Hardest-Working Cities in America (2025)

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 1,799 hours per year – 188 hours more than the average in Japan, 275 more than the U.K. and 456 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.

“Hard work is the backbone of America’s economy and a big reason why the country has become so successful, as Americans outwork people in many other developed economies. In addition, between 40% and 64% of Americans leave at least some of their allotted vacation time on the table, depending on the city. While working long hours, minimizing time off, and having side jobs all lead to increased productivity, they can also have negative effects on people’s physical and mental health. It’s important for people to figure out how to work hard without overworking.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Main Findings

Hardest-Working Cities in the U.S.

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

Anchorage, AK

Anchorage, AK, residents are the hardest workers in the country, due largely to the fact that it’s one of only five states where the average person works more than 40 hours per week. Anchorage also has a very high employment rate, at nearly 97%, so almost all working-age residents are busy with a job – or even multiple jobs. In fact, 7.6% of workers have multiple jobs, the third-highest rate in the country.

To top things off, the average amount of leisure time that Anchorage residents have in a day ranks as the 8th-lowest among the 116 cities in our study.

Washington, D.C.

Our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., is the second-most hardworking 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 fourth-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, nearly 31% of the District’s residents are members of local volunteer groups or organizations, places where they put in time without being paid.

In addition, D.C. has the eighth-lowest percentage of disconnected youth in the country. Disconnected youth are people ages 16-24 who are neither in school nor working.

Irving, TX

Irving, TX, has the third-most hardworking residents, in large part because it has the lowest share of households where no adults work – only around 12%. In addition, Irving ranks sixth 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, the sixth-least in the nation. While Irving workers should be applauded for their dedication, it’s also important to avoid overwork and take some time to relax.

Finally, Irving also has the third-highest percentage of engaged workers. Engaged workers are people who show enthusiasm for and commitment to their work, and people who are engaged with their workplace are likely to work harder.

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:

1. 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?
2. Does working more hours always translate into higher productivity? Does this vary by industry or job type?
3. How has employee engagement changed in recent years?
4. What policies should governments and firms adopt to improve the quality of life of American workers?

Ask the Experts

Gaurav Khanna
Associate Professor of Economics, School of Global Policy and Strategy – University of California, San Diego
Read More

Roland Zullo
Research Scientist, School of Social Work – University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Read More

Michael J. Yelnosky
Professor, School of Law – Roger Williams University
Read More

Keith Cunningham-Parmeter
Professor of Law – Lewis & Clark Law School
Read More

Ann C. Hodges
Professor of Law Emerita; Program Chair, Paralegal Studies, School of Professional and Continuing Studies – University of Richmond
Read More

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 January 2, 2025 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.

Supporting Video Files:

• YouTube (for web embedding)
• Raw video files (for editing into clips)