Regardless of the looseness of the metrics, Plano consistently ranks highly in studies of America’s largest cities. In a recent WalletHub study, Plano ranked #13 for the hardest workers.
WalletHub examined 116 of the most populated cities, analyzing their work habits based on average workweek hours, employment rate, share of households where no adults work, share of workers leaving vacation time unused, share of engaged workers, share of residents aged 16-24 not enrolled in school or working, average commute time, share of workers with multiple jobs, average volunteer hours per resident, share of adults who participate in local groups or organizations and average leisure time spent per day.
“Hard work is the backbone of America’s economy and a big reason why the country has become so successful, as Americans outwork people in many other developed economies. In addition, between 40% and 64% of Americans leave at least some of their allotted vacation time on the table, depending on the city,” WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said. “While working long hours, minimizing time off, and having side jobs all lead to increased productivity, they can also have negative effects on people’s physical and mental health. It’s important for people to figure out how to work hard without overworking.”
Plano ranked behind Anchorage, Alaska; Washington, D.C.; Irving, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Austin, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Virginia Beach, Virginia; San Francisco, California; Arlington, Texas; Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Norfolk, Virginia. Texans filled the list, with 13 cities in the top 50 hardest-working ranks. Immediately following Plano are Texas cities Corpus Christi (14), Laredo (15) and Fort Worth (16).
These metrics were calculated using data 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.
