Where You Live Could Mean 200 More Work Hours Every Year

When you're punching a timeclock. sometimes it feels like the timeclock is punching back. But in South Dakota, workers actually enjoy some of the shortest weeks in America.

New figures out from Visual Capitalist and the Voronoi app show that workers in the Mount Rushmore State, on average, log the third fewest hours nationwide - less than 33 hours per week.

READ MORE: Why South Dakota Loves Fireworks More Than Any Other State

Average Weekly Hours Worked by State

The figures are based on average weekly hours worked across every U.S. state using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for April 2026.

The survey found that states with larger concentrations of professional services, finance, education, healthcare, or tourism generally report shorter average workweeks, due to standardized schedules and a greater share of salaried office-based employment.

Average Weekly Hours Worked - Least

• Delaware: 32.4
• Hawaii: 32.5
• South Dakota: 32.6
• Minnesota: 32.7
• Maine: 32.7
• California: 32.8
• Wisconsin: 32.9
• Oregon: 32.9
• New York: 32.9
• New Hampshire: 32.9
• Missouri: 32.9
• Colorado: 32.9

States with large oil and gas industries, manufacturing bases, or resource extraction sectors generally report longer average workweeks, reflecting industries that rely on continuous operations, shift work, and longer full-time schedules.

Average Weekly Hours Worked - Most

• Louisiana: 36.3
• Texas: 35.9
• Alabama: 35.8
• Alaska: 35.3
• West Virginia: 35.3
• Mississippi: 35.2
• Arkansas: 35.1
• Kentucky: 35.1
• Oklahoma: 35.1
• Georgia: 34.9

The spread between the highest- and lowest-ranked jurisdictions is relatively modest, at just under four hours per week.

However, over the course of a year, that difference amounts to nearly 200 additional hours worked, roughly the equivalent of five extra full-time workweeks.

Get our free mobile app