Washington DC Ranked as the Hardest-Working City in US; Factors Include Employment Rate, Average Weekly Work Hours

By Madz Dizon

Apr 15, 2024 03:22 AM EDT

Washington DC Ranked as the Hardest-Working City in US; Factors Include Employment Rate, Average Weekly Work Hours
The US Capitol is seen as a government shut down looms in Washington, DC, on September 28, 2023.
(Photo : MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

According to a recent survey, Washington DC has been identified as the most industrious city in the United States, surpassing its role as the nation's capital.

The capital city surpassed Irving, Texas, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, which were the second and third place contenders respectively - and it ranked a remarkable 98 places higher than New York City, which came in at a disappointing 99th place.

Washington DC Ranked Most Hard-Working City

A recent survey conducted by WalletHub analyzed data from the 116 largest cities in the country, evaluating them based on 11 key metrics. These metrics included employment rate, average weekly work hours, and annual volunteer hours per resident.

According to the research, a list of the top 10 cities known for their strong work ethic has been compiled. These cities, ranked from first to tenth, are: Washington, DC; Irving, Texas; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Anchorage, Alaska; Norfolk, Virginia; Dallas, Texas; San Francisco, California; Denver, Colorado; and Austin, Texas.

Washington emerged as the top performer with a score of 76.97, despite being ranked 4th in direct work factors and 9th in indirect work factors. According to experts, Washington DC has the highest percentage of workers who do not use their vacation time, with a staggering 64 percent.

Residents in the area are willing to endure relatively lengthy commutes, averaging over half an hour, which significantly extends their workday. A significant portion of the District's residents actively participate in local volunteer groups or organizations outside of their professional lives.

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New York City as 99th Place in Survey

According to Digital Information World, New York City was ranked 99th in the survey, with a score of 53.70, indicating the hardworking nature of its residents. Residents of New York City experience longer commute times compared to those in the nation's capital, which is one of the factors considered in the study's rankings.

According to a personal finance website, the average number of hours worked per year by workers in the United States is 1,811. Additionally, residents in the country also work the third-most hours per week on average. Irving secured an impressive second place on the extensive list, earning a commendable score of 76.39.

In terms of households where no adults work, this city has the lowest share compared to Detroit, which has the highest share by 3.6 times.Irving was among the top performers in the country in terms of the average number of hours worked per week.

However, this statistic does come with a downside, as it indicates that residents of Irving have considerably less leisure time in comparison to individuals in other cities. In the western region, Cheyenne, Wyoming, secured the third spot as its residents dedicated a significant number of hours per week, on average.

The city boasts an impressive employment rate, with over 97 percent of working-age residents gainfully employed. Cheyenne has a relatively high rate of workers with multiple jobs, coming in at nearly 7 percent.

Cheyenne residents have one of the lowest amounts of leisure time compared to other places. According to the research, it was discovered that Americans tend to work approximately 25 percent more hours than their European counterparts. This discrepancy can largely be attributed to the differences in employment laws between the two regions.

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