HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaiʻi has landed in the top five hardest-working states in the country. That’s according to a new 2025 report.
The islands ranked #5 overall that places residents amongst the busiest workers in the United States.
The ranking was based on ten key indicators that included employment rates, workweek hours, commute times and leisure.
Here’s what we found in the report.
Long days and multiple jobs
While Hawaiʻi ranked only 27th for average workweek hours, it placed 5th for the share of workers holding more than one job.
This suggests many residents balance more than one source of income which adds to their workload even if single-job hours seem average. The state also ranked 8th in employment rate which reflects a high share of working-age people who are employed.
Commutes added to the picture. Hawaiʻi ranked 16th in average commute time to show that workers spend more minutes on the road compared with many other states. That daily grind extends the workday beyond just hours spent on the clock.
Balancing work and rest
Due to the heavy workload, Hawaiʻi still placed 4th in lowest average leisure time per day. This means residents spend less time on rest, hobbies or other personal activities than workers in most other states.
Volunteerism, however, ranked 19th, and placed Hawaiʻi near the middle of the nation for giving time outside of paid work.
“It’s undeniable that America has fostered a culture of hard work, with people working longer hours than residents of other developed countries and often leaving vacation time on the table,” explained Chip Lupo noted, an analyst for the study. “Working hard is commendable, but people in the hardest-working states may need to consider taking a break once in a while, as a lack of leisure time can have a negative impact on people’s physical and mental health.”
National context
Nationwide, U.S, citizens worked an average of 1,805 hours in 2023. That was 470 more than workers in Germany but 447 fewer than workers in Colombia.
In addition, 33% of paid time off went unused which shows that many people skip vacations. The study also found that reasons range from job insecurity to fear of falling behind at work.
North Dakota ranked first overall, followed by Alaska, South Dakota and Texas. Hawaiʻi rounded out the top five, and Michigan placed last.
Hawaiʻi’s ranking highlights the balance its residents try to strike between employment, long commutes and multiple jobs. Even with a strong work ethic, the state also shows limited time left for leisure.
You can click here to read the full report.
The report places Hawaiʻi in the company of the hardest-working states in the nation that underscores the demanding pace of life in the islands.