Washington DC isn’t just the nation’s capital: it’s also the hardest-working city in the country, according to a new survey.
The capital was ahead of Irving, Texas, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, which came in second place, and more than 98 spots ahead of New York City, which came in at a modest 99th place.
The survey, conducted by WalletHub, compared the country’s 116 largest cities across 11 key metrics that included employment rate, average weekly work hours and annual volunteer hours per resident.
The research found that the top 10 hardest-working cities based on a combination of direct and indirect factors were, from first to tenth: Washington, DC; Irving, Texas; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Anchorage, Alaska; Norfolk, Virginia; Dallas, Texas; San francisco California; Denver, Colorado; and Austin, Texas.
Washington came in first with a score of 76.97, although the city ranked fourth in direct labor factors and ninth in indirect labor factors.
Washington DC is also the hardest working city in the country, according to a new survey
According to the study, Irving ranked second on the extensive list as the hardest working city in the United States with a score of 76.39.
Wyoming’s capital, Cheyenne, ranks third nationally
Experts said D.C. has the highest share of workers who leave their vacation time unused, at 64 percent.
Locals are also willing to make relatively long commutes to work, lasting more than half an hour on average, which increases their work hours.
Outside of work, more than 30 percent of District residents are members of local volunteer groups or organizations.
New York City ranked 99th in the survey with a score of 53.70 among its working residents.
New Yorkers have a longer commute time than those in the nation’s capital, one of the factors that determined the rankings in the study.
The personal finance website found that the average American worker puts in 1,811 hours per year and residents also work third in average hours per week.
The report also ranked the city of Irving second on the extensive list with a score of 76.39.
The city has the lowest proportion of households where no adults work, 3.6 times fewer than Detroit, the city with the highest proportion.
Virginia Beach ranked fourth, ranking fourth for most hours worked per week on average
Anchorage, Alaska, ranked a respectable fifth out of 116 cities in the toughest workers survey.
Norfolk, Virginia, is the second Hampton Roads city to make the top ten at No. 6.
The North Texas city of Dallas ranked seventh on the list of hardest-working cities.
‘A consequence of the hard work of Irving residents is the fact that they have much less free time compared to people in most cities. “While Irving workers should be applauded for their dedication, it is also important to avoid overwork and take time to relax,” researchers said.
Irving ranked ninth in the country for average number of hours worked per week.
But that statistic comes at a cost, meaning Irving residents have significantly less free time compared to people in other cities.
In the West, Cheyenne, Wyoming, ranked third, with residents putting in the third most hours per week, on average.
The city has one of the highest employment rates in the country, with more than 97 percent of all working-age residents employed.
Cheyenne has the seventh-highest rate of multi-job workers, nearly 7 percent.
As a result, Cheyenne people have, on average, the third-least amount of free time.
San Francisco, the tech capital of the United States, ranked eighth and was the only California city to make the top 20.
Denver, Colorado, came in ninth on the list. Pictured is a view of the Denver skyline and the state Capitol.
Austin ranked 10th on the list of hardest working cities, with three Texas cities in the top 10.
New York City ranked 99th in the survey with a score of 53.70 among its working residents. New Yorkers have a longer commute time than those in the nation’s capital, one of the factors that determined the rankings in the study.
“Hard work is one of the main reasons the United States has become so successful, but it can also have negative consequences if it gets into overwork territory,” said Cassandra Happe, an analyst at WalletHub.
“In other words, although the people of the hardest working cities are the backbone of our economy, they should not forget to take occasional breaks for their physical and mental health.”
The research also found that Americans work on average about 25 percent more hours than European workers, largely due to laws governing employment in Europe.
‘We work harder than Europeans for a combination of legal and cultural reasons; For example, EU countries require employers to provide paid time off for vacation, parental leave, and sick leave. There are no corresponding federal laws in the United States,” said law professor Michael J. Yelnosky.
“Most American workers have no protection against arbitrary dismissal from employment due to the at-will rule, creating fear in some workforces about the risks of being seen as ‘lazy.’ Some have referred to this as American culture of presenteeism,” Yelnosky said in a statement to WalletHub.
‘A smaller percentage of American workers than those in Europe have union representation, and union workers are more likely to have better wages and benefits than their non-union counterparts. We are also a country that celebrates consumerism and the acquisition of wealth. “Our type of capitalism is much more individualistic and laissez-faire than European versions,” he stated.
‘Many American workers don’t believe long hours are worth it. According to surveys, many would prefer to work less even if it meant earning less. “There are serious health risks associated with long-term work,” Yelnosky added.