Texas has the nation's 4th-hardest workers in 2025, study says. Here are the top 3

Texans know how to get things done, maintaining a reputation as some of America's hardest workers. It's not just a trope: Data backs it up.

Americans work an average of 1,805 hours every year, according to the World Economic Forum. If the average person worked every weekday in 2025, without holidays, vacation or sick days, this would translate to nearly seven hours per day. Using this formula, the average German worker works just over five hours a day; while in Colombia, whose workers put in the most hours annually, the average employee works over eight-and-a-half hours a day.

Americans don't just work hard when they have to. Sorbet statistics from 2023 reveal the average employee left 33% of their paid time off (PTO) unused — and 5.5% didn't use a single day of PTO. This doesn't necessarily mean workers don't want to take a vacation. Americans who were surveyed gave several explanations for not using all of their time off:

• 54% said travel was too expensive

• 55% said they felt pressure from employers not to take time off

• 63% said it was more difficult to take time off when they worked from home

A new WalletHub analysis seeks to compare work culture across states using 10 key measures, from average workweek hours to share of workers with multiple jobs to annual volunteer hours per resident.

"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," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "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."

Texas is No. 4 hardest-working state, study shows

The Lone Star State ranked among the top five for the hardest-working states in WalletHub's study. It had the second-highest number of average workweek hours, more than Louisiana and Wyoming (which tied for No. 3) but fewer than Alaska (No. 1).

Source: WalletHub

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