According to a November 2025 report on U.S. work culture, Louisiana is the most heavily worked state in the country, with workers subjected to the longest days. The study comes from the digital business‐card provider Wave Connect, who examined all 50 states based on job commitment levels and burnout indicators.
The core findings are:
- Louisiana workers are the most exploited in the U.S., with residents clocking the longest 36.5-hour workweeks.
- Southern states dominate the long work hours culture list, as Kentucky, Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee all appear in the top 10.
- North Dakota residents hold multiple jobs at the highest rate, with nearly 8% working more than one position to make ends meet.
The research analysed each state using four labour factors: work-life balance scores showing how much time residents have outside work, employee engagement rates reflecting how invested people are in their jobs, multiple jobholder rates tracking those working more than one position, and burnout treatment search volumes measuring how often people look for help recovering from overwork. Each state received an Employee Workaholism Score, where higher numbers indicate potential stress and over-commitment among the workforce.
The top 10 most over worked states in the U.S.
| State | Work-Life Balance Score | Employee Engagement Rate (%) | Multiple Jobholder Rate (%) | Monthly Burnout Treatment Searches per 100K | Employee Workaholism Score |
| Louisiana | 10 | 36 | 4.8 | 17 | 86 |
| Arizona | 30 | 35 | 5.4 | 24 | 65 |
| Kentucky | 32 | 36 | 5.2 | 24 | 58 |
| Alaska | 56 | 33 | 6.4 | 30 | 55 |
| Texas | 15 | 35 | 4.4 | 21 | 50 |
| Mississippi | 34 | 35 | 3.8 | 16 | 49 |
| Idaho | 51 | 34 | 5.7 | 30 | 47 |
| North Dakota | 28 | 34 | 7.8 | 35 | 46 |
| Tennessee | 40 | 35 | 4.4 | 24 | 45 |
| Colorado | 70 | 33 | 6.2 | 41 | 44 |
Louisiana takes first place as the country’s most over-worked state. Residents here spend 36.5 hours per week on the job, the longest workweek in the nation. This means they have the least time left outside their jobs for personal activities or rest. Nearly 5% of workers in Louisiana hold multiple jobs, which is a high rate considering the long working hours.
Arizona
In Arizona, employees spend 35.1 hours at work every week, leaving them with just 84 hours for personal life. That’s barely 1.4 hours more than Louisiana’s strained schedule, and it remains below the national average. The state also shows a 5.4% multiple jobholder rate, with more than 1 in 20 residents taking on at least two positions to cover living expenses.
Kentucky
Kentucky ranks third among the most exploited states. Residents here work 35 hours weekly, more than most Americans. They also show more dedication to work than others, with 36% reporting they love what they do at their job. Like in Louisiana and Arizona, about 5% of the workforce in Kentucky has multiple jobs, indicating that many are taking on extra work to meet financial needs.
Alaska
Alaska is also on the list with 34-hour workweeks. Employees here are not as enthusiastic towards their work as others in the ranking, but 6.4% of them still hold more than one job. This may help explain why Alaskans search for burnout treatment methods online more frequently, as multiple jobs lead to stress and exhaustion.
Texas
Texas rounds out the top five workaholic states. The region records the second-lowest work-life balance score, as most employees here have to spend nearly 36 hours at work every week. Despite long workweeks, about 35% of Texas residents report high commitment towards their work, while 4.4% hold multiple jobs.
Hence, the states where the working class toils away for the longest hours are found predominantly in the South. This is often reflective of income. Wages run lower in these states, so people work longer hours or take second jobs to pay for basics like rent, food, and bills.