Austin and its residents are proving their tenacity as some of the hardest-working Americans in 2026; so says a new study.

WalletHub's annual "Hardest-Working Cities in America (2026)" report ranked Austin the 10th most hardworking city nationwide. The Texas Capital appeared four spots lower than the year before.

The personal finance website evaluated 116 U.S. cities based on 11 key indicators across "direct" and "indirect" work factors, such as an individual's average workweek hours, average commute times, employment rates, and more.

The U.S. cities that comprised the top five include Cheyenne, Wyoming (No. 1); Anchorage, Alaska (No. 2); Washington, D.C. (No. 2); Sioux Falls, South Dakota (No. 4); and Irving, Texas (No. 5). Dallas also earned a spot among the top 10, landing in 7th place.

Based on the report's findings, Austin has the No. 1 most involved "direct work factors" ranking in the nation, which analyzed residents' average workweek hours, employment rates, the share of households where no adults work, the share of workers leaving vacation time unused, the share of "engaged" workers, and the rate of "idle youth" (residents aged 16-24 who are not in school nor have a job).

Austin has also become a popular place to live for millennials, who make up about 40 percent of the city's total population and a significant chunk of the workforce. Remote work flexibility is extremely prevalent in Austin, and the city's affordability is also showing signs of improvement.

Austin's "indirect work factors" ranking lands at No. 97 out of all 116 cities in the report. "Indirect" work factors that were considered include residents' average commute times, the share of workers with multiple jobs, the share of residents who participate in local groups or organizations, annual volunteer hours, and residents' average leisure time spent per day.

Based on data from The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), WalletHub said the average American employee works hundreds of more hours than workers residing in "several other industrialized nations."

"The typical American puts in 1,796 hours per year – 179 more than in Japan, 284 more than in the U.K., and 465 more than in Germany," the report's author wrote. "In recent years, the rise of remote work has, in some cases, extended work hours even further."

WalletHub also tracked the nation's lowest and highest employment rates based on the largest city in each state from 2009 to 2024.

Other Texas cities that earned spots on the list include Fort Worth (No. 13), Corpus Christi (No. 14), Arlington (No. 15), Plano (No. 17), Laredo (No. 22), Garland (No. 24), Houston (No. 37), El Paso (No. 43), Lubbock (No. 46), and San Antonio (No. 61).

The top 10 hardest working cities in America are:

• No. 1 – Cheyenne, Wyoming
• No. 2 – Anchorage, Alaska
• No. 3 – Washington, D.C.
• No. 4 – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• No. 5 – Irving
• No. 6 – Nashville
• No. 7 – Dallas
• No. 8 – San Francisco
• No. 9 – Denver
• No. 10 – Austin

Data for this study was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Travel Association, Gallup, Social Science Research Council, and the Corporation for National & Community Service as of January 29, 2026.