Many Americans view hard work as the path to achieving the American Dream. We work so hard, in fact, that we put in more hours at our jobs than several other industrialized countries. The average U.S. worker puts in 1,811 hours per year – 204 hours more than the average in Japan, 279 more than the U.K. and 470 more than Germany. In recent years, many people have switched to working from home, which can end up extending work hours even further.
Some U.S. cities represent the strong work ethic that helped to build the world’s biggest economy better than others. In order to determine which cities outwork the rest of America, WalletHub compared the 116 largest cities across 11 key metrics. Our data set ranges from the employment rate to average weekly work hours to the share of workers with multiple jobs.
Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Hardest-Working Cities in the U.S.
Overall Rank* | City | Total Score | Direct Work Factors Rank | Indirect Work Factors Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Washington, DC | 76.97 | 4 | 9 |
2 | Irving, TX | 76.39 | 1 | 46 |
3 | Cheyenne, WY | 76.15 | 7 | 27 |
4 | Virginia Beach, VA | 75.79 | 8 | 11 |
5 | Anchorage, AK | 75.55 | 3 | 85 |
6 | Norfolk, VA | 75.27 | 9 | 14 |
7 | Dallas, TX | 75.21 | 5 | 32 |
8 | San Francisco, CA | 74.67 | 6 | 40 |
9 | Denver, CO | 73.93 | 12 | 22 |
10 | Austin, TX | 73.82 | 2 | 79 |
11 | Sioux Falls, SD | 73.56 | 11 | 74 |
12 | Corpus Christi, TX | 73.44 | 10 | 76 |
13 | Plano, TX | 72.84 | 14 | 38 |
14 | Fort Worth, TX | 72.14 | 16 | 30 |
15 | Arlington, TX | 72.12 | 15 | 31 |
16 | Chesapeake, VA | 71.85 | 30 | 7 |
17 | Aurora, CO | 71.68 | 24 | 16 |
18 | Laredo, TX | 70.98 | 23 | 62 |
19 | Garland, TX | 70.90 | 25 | 21 |
20 | Nashville, TN | 70.52 | 13 | 77 |
21 | Manchester, NH | 70.24 | 34 | 35 |
22 | Omaha, NE | 70.00 | 36 | 25 |
23 | Raleigh, NC | 69.92 | 29 | 29 |
24 | Charlotte, NC | 69.89 | 33 | 24 |
25 | Chandler, AZ | 69.74 | 20 | 64 |
26 | Scottsdale, AZ | 69.70 | 17 | 78 |
27 | Houston, TX | 69.24 | 26 | 51 |
28 | Gilbert, AZ | 68.75 | 31 | 50 |
29 | Tampa, FL | 68.55 | 19 | 97 |
30 | Boston, MA | 68.45 | 49 | 3 |
31 | Fremont, CA | 68.22 | 37 | 33 |
32 | Seattle, WA | 68.05 | 51 | 6 |
33 | Atlanta, GA | 67.86 | 32 | 69 |
34 | Portland, ME | 67.72 | 40 | 57 |
35 | Colorado Springs, CO | 67.43 | 52 | 17 |
36 | Oklahoma City, OK | 66.95 | 22 | 101 |
37 | Indianapolis, IN | 66.91 | 47 | 18 |
38 | St. Petersburg, FL | 66.78 | 28 | 100 |
39 | Orlando, FL | 66.71 | 21 | 107 |
40 | Jacksonville, FL | 66.42 | 18 | 109 |
41 | Lubbock, TX | 66.40 | 39 | 98 |
42 | Baltimore, MD | 66.38 | 71 | 2 |
43 | San Antonio, TX | 66.14 | 35 | 86 |
44 | Salt Lake City, UT | 66.02 | 66 | 5 |
45 | Phoenix, AZ | 65.90 | 41 | 54 |
46 | Durham, NC | 65.80 | 43 | 88 |
47 | Fargo, ND | 65.52 | 48 | 63 |
48 | Little Rock, AR | 65.32 | 38 | 115 |
49 | Kansas City, MO | 65.25 | 50 | 41 |
50 | San Jose, CA | 65.19 | 42 | 55 |
51 | Miami, FL | 64.91 | 27 | 114 |
52 | Oakland, CA | 64.67 | 53 | 42 |
53 | Boise, ID | 64.18 | 63 | 48 |
54 | Portland, OR | 64.17 | 83 | 1 |
55 | El Paso, TX | 64.13 | 64 | 43 |
56 | Jersey City, NJ | 63.89 | 58 | 37 |
57 | Louisville, KY | 63.82 | 57 | 34 |
58 | Honolulu, HI | 63.72 | 46 | 110 |
59 | Tulsa, OK | 63.57 | 45 | 111 |
60 | Billings, MT | 63.48 | 62 | 66 |
61 | Minneapolis, MN | 62.77 | 77 | 13 |
62 | Des Moines, IA | 62.75 | 69 | 67 |
63 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 62.52 | 54 | 102 |
64 | Wichita, KS | 62.36 | 56 | 105 |
65 | Glendale, AZ | 62.34 | 70 | 47 |
66 | Jackson, MS | 62.11 | 60 | 106 |
67 | San Diego, CA | 61.95 | 59 | 80 |
68 | Columbus, OH | 61.94 | 65 | 59 |
69 | Irvine, CA | 61.62 | 55 | 89 |
70 | Fort Wayne, IN | 61.56 | 68 | 93 |
71 | Hialeah, FL | 61.44 | 44 | 112 |
72 | Santa Ana, CA | 61.29 | 61 | 87 |
73 | Lincoln, NE | 61.25 | 82 | 28 |
74 | Mesa, AZ | 61.13 | 72 | 61 |
75 | Long Beach, CA | 60.69 | 74 | 65 |
76 | St. Louis, MO | 60.65 | 81 | 36 |
77 | St. Paul, MN | 60.56 | 85 | 12 |
78 | Anaheim, CA | 60.49 | 73 | 75 |
79 | Reno, NV | 60.45 | 75 | 90 |
80 | Los Angeles, CA | 60.14 | 76 | 60 |
81 | Chula Vista, CA | 60.11 | 78 | 53 |
82 | Winston-Salem, NC | 59.59 | 79 | 92 |
83 | Henderson, NV | 59.19 | 80 | 71 |
84 | Philadelphia, PA | 58.52 | 98 | 8 |
85 | Birmingham, AL | 58.29 | 67 | 108 |
86 | North Las Vegas, NV | 58.14 | 84 | 49 |
87 | Chicago, IL | 57.71 | 89 | 39 |
88 | Las Vegas, NV | 57.28 | 88 | 58 |
89 | Cincinnati, OH | 57.23 | 97 | 20 |
90 | Bakersfield, CA | 56.29 | 93 | 72 |
91 | Albuquerque, NM | 56.16 | 92 | 84 |
92 | Memphis, TN | 55.91 | 91 | 73 |
93 | Riverside, CA | 55.36 | 94 | 68 |
94 | New Orleans, LA | 55.26 | 87 | 96 |
95 | Greensboro, NC | 55.08 | 96 | 94 |
96 | Sacramento, CA | 54.96 | 90 | 95 |
97 | Wilmington, DE | 54.60 | 95 | 81 |
