Nation’s Hardest Working States Ranked, Washington Falls Below Average

Americans are known to be hard workers. OK...make that some Americans are known to be hard workers.

There's a new study out ranking the the hardest-working states in America. According to WalletHub, Washington State ranks below average as the 38th hardest-working state in the nation. The personal finance company ranked all 50 states according to hard they work.

The Hardest Working State Is South Dakota

a group of men standing on top of a construction site

South Dakota is the hardest-working state, in part because 6.5% of workers have multiple jobs, the 11th-highest percentage in the country. Although this may not be an ideal situation, indicating that people’s main jobs are not paying them enough, it’s still a testament to how hard South Dakota residents are willing to work.

South Dakota also has the highest employment rate in the country at almost 98%. North Dakota is the next most hard-working state followed by Alaska.

Read More: Farmers' Almanac 2026 Winter Forecast for Washington State

"Working hard is commendable, but people in the hardest-working states may need to consider taking a break once in a while, as a lack of leisure time can have a negative impact on people’s physical and mental health," said WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo.

According to WalletHub, the Least Hard-Working States Include:

a now hiring sign in front of a building

Michigan ranks dead last for the second year in a row, followed by Oregon, and New Jersey.

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