Washington DC is not only the nation’s capital, but also the hardest-working city in the country, according to a new study.
The capital came ahead of Irving, Texas, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, which came in second — and more than 98 places ahead of New York City, which ranked a modest 99.
The study, conducted by WalletHub, compared the nation’s 116 largest cities across 11 key metrics, including labor force participation, average weekly work hours and annual volunteer hours per capita.
The study found that the top 10 hardest-working cities based on a combination of both direct and indirect factors, from first to 10th: Washington, DC; Irving, TX; Cheyenne, WY; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Anchorage, Alaska; Norfolk, VA; Dallas, Texas; San Francisco, California; Denver, Colo.; and Austin, Texas.
Washington came out on top with a score of 76.97, although the city ranked fourth in direct work factors and ninth in indirect work factors.
Washington DC is also the hardest working city in the country, according to a new study
According to the study, Irving ranked second on the comprehensive list as the hardest working city in America with a score of 76.39
Wyoming’s capital, Cheyenne, ranks third nationwide
The experts said DC has the highest percentage of workers who leave vacation days unused, at 64 percent.
The local population is also willing to travel to work for a relatively long time, on average more than half an hour, which adds to the working day.
Outside of work, more than 30 percent of the district’s residents are members of local volunteer groups or organizations.
New York City ranked 99th in the survey, scoring 53.70 for hardworking residents.
New Yorkers have a longer commute 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, while residents also work the third most hours per week on average.
The report also ranked the city of Irving second on the comprehensive list with a score of 76.39.
The city has the lowest share of households where no adults work, 3.6 times lower than Detroit, the city with the highest number.
Virginia Beach ranked fourth, with the fourth most hours worked per week on average
Anchorage Alaska came in a respectable fifth place out of 116 cities in the study of the hardest workers
Norfolk, Virginia is the second city in Hampton Roads to rank sixth in the top ten
The city of Dallas in North Texas came in seventh on the list of the hardest working cities
“One result 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 employees should be commended for their dedication, it is also important to avoid overwork and take some time to relax,” researchers said.
Irving ranked ninth in the nation in average 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, came in third, with residents spending the third most hours per week on average.
The city has one of the highest labor participation rates in the country: more than 97 percent of all working-age residents are employed.
Cheyenne has the seventh highest percentage of workers with multiple jobs, almost 7 percent.
As a result, people in Cheyenne have the third lowest amount of free time on average.
San Francisco, America’s tech capital, ranked eighth and was the only city in California to make the top 20
Denver, Colorado came in ninth on the list. The photo shows a view of the Denver skyline and the State Capitol
Austin came in 10th on the list of the hardest working cities, with three Texas cities in the top 10
New York City ranked 99th in the survey, scoring 53.70 for hardworking residents. New Yorkers have a longer commute than those in the nation’s capital – one of the factors that determined the rankings in the study
“Hard work is one of the biggest reasons America has become so successful, but it can also lead to negative consequences if it enters overwork territory,” says WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe.
“In other words, even though people in the hardest-working cities are the backbone of our economy, they shouldn’t forget to take a break every now and then for their mental and physical health.”
The survey also found that, on average, Americans work about 25 percent more hours than European workers, largely due to laws surrounding employment in Europe.
‘We work more than Europeans for a mix of legal and cultural reasons. For example, EU countries require employers to provide paid leave for vacations, parental leave and sick leave. There are no corresponding federal laws in the United States,” said law professor Michael J. Yelnosky.
“Most U.S. workers have no protection against arbitrary dismissal because of the at-will rule, which creates fear among some workers about the risks of being seen as a slacker.” Some call this the American culture of presenteeism,” Yelnosky said in a statement for WalletHub.
“A smaller percentage of American workers than those in Europe have union representation, and union workers are 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 brand of capitalism is much more individualistic and laissez-faire than the European versions,” he said.
“Many American workers don’t find the long hours worth it. According to surveys, many would prefer to work less, even if it means earning less. There are serious health risks associated with working long hours,” Yelnosky added.