These are the most OVERWORKED states
Michigan ranks in as the most overworked state in the nation, with each person working an average of 1,867 hours annually.
Wyoming and South Carolina place second and third, working on average 1,820 and 1,809 hours annually, respectively.
Nevada is the least overworked state, only working 1,638 hours annually on average.
A new study has revealed which states are the most and least overworked.
The study, by QR Code Generator, analyzed employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, looking at weekly hours worked for every state to determine which states work the most throughout the year.
In first place is Michigan, with residents working a massive 1,866.8 hours annually on average. Michiganders were found to work almost 10% more (8.05%) than the national average, with the average American working 1,728 hours per year. That’s 139.15 hours, or nearly six full additional days spent working per year. Compared to ten years ago, residents of Michigan are putting in more hours at work, averaging an additional 57.2 hours annually compared to 2015.
Second place goes to Wyoming, with people from the state working an average of 1,820 hours annually. Wyomingites saw a slight reduction in working hours compared to ten years ago, working 4.8 hours less annually than in 2015. However, the workforce of Wyoming still works far more than the average American, working 92.35 hours a year more.
South Carolina takes the third spot on the list, with residents found to be working 1,809.6 hours annually. Compared to ten years ago, the people of South Carolina were found to be working just slightly more, working just an extra 10.4 hours per year.
In fourth place is Indiana, with people working an average of 1,804.4 hours annually. While Hoosiers are working just slightly less than they were ten years ago, at 4.6 fewer working hours on average, they’re still working more than the average American, putting in an extra 76.75 hours per year.
South Dakota takes the fifth spot on the list, with residents of the state found to work 1,799.2 hours annually. South Dakotans not only work far more than they did ten years ago but also work far more than the average American, presently putting in an extra 71.55 hours compared to the national average and working 31.2 hours more than back in 2015.
The remainder of the top ten features Connecticut in sixth place, with an average of 1,788 hours worked annually per person. Seventh place goes to Wisconsin, with people in the state working 1,773.2 hours annually.
In eighth place is a two-way tie between Maine and Colorado, with residents of each state found to be working 1,768 hours per year on average.
Ninth place is a three-way tie between Pennsylvania, Florida, and Iowa, with all three states averaging 1,762.8 hours worked per year.
Rounding out the list in tenth place is Mississippi, with people from the state working 1,757.6 hours per year on average.
Of all 50 states, Nevada was found to be the state with the fewest annual working hours, at just 1,638 per year. When comparing Nevada to Michigan, the people of Nevada work 228 hours less per year. Assuming a workday is 8 hours, this works out to the people of Nevada working a whole extra month less than Michigan.
Interestingly, throughout the nation, Americans were found to be working less than they were ten years ago. In 2015, Americans worked 34.33 hours weekly, working out to 1,785 hours annually, compared to 33.22 hours weekly in 2024, equating to 1,728 hours annually. This equated to Americans working on average 57 hours fewer per year, or 3.22% less, than they were ten years ago.
Americans were found to be working more on average than many other countries, including Canada (1,696 hours annually), the United Kingdom (1,670 hours annually), Spain (1,686 hours annually), and Germany (1,353 hours annually).
A spokesperson for QR Code Generator commented on the findings, saying:
“The study offers a revealing glimpse into the varied workloads experienced nationwide. It underscores the distinctiveness of labor patterns across different regions, highlighting potential work-life balance and productivity disparities. Such insights could inform discussions on workplace policies and initiatives promoting healthier work environments nationwide.”
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Methodology: 2015 and 2024 data for average weekly hours worked across all industries was taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for each state. These weekly hours were multiplied by 52 (assuming 52 work weeks during the year), to find average annual working hours. States were then ranked by total hours worked annually.
