BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Maryland ranked 14th in WalletHub’s 2026 list of the hardest-working states in America, the personal-finance company announced Monday.
The report compared all 50 states across 10 metrics, including average weekly work hours, employment rates, the share of workers holding multiple jobs and the amount of leisure time residents get each day.
1=Best, 25=Average.
Maryland ranked second nationwide for average commute time, according to WalletHub. The state placed 26th for average workweek hours and 25th for employment rate.
The state also ranked 18th for the share of workers with multiple jobs, 20th for annual volunteer hours per resident and 11th for average leisure time spent per day.
WalletHub said nearly half of Americans do not expect to use all of their paid time off this year, pointing to a broader workplace culture in which workers often leave vacation days unused.
“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,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. “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.”
South Dakota topped the list as the nation’s hardest-working state, WalletHub said, citing its high employment rate and the share of workers with multiple jobs.
The full WalletHub report is available here.
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