The Hardest Working City In Each State For 2026

Are you working hard or hardly working?

For the majority of American workers, the answer leans towards working hard. Yet, certain cities exhibit a particularly intense work culture. Do you find yourself in one of these high-pressure environments, or are you seeking a location that offers a healthier work-life balance?

Fortunately, we analyzed the latest data to identify the hardest working city in each state, showcasing where workers are truly burning the midnight oil.

Let’s start with the ten cities that stand out for their relentless work ethic.

10 Hardest Working Cities

If your state isn’t listed here, keep scrolling to discover the hardest working city in your area, or read on to learn more about what drives these hardworking cities.

Methodology

To identify the hardest working cities in each state, we assessed nearly 4,000 cities based on the following criteria:

Average Hours Worked
Average Commute Time
Workers per Household (total employed individuals divided by the number of households)
Labor Force Participation Rate

While time spent working does not always correlate with productivity, it provides insight into how much time residents dedicate to their jobs. We analyzed both average hours worked and daily commuting times.

Next, we evaluated the number of workers per household and the percentage of residents participating in the labor force. A higher number in these categories indicates a more industrious city.

Using these metrics, we ranked each city nationally. The higher a city ranked in any of these areas, the more hardworking it was deemed to be. We then organized the cities in each state from most to least hardworking.

All data was sourced from the latest ACS Census survey.

Before diving into the complete list of the hardest working cities, let’s take a closer look at the ten hardest working cities in the country:

1. Sudley, Virginia

manassas,

Source: Billy Hathorn|CC BY-SA 3.0

Hours Worked: 42
Commute: 24.7
Workers Per Household: 2.0

Sudley, Virginia is a bustling suburb of Washington, D.C. On average, workers here clock in 42 hours a week, and with an average commute of 50 minutes daily, it’s clear that Sudley residents are putting in the effort.

2. Forney, Texas

forney,

Source: Billy Hathorn|CC BY-SA 3.0

Hours Worked: 43
Commute: 21.7
Workers Per Household: 1.8

Forney ranks as the second hardest working city in the U.S. with an average work week of 43 hours. That extra three hours compared to the typical 40-hour work week translates to an additional 12 hours monthly and an impressive 144 hours annually.

3. College Park, Maryland

college

Source: User:Tomf688|CC BY-SA 2.5

Hours Worked: 45
Commute: 29.0
Workers Per Household: 1.9

College Park, Maryland claims the third spot as one of the hardest working cities in the U.S. As another suburb of Washington, D.C., residents here average 45 hours of work per week, indicating a strong commitment to their jobs.

4. Gardere, Louisiana

gardere,

Source: |

Hours Worked: 44
Commute: 25.3
Workers Per Household: 1.6

Gardere boasts a high labor force participation rate, meaning a significant number of adults are employed here. This dedication to work makes Gardere the hardest working city in Louisiana.

5. Allendale, Michigan

east

Source: WMrapids|CC BY-SA 4.0

Hours Worked: 43
Commute: 19.4
Workers Per Household: 1.9

Located just 10 miles from Grand Rapids, Allendale, Michigan is home to hard workers who often commute to the city for jobs, contributing to an average of 43 hours worked each week.

6. Commerce City, Colorado

Source: Tom Pratt|CC BY 2.0

Hours Worked: 42
Commute: 24.8
Workers Per Household: 1.7

While Denver is known for its laid-back atmosphere, Commerce City residents work hard, averaging 42 hours a week with a daily commute of 24.8 miles.

7. Immokalee, Florida

immokalee,

Source: |

Hours Worked: 41
Commute: 34.7
Workers Per Household: 1.7

Immokalee ranks as Florida’s hardest working city and seventh nationwide, largely due to its lengthy commutes, averaging one hour each way.

8. Lexington, Nebraska

lexington,

Source: Ammodramus|Public domain

Hours Worked: 42
Commute: 25.1
Workers Per Household: 1.7

Residents of Lexington, Nebraska are accustomed to long hours and commutes, contributing to its recognition as a hardworking city.

9. North Bay Shore, New York

long

Source: Jim.henderson|Public domain

Hours Worked: 41
Commute: 36.8
Workers Per Household: 1.7

Surprisingly, the hardest workers in New York live in North Bay Shore, where the average work week exceeds 40 hours, complemented by long commute times averaging 36.8 minutes.

10. Coachella, California

coachella,

Source: Visitor7|CC BY-SA 3.0

Hours Worked: 42
Commute: 32.1
Workers Per Household: 1.7

Known for its famous music festival, Coachella also ranks as California’s hardest working city, demonstrating that hard work can thrive outside the tech hubs.

These Cities Could Use a Raiseâ€”or a Nice Vacation!

These are the ten hardest working cities in the U.S. From extended work weeks to lengthy commutes, these locations embody a strong work ethic. Hopefully, all that dedication is rewarded with substantial raises and well-deserved vacations to help residents recharge and thrive.

Below is the breakdown of the hardest working city in each state:

Hardest Working City In Each State

State	City	Hours Worked	Commute	Workers Per Household
Alabama	Calera	43	18	1
Alaska	College	45	11	1
Arizona	Flagstaff	42	19	2
Arkansas	Centerton	44	13	1
California	Coachella	42	32	1
Colorado	Commerce City	42	24	1
Connecticut	Stamford	40	14	1
Delaware	Bear	42	23	1
Florida	Immokalee	41	34	1
Georgia	Lithia Springs	43	18	1
Hawaii	Kapolei	41	12	1
Idaho	Kuna	41	15	1
Illinois	Plano	42	13	2
Indiana	Plainfield	43	18	1
Iowa	Grimes	41	16	1
Kansas	Dodge City	42	13	1
Kentucky	Francisville	42	5	1
Louisiana	Gardere	44	25	1
Maine	Portland	41	13	1
Maryland	College Park	45	29	1
Massachusetts	Somerville	42	15	1
Michigan	Allendale	43	19	1
Minnesota	North Branch	42	14	1
Mississippi	Horn Lake	43	15	1
Missouri	Spanish Lake	42	18	1
Montana	Bozeman	42	13	1
Nebraska	Lexington	42	25	1
Nevada	Enterprise	42	15	1
New Hampshire	Londonderry	40	9	1
New Jersey	Harrison	42	16	1
New Mexico	Hobbs	47	13	1
New York	North Bay Shore	41	36	1
North Carolina	Waxhaw	42	17	1
North Dakota	Williston	50	15	1
Ohio	New Albany	45	10	1
Oklahoma	Guymon	42	12	1
Oregon	Aloha	41	14	1
Pennsylvania	West Chester	42	14	1
Rhode Island	Central Falls	42	19	1
South Carolina	Hanahan	42	18	1
South Dakota	Vermillion	43	16	1
Tennessee	La Vergne	42	16	1
Texas	Forney	43	21	1
Utah	Kearns	41	18	2
Vermont	Burlington	42	11	1
Virginia	Sudley	42	24	2
Washington	Monroe	46	14	1
West Virginia	Teays Valley	39	21	1
Wisconsin	Platteville	43	24	1
Wyoming	Gillette	45	14	1

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Kathy Morris

Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.

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