Find a Job You Really Want In
Discover the 10 Hardest Working Places in New Jersey for 2026
Swipe left for slideshow. Article continues below.
New Jersey has long been celebrated as a hub of opportunity, where hard work is the pathway to a better life. This spirit of dedication and resilience is evident across the Garden State, particularly in areas that exemplify the strongest work ethic.
Among these, New Jersey boasts some of the hardest working communities in the nation, with North Caldwell leading the charge as the hardest working place in the state. Here, the commitment to hard work is so intense that the daily commute feels like a job in itself.
Curious about which other towns are clocking in long hours? Here’s a list of places where residents are putting in the extra effort to secure their promotions and provide for their families:
- North Caldwell
- Dayton
- Chatham
- Glen Ridge
- Greentree
- Glen Rock
- Succasunna
- Hoboken
- Bernardsville
- Brookdale
Attention, Holiday City-Berkeley! Take note of these hardworking communities and what you can learn from them.
For more informative reads about New Jersey, check out:
How We Ranked the Hardest Working Places in New Jersey
At Zippia, we take pride in our data-driven approach to uncovering insights. To determine the hardest working places in New Jersey, we utilized the most recent American Community Survey data.
We analyzed various criteria, including:
- Average hours worked per week
- Average commute time
- Workers per household (employed labor force divided by the number of households)
- Labor force participation rate
- Percentage of adults with a college degree
By evaluating these factors, we aimed to highlight those communities where residents are not only educated and employed but also willing to go the extra mile in their professional lives.
After compiling data from 256 locations across New Jersey, we ranked each area from 1 to 256 based on their performance across the criteria, with 1 representing the hardest working community. North Caldwell emerged victorious as the hardest working place in New Jersey.
For a detailed breakdown of why these locations earned their rankings, refer to the table below.
1. North Caldwell
Population: 6,407 College Graduates: 68.1%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.7
Workers Per Household: 1.6
2. Dayton
Population: 7,690 College Graduates: 67.3%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 36.9
Workers Per Household: 1.8
3. Chatham
Population: 9,000 College Graduates: 74.1%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.1
Workers Per Household: 1.5
4. Glen Ridge
Population: 7,606 College Graduates: 75.0%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.3
Workers Per Household: 1.6
5. Greentree
Population: 11,529 College Graduates: 62.4%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.7
Workers Per Household: 1.6
6. Glen Rock
Population: 11,784 College Graduates: 67.2%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.6
Workers Per Household: 1.7
7. Succasunna
Population: 9,047 College Graduates: 51.4%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 37.9
Workers Per Household: 1.8
8. Hoboken
Population: 51,979 College Graduates: 74.3%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 43.8
Workers Per Household: 1.5
9. Bernardsville
Population: 7,766 College Graduates: 69.5%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.4
Workers Per Household: 1.5
10. Brookdale
Population: 9,706 College Graduates: 50.6%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.3
Workers Per Household: 1.6
Complete List of the Hardest Working Places in New Jersey
| City | Rank |
|---|---|
| North Caldwell | 1 |
| Dayton | 2 |
| Chatham | 3 |
| Glen Ridge | 4 |
| Greentree | 5 |
| Glen Rock | 6 |
| Succasunna | 7 |
| Hoboken | 8 |
| Bernardsville | 9 |
| Brookdale | 10 |

