NORTH DAKOTA ( KXNET ) — Whether it’s by putting in more than 10 hours a day, or not using their vacation time, North Dakotans are continuing to prove how hard they work as they once again earned the top spot on WalletHub’s list of hardest-working states in 2024.

The study was done by comparing 10 different factors that determined how much time people spent working. WalletHub weighed six direct factors, or those that play a direct role in determining how many hours a person spends working, and four indirect factors, which are those not directly related to their job, such as commuting, holding multiple jobs, or volunteering.

Overall, the study says that Americans work an average of 1,799 hours per year, and only 48% of workers use all their vacation days.

While North Dakota topped the list, the study showed that the entire Midwest seems to be full of hard workers, as Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota are third, fourth, and fifth on the list respectively.

The Dakotas also have the highest employment rate, with North Dakota’s being over 98%, according to the study.

The Roughrider State has the fifth-lowest share of households where no adults work, and the lowest number of people between 18 and 24 who have no college degree, are not in college, and aren’t working.

But North Dakotans don’t just work hard. They also work a lot. The Peace Garden State is tied for fourth in average workweek hours, and North Dakotans also take the second-lowest amount of leisure time per day.

Furthermore, 33.5% of North Dakotans leave some vacation time unused, which is the second-highest percentage in the country.

The study showed that Alaska continues to fall short of North Dakota, as the Last Frontier is in second place once again.

The one metric where Alaska surpasses North Dakota is the number of hours worked per week. In Alaska, people work on average 41.6 hours per week. That makes Alaska the only state to surpass 40.

On the other end of the spectrum are Michigan, New York, and West Virginia, where hard work is not as common to come by.

North Dakotans have continued to prove how hard they work night in and night out, and the question that remains now is whether they can stay consistent enough to keep the Peace Garden State atop the list.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Today's Top Stories

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KX NEWS.