranked ninth for direct work factors, with indirect factors placing it 28th.
Tennessee: High Direct Work, Moderate Indirect
Tennessee ranked 11th for direct work factors and 18th for indirect work factors.
New Hampshire: Lowest Idle Youth
New Hampshire had the lowest idle youth rates in the country, ranking 10th for indirect work factors and 12th for direct work factors.
Texas: Long Workweeks
Texas, sharing the longest average workweek with Louisiana, ranked sixth for direct work factors.
Nebraska: Strong Direct Work, Lower Indirect
Nebraska ranked fifth in direct work factors, despite its indirect work factors placing 38th.
Wyoming: Balanced High Effort
Wyoming, tied with South Dakota for the fifth-highest average workweek hours, also had the fifth-highest annual volunteer hours and the third-lowest daily leisure time. It ranked second for indirect work factors and seventh for direct work factors.
Hawaii: High Employment, Leading Indirect Work
Hawaii, with the second-highest employment rate nationally, was the leading US state for indirect work factors and the fourth hardest-working for direct work factors.
Alaska: Longest Workweeks, Low Leisure
Alaskan workers reported the longest workweek, averaging 41.4 hours, and the second-lowest daily leisure time. The state ranked third overall for work ethic.
North Dakota: Leading Direct Work, High Leisure
With an employment rate exceeding 97%, North Dakota had the third-highest employment rate, the fifth-longest average workweek, and the second-lowest idle youth rate. It was the hardest-working state for direct work factors. Despite its high work ethic, residents also enjoyed the highest average daily leisure time. Overall, it ranked highest on direct work factors despite a lower ranking (fifth-lowest) on indirect work factors.
South Dakota: The Nation's Most Diligent
South Dakota emerged as the hardest-working US state. It featured the 11th-highest rate of workers with multiple jobs, the fifth-lowest idle youth rate, the highest employment rate, and tied with Wyoming for the fifth-longest average workweek. Workers in the state also reported the fifth-lowest average daily leisure time.
