Employees in These States have the Best Work-life Balance, New Research Shows
Wednesday, March 15th, 2023
With the current economic conditions, work life is becoming more stressful for many, and the concept of work-life balance becomes an increasingly acute issue.
Lensa analysed the US states and several countries based on factors such as the average number of hours worked, estimated commute times, childcare costs and overall happiness of residents to determine the places with the best work-life balance.
You can view the full findings here: https://lensa.com/insights/
The Best US States for Work-Life Balance
|
Rank |
State |
Average Weekly Hours Worked |
Estimated Commute Time (mins) |
Average Childcare Cost (per 5 Day Working Week) |
Happiness Score /100 |
Overall Work-Life Balance Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
North Dakota |
38.0 |
17.5 |
$125 |
65.6 |
8.98 |
|
2 |
Utah |
40.0 |
21.4 |
$136 |
67.8 |
7.81 |
|
3 |
Idaho |
41.2 |
21.6 |
$102 |
63.1 |
7.76 |
|
4 |
South Dakota |
41.6 |
17.4 |
$89 |
60.8 |
7.71 |
|
5 |
Iowa |
39.4 |
19.7 |
$142 |
61.1 |
7.66 |
|
6 |
Montana |
37.4 |
19.1 |
$130 |
51.1 |
7.45 |
|
7 |
Nebraska |
40.9 |
19.3 |
$172 |
59.1 |
6.63 |
|
8 |
New Mexico |
35.9 |
23.2 |
$118 |
43.4 |
6.53 |
|
9 |
Minnesota |
40.1 |
22.2 |
$220 |
67.3 |
6.12 |
|
10 |
Hawaii |
39.3 |
25.3 |
$188 |
68.3 |
6.07 |
North Dakota comes out as the state with the best work-life balance score, at 8.98 out of 10. The state ranked extremely well for its lower average weekly working hours and its short commute time of just 17 and a half minutes. This results in less time being spent in the office and more on your home life.
At 7.81 out of 10, Utah has the second-highest work-life balance score in the entirety of the US. Utah ranks in the top fifteen for both their lower average weekly working hours and average commuting time. On top of that, it is also the second-happiest state. In our previous American work-life balance index, Utah ranked top as the overall best state for work-life balance.
Idaho takes third place for US states with the best work-life balance, scoring 7.76 out of 10. One of the top ten happiest states and also having one of the lowest average weekly childcare costs, Idaho also has low commute times at an average of 21.6 minutes, meaning you can spend less time working and more time enjoying the wilderness Idaho is known for.
US States With the Shortest Average Working Week
|
Rank |
State |
Average Weekly Hours Worked |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
New Mexico |
35.9 |
|
2 |
Alaska |
36.4 |
|
3 |
Montana |
37.4 |
|
4 |
North Dakota |
38.0 |
|
4 |
Vermont |
38.0 |
|
6 |
Oregon |
38.3 |
|
7 |
Rhode Island |
38.6 |
|
8 |
Connecticut |
39.2 |
|
9 |
Hawaii |
39.3 |
|
9 |
Arizona |
39.3 |
New Mexico comes out as the state with the shortest average working week in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state averaged 35.9 hours per week, lower than the standard 40 hours per week, excluding overtime. Previously, Utah ranked as the state with the shortest average workweek, at 37.3 hours a week.
Just behind New Mexico, we have Alaska, which is shown to work a half hour more on average. For 2021, the BLS recorded 36.4 as the average amount of hours worked per week in the state.
Montana, on the other hand, finishes third and works an hour longer than Alaska on average. However, it still falls below the 40 hours average for full-time work, according to the BLS average figure of 37.4 hours per week.
Further findings:
-
South Dakota is the US state with the shortest average work commute, with an average of 17.4 minutes spent on a daily commute to work.
-
Mississippi is the state with the most affordable childcare.
-
Hawaii is the happiest state in the US, scoring 68.3 out of 100 on WalletHub’s happiness index.
