Getting It Done
Austinites work pretty damn hard according to new survey
Despite Austin's laid back reputation, it seems we also know how to get things done. A new study from WalletHub proclaims that Austin is the No. 23 hardest working city in the United States.
To determine the rankings for the 116 most populated U.S. cities, WalletHub weighed seven different factors, including average workweek hours, commute times, labor force participation rate (i.e. how many people who can work actually do), workers with multiple jobs, volunteer hours per resident, average number of days people don’t get enough sleep in a month and leisure time spent on an average day. Average workweek hours were weighted most heavily, followed by labor force participation rate.
Though we work fairly hard here in Austin, North Texas is just killing it. Plano (No. 3), Irving (No. 5), Garland (tied for No. 6), Arlington (No. 14) and Dallas (No. 15) all rank in the top 20, with Fort Worth close behind at No. 21. The top two cities are about as far apart as they come: Anchorage, Alaska, and Virginia Beach, Virginia.
When asked why Americans worked so hard, WalletHub’s panel of experts listed myriad reasons, from good old-fashioned work ethic and fear of ending up destitute to chasing the American dream. Ariana Levinson, associate professor of law at Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville, points to U.S. laws — or lack thereof — regarding the workplace and the fact that many U.S. companies don’t offer paid vacation at all, let alone the three weeks that Europeans tend to get.
Other ranking Texas cities include Houston at No. 20, Corpus Christi at No. 26, and San Antonio at No. 47.