2021’s Hardest-Working States in America

With Americans working an average of almost 1,800 hours per year and leaving around half of their paid time off unused, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021’s Hardest-Working States in America, and expert commentary.

In order to determine where Americans work the hardest, WalletHub compared the 50 states across ten key metrics. The data set ranges from average workweek hours to share of workers with multiple jobs to annual volunteer hours per resident.

Key Stats

• Alaska has the longest hours worked per week, 42, which is 14 percent longer than in Utah, the state with the shortest at 37.
• New York has the longest average commute time, 34 minutes, which is two times longer than in South Dakota, the state with the shortest at 17 minutes.
• Mississippi has the highest share of workers leaving vacation time unused, 34.70 percent, which is 1.6 times higher than in Ohio, the state with the lowest at 21.90 percent.
• South Dakota has the highest share of workers with multiple jobs, 8.20 percent, which is 2.3 times higher than in New Mexico, the state with the lowest at 3.60 percent.

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/hardest-working-states-in-america/52400

More from WalletHub

• Best Cities for Jobs
• Best & Worst Places to Start a Career
• Best & Worst States for Working Moms
• Best & Worst States for Working Dads

Expert Commentary

In the current economic environment, do you believe wages will register a true increase or do you think people might need to work extra or get a second job?

“I think wages will continue to rise as long as the number of job applicants grows slower than the number of open job vacancies. After a while, businesses will have adjusted, and wages will stay higher but no longer grow. With the delta variant, there is a risk that job growth slows down considerably, in which case wages will stop growing.”
Ioana Marinescu – Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania

“I believe there is clear evidence that wages are increasing with the current spike in labor demand, but the question is are they rising faster than the prices of the things that workers are buying? So far, large inflation numbers are being led by the travel and automotive sectors, so real wages are likely increasing for most workers. If energy, food, and rents start rising at a similar pace to the current inflation leaders, it will be less likely that current wage increases will be enough to raise workers’ purchasing power.”
Josh Congdon-Hohman – Associate Professor, College of the Holy Cross

As economic activity gradually resumes after the COVID-19 pandemic, what are the most important measures that can be taken to ensure workers’ safety?

“Businesses should be permitted to take steps to protect their workers (and customers) with COVID-19 measures such as masking, social distancing, and vaccination requirements/frequent testing as is appropriate in different work settings. Government should not interfere with efforts by businesses to provide a safer work environment.”
Eric C. Thompson – Associate Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

“Many non-believers became believers in the validity of remote work given the rise in productivity reported by many employers. Getting that genie back in the bottle will prove tough. Organizations are going to have to come to grips with what is client-facing and what is not, balancing the needs for a unified face-to-face interaction-based corporate culture versus the power of such increased flexibilities, and embracing the uncertainties until we truly get the pandemic under control. Even post-pandemic, work is probably forever changed (look at the revolution in online instruction, e.g.).”
John P. Beck – Associate Professor, Michigan State University

How has the pandemic shaped workplace trends for the current year?

“Some workers will be reluctant to work given the current spread of the Delta Variant, which will encourage more businesses to automate or otherwise become more labor-efficient. The variant also will mean continued efforts to accommodate workers who prefer to work from home. The more time businesses must experiment with working from home, the more likely that working from home will become a more common arrangement over the long run.”
Eric C. Thompson – Associate Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

“Employers will need to strike a balance between workplace needs and worker needs. Though employers and employees may want to return to pre-pandemic times, the threat from the virus and new variants, along with uncertainty for those who depend on regular childcare from providers or schools, will likely mean differences in how we work together, where we work, and how we get things done. Some of these changes may be permanent as remote work does provide benefits to some workers and potential cost savings for employers. It will likely be some time after the pandemic has subsided before we find a new equilibrium in the workplace.”
Josh Congdon-Hohman – Associate Professor, College of the Holy Cross