98 | Pittsburgh, PA | 54.41 | 104 | 19 |
99 | New York, NY | 53.70 | 101 | 44 |
100 | Baton Rouge, LA | 53.43 | 100 | 91 |
101 | Madison, WI | 52.98 | 99 | 104 |
102 | Milwaukee, WI | 52.85 | 108 | 10 |
103 | Charleston, WV | 52.61 | 86 | 116 |
104 | Stockton, CA | 52.28 | 106 | 15 |
105 | Tucson, AZ | 51.94 | 102 | 99 |
106 | Providence, RI | 51.60 | 107 | 26 |
107 | San Bernardino, CA | 50.62 | 105 | 83 |
108 | Columbia, SC | 50.33 | 103 | 113 |
109 | Cleveland, OH | 50.00 | 110 | 23 |
110 | Fresno, CA | 48.86 | 109 | 82 |
111 | Bridgeport, CT | 48.31 | 112 | 4 |
112 | Toledo, OH | 47.50 | 111 | 52 |
113 | Newark, NJ | 43.19 | 113 | 45 |
114 | Buffalo, NY | 39.22 | 114 | 103 |
115 | Detroit, MI | 39.08 | 115 | 70 |
116 | Burlington, VT | 34.43 | 116 | 56 |
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 city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
In-Depth Look at the Hardest-Working Cities
Washington, D.C.
Our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., is the hardest-working city, in part because it has the highest share of workers who leave vacation time unused, at 64%. Residents of D.C. also work the third-most hours per week on average.
People in D.C. are willing to take relatively long commutes to work, at over 30 minutes on average, which adds on to their workday. And outside of work, over 30% of the District’s residents are members of local volunteer groups or organizations.
Irving, TX
Irving, TX is the second-most hardworking city, in large part because it has the lowest share of households where no adults work – only 11%. In addition, Irving ranks ninth in the country in terms of the mean number of hours worked per week.
One consequence of Irving residents’ hard work is the fact that they have a much lower amount of leisure time compared to people in most cities. While Irving workers should be applauded for their dedication, it’s also important to avoid overwork and take some time to relax.
Cheyenne, WY
Cheyenne, WY residents are the third-hardest workers in the country, putting in the third-most hours per week, on average. Cheyenne also has one of the highest employment rates in the country, at over 97%, so almost all working-age residents are busy with a job – or even multiple jobs. In fact, nearly 7% of workers have multiple jobs, the seventh-highest rate in the country.
In addition, people in Cheyenne have the third-lowest amount of leisure time, on average.
Employment Rate Over Time
Ask the Experts
The American work structure contrasts with that of other countries. For additional insight, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their thoughts on the following key questions:
- Research shows that Americans work 25% more hours than their counterparts in Europe. Why do Americans work so much more, and is it worth it?
- Does working more hours always translate into higher productivity? Does this vary by industry or job type?
- How has employee engagement changed in recent years?
- What policies should governments and firms adopt to improve the quality of life of American workers?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
In order to determine where the hardest-working Americans live, WalletHub compared 116 of the most populated cities across two key dimensions, “Direct Work Factors” and “Indirect Work Factors.”
We evaluated those dimensions using 11 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.” Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available only at the state level.
We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
For our sample, we ensured that at least one city from each of the 50 states was represented. Each city refers to the city proper and excludes the surrounding metro area.
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 Age 16 and Over Employed / Total Civilian Population Age 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 (16-24) Rate: Half Weight (~6.15 Points)
Note: This metric measures the rate of residents ages 16-24 who are neither in school nor working.
Indirect Work Factors – Total Points: 20
- Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
- Share of Workers with Multiple Jobs*: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as a percentage of total employment. - Annual Volunteer Hours per Resident: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
- Share of Residents Who Participate in Local Groups or Organizations: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
- Average Leisure Time Spent per Day*: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of February 5, 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Travel Association, Gallup, Social Science Research Council and Corporation for National & Community Service.
WalletHub experts are widely quoted. Contact our media team to schedule an interview.