We all find ourselves wishing we could earn a bit more while working a bit less, from time-to-time. But when it comes to our work/life balance, how balanced is it actually?
Here at ProfitDuel, we carried out a study to find out which states have the longest working hours and the lowest pay. Our study ranks states based on a Hardship Score, defined as the average hourly wage divided by average weekly work hours. A lower score indicates that workers earn less per hour relative to the number of hours they work.
Keep reading to discover your state's Hardship Score, according to our findings and let us know if you agree...
According to our findings, Mississippi records the lowest Hardship Score at 0.7983, indicating that workers there put in long hours for comparatively lower pay. Louisiana (0.8181), New Mexico (0.8687), and Kentucky (0.8616) follow closely, signifying challenging working conditions with long hours and modest wages.
In comparison, states like Massachusetts (1.2803), California (1.2196), and Washington (1.2077) score higher, indicating a more favorable balance between work hours and pay. The analysis uses data on average weekly earnings, hourly wages, and weekly work hours across states to provide a comparative framework that highlights disparities in labor conditions and informs ongoing discussions about wage policies and labor practices.
| State | Av. Weekly Earnings | Av. Hourly Wage | Av. Weekly Hours | Hardship Score |
| Massachusetts | $1,420.25 | 42.65 | 33.3 | 1.2803 |
| California | $1,376.59 | 40.98 | 33.6 | 1.2196 |
| Washington | $1,471.73 | 42.14 | 34.9 | 1.2077 |
| Colorado | $1,346.35 | 40.3 | 33.4 | 1.206 |
| New York | $1,267.45 | 38.76 | 32.7 | 1.1853 |
| Minnesota | $1,287.33 | 39.01 | 33 | 1.1822 |
| Connecticut | $1,303.36 | 39.14 | 33.3 | 1.1745 |
| New Jersey | $1,277.39 | 38.37 | 33.3 | 1.1521 |
| Hawaii | $1,280.34 | 37.87 | 33.8 | 1.1201 |
| Rhode Island | $1,191.26 | 36.42 | 32.7 | 1.114 |
| Oregon | $1,240.51 | 37.02 | 33.5 | 1.104 |
| New Hampshire | $1,171.62 | 35.72 | 32.8 | 1.0884 |
| Maryland | $1,184.70 | 35.9 | 33 | 1.0879 |
| Virginia | $1,214.71 | 36.25 | 33.5 | 1.0821 |
| Alaska | $1,290.58 | 37.29 | 34.6 | 1.0772 |
| Illinois | $1,176.86 | 35.12 | 33.5 | 1.0484 |
| Wisconsin | $1,126.35 | 34.37 | 32.8 | 1.0482 |
| Utah | $1,177.34 | 35.05 | 33.6 | 1.0435 |
| Vermont | $1,193.40 | 35.06 | 34 | 1.0312 |
| Delaware | $1,047.68 | 32.74 | 32 | 1.0231 |
| Missouri | $1,091.64 | 33.08 | 33 | 1.0024 |
| Montana | $1,082.74 | 32.91 | 32.9 | 1.0003 |
| Alabama | $1,110.89 | 35.3 | 35.3 | 1 |
| Georgia | $1,183.02 | 34.39 | 34.4 | 1 |
| Idaho | $1,147.85 | 33.87 | 33.9 | 0.9991 |
| North Dakota | $1,166.90 | 34.13 | 34.2 | 0.9974 |
| North Carolina | $1,132.32 | 33.58 | 33.7 | 0.9964 |
| Maine | $1,083.72 | 32.84 | 33 | 0.9952 |
| Florida | $1,186.74 | 34.2 | 34.7 | 0.9856 |
| Nebraska | $1,092.91 | 32.82 | 33.3 | 0.9856 |
| Michigan | $1,124.19 | 33.26 | 33.8 | 0.9846 |
| Arizona | $1,215.99 | 34.34 | 35.4 | 0.9706 |
| Ohio | $1,144.83 | 33.27 | 34.4 | 0.9663 |
| South Dakota | $1,020.50 | 31.4 | 32.5 | 0.9662 |
| Indiana | $1,112.82 | 32.73 | 34 | 0.9626 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,104.66 | 32.49 | 34 | 0.9556 |
| Texas | $1,254.17 | 34.57 | 36.3 | 0.952 |
| South Carolina | $1,073.52 | 31.94 | 33.6 | 0.9506 |
| Kansas | $1,052.95 | 31.62 | 33.3 | 0.9495 |
| Nevada | $1,087.65 | 31.7 | 34.3 | 0.9245 |
| Iowa | $1,026.44 | 30.64 | 33.5 | 0.9158 |
| Wyoming | $1,099.68 | 31.61 | 34.8 | 0.9081 |
| Tennessee | $1,073.29 | 31.02 | 34.6 | 0.8968 |
| Oklahoma | $1,082.55 | 30.93 | 35 | 0.8837 |
| Arkansas | $1,037.58 | 30.25 | 34.3 | 0.8817 |
| New Mexico | $974.85 | 29.1 | 33.5 | 0.8687 |
| Kentucky | $1,037.53 | 29.89 | 34.7 | 0.8616 |
| West Virginia | $1,016.72 | 29.42 | 34.5 | 0.8522 |
| Louisiana | $1,083.99 | 29.77 | 36.4 | 0.8181 |
| Mississippi | $999.70 | 28.24 | 35.4 | 0.7983 |
Mississippi registers the lowest Hardship Score in the study, recording a value of 0.7983. This reflects a combination of low average hourly wages and lengthy workweeks, meaning workers in the state earn less for every hour worked compared to other states.
The low score indicates that Mississippi’s workforce faces significant pressure, as the long hours do not translate into proportionately higher earnings.
Louisiana posts a Hardship Score of 0.8181, highlighting the strain of extended workweeks paired with relatively modest earnings. This score suggests that workers in the state face one of the least favorable trade-offs between time spent on the job and financial return.
In Louisiana, the extended hours worked do not correspond to proportionally high pay, highlighting an imbalance that may contribute to economic strain for employees. This metric suggests that while work duration remains significant, the compensation level falls short, pointing to potential areas for policy intervention to better support the state's workforce.
Massachusetts achieves the highest Hardship Score at 1.2803. This score suggests that workers earn roughly 1.28 dollars per weekly hour worked when comparing average hourly wages against average weekly hours.
The higher score points to a more favorable balance between work hours and pay, indicating that Massachusetts workers receive relatively higher compensation for the time they spend on the job.
California records a Hardship Score of 1.2196, indicating that, when normalized by the state’s average weekly work hours, the effective earning rate is approximately $1.22 per unit of average weekly work. This higher score suggests that despite the potential for long workweeks, the relatively higher hourly wages help create a more favorable balance between work time and pay.
The metric reflects that in California, the wage levels more effectively compensate for the duration of work, highlighting a labor market where workers generally receive better pay for the hours they work.
Data for this study were sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which provides comprehensive data on various labor market metrics across the United States. Specifically, the study utilized state-level datasets reporting average weekly earnings, average hourly wages, and average weekly working hours. Data were collected for all 50 states, ensuring a broad and representative sample of geographic areas.
Three primary variables were extracted for each state:
Using the average hourly wage and average weekly hours, the study derived an important metric:
The Hardship Score is calculated using the formula:
Hardship Score = Average Hourly Wage / Average Weekly Hours
This calculation produces a normalized figure that allows for comparison between different states, regardless of variations in absolute wages or hours worked. A lower Hardship Score signifies that, per hour of work, earnings are lower relative to the number of hours worked, indicating a higher level of financial hardship.
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