North Dakota
Labor study shows North Dakota is hardest working state
With only 48 percent of Americans having used all of their paid time off last year, the personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on 2024’s Hardest-Working States in America, as well as expert commentary, to find out where Americans are putting in the most effort, as well as where people might need to take a break.
WalletHub compared the 50 states across 10 key metrics. The data set ranges from the average number of hours worked per week to the share of workers with multiple jobs to the average leisure time spent per day.
Top 20 Hardest-Working States in America
North Dakota was rated as the hardest working state, followed by Alaska at number two. Third was Nebraska, followed by Wyoming, South Dakota, Maryland, Texas, Colorado, New Hampshire and, at number 10, Kansas.
Ranked number 11 through 20 were Virginia, Oklahoma, Georgia, Hawaii, Tennessee, Mississippi, Iowa, Alabama, Louisiana and Missouri.
California was ranked 39th on the list and the bottom five were Connecticut at number 46, followed by New Mexico, Michigan, New York and West Virginia.
Key Stats
Alaska has the longest hours worked per week, which is 12 percent longer than in Utah, the state with the shortest.
New York has the longest average commute time, which is 1.9 times longer than in South Dakota, the state with the shortest.
Mississippi has the highest share of workers leaving vacation time unused, which is 1.6 times higher than in Ohio, the state with the lowest.
Maine has the highest share of workers with multiple jobs, which is 2.5 times higher than in Florida, the state with the lowest.
“It’s undeniable that America has fostered a culture of hard work, with people working longer hours than residents of other developed countries and often leaving vacation time on the table. Working hard is commendable, but people in the hardest-working states may need to consider taking a break once in a while, as a lack of leisure time can have a negative impact on people’s physical and mental health,” said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst. “North Dakota is the hardest-working state, in part because it has the highest employment rate in the country, at over 98 percent. Plus, workers ages 16 to 64 in North Dakota work an average of 39.7 hours per week, the third-most in the country. People in the Roughrider State have the second-lowest amount of leisure time per day, and 33.5 percent of workers leave some vacation time unused, the second-highest percentage.”
To view the full report and all state rankings, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/hardest-working-states-in-america/52400
Expert Commentary
What impact do you believe AI will have on the American worker?
“I think it is still too early to determine what the full impacts will be. Early evidence suggests that AI will help a lot in boosting communication skills (think about ChatGPT’s ability to improve your writing), performing repetitive well-defined tasks (like some coding tasks) and in identifying relevant information (like using a patient’s symptoms to make a medical diagnosis based on past cases). Workers whose jobs require a lot of these tasks may find themselves shifting what they do at work, moving away from things that AI is good at. That could also mean that certain jobs that AI is really good at could become more scarce. But we also would expect that AI would introduce new job opportunities as well (prompt engineer, etc.), so it’s hard to say what the overall impact will be just yet.”
Christian vom Lehn – Associate Professor, Brigham Young University
Do you believe job conditions are on the rise in the U.S.? What measures should authorities undertake in order to better protect workers?
“Job conditions in the U.S. are indeed evolving, but whether they are on the rise is a matter of perspective. On one hand, there is a growing emphasis on creating safer work environments to reduce injuries, particularly in sectors like construction where hazards are inherent. This is coupled with the increasing adoption of technology, such as tele-health and telemedicine, which can expedite the recovery of injured employees and reduce associated costs. However, the rise of the gig economy, where workers traditionally lack workers’ compensation, presents new challenges. Additionally, there are concerns about legislation reducing workers’ compensation benefits, even as some states are extending benefits for issues like Covid infection and opioid addiction. To better protect workers, authorities should continue to enforce and refine regulations that ensure workplace safety. This includes holding employers accountable for providing safe and healthy work environments, as mandated by organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In addition, authorities should address the changing nature of work by extending protections to gig workers and other non-traditional employees. This could involve reevaluating and updating workers’ compensation policies to reflect the realities of the modern workforce. Authorities should also leverage technology to improve worker protections. This could involve promoting the use of tele-health services in workers’ compensation or using digital tools to monitor and enforce workplace safety standards. Finally, authorities should consider measures to promote equality in the workplace, such as strengthening anti-discrimination laws and promoting equal pay for equal work. This is particularly important in light of the persistent gender pay gap and other forms of workplace inequality.”
Can Erbil – Professor of the Practice, Boston College
What are the main changes in the job market in 2024 and how will they impact employee engagement?
“I am going to answer as an organizational psychologist and not an economist! Organizations are still settling on hybrid work policies and are also continuing to edge towards gig, or non-fulltime, roles. Each of these can have negative impacts on employee engagement as we often lean into relationships with co-workers and a shared workspace as sources of connection to our jobs. However, positive employee engagement is a result of many factors with meaningful work being critical. Employers (and the employees themselves) should look to ensure that workers find identity and purpose in their work. Crafting jobs to take advantage of individuals’ skills and interests is one way to do this, as well as clarifying the impact of their work on external or internal customers.”
Dr. Kurt Kraiger – Chair and Professor, Department of Management, University of Memphis
Vernon Dale Krause, 93, of Fargo, ND, formerly of Wahpeton, ND, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 10, 2026, at Heather’s House in Fargo, ND, under the care of HIA Hospice.
A Celebration of life will be held on Monday, July 20, 2026, at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., followed by a service at 10:00 a.m., with burial immediately following at Fairview Cemetery in Wahpeton.
Vern was born on February 16, 1933, in rural Wyndmere, ND, one of eleven children born to Theodore and Ella (Rohl) Krause. He grew up in Wyndmere and attended Wyndmere Public School, where he left his studies behind to volunteer for the United States Army. Vern proudly served from 1953 to 1956 before transferring to the Army Reserves. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and, throughout his life, carried great pride in his years of military service.
He married Jean (Carey) Krause, and together they built a life and raised their family in Wahpeton, where he would spend most of his years. They were blessed with two children. In his later years, after developing severe dementia, Vernon moved to Fargo so he could receive the care he needed and be closer to family.
For 41 years, he worked for the City of Wahpeton Water & Sewer Department, where he was highly regarded and known for knowing every inch of the city like the back of his hand. Even after retirement, he continued to volunteer his time and expertise whenever the City needed him. Among the accomplishments he was most proud of were his early years helping develop the Chahinkapa Zoo.
Above all, he cherished his family. He loved anything to do with his grandchildren — from crafting chairs out of tree trunks and splitting wood, to watching their sporting events and helping them grow into who they were meant to be. His great-grandchildren were a true blessing to him — even if their energy made him a little nervous, he always looked forward to their visits. His nieces and nephews brought him great joy as well especially in his later years and he loved being an uncle to them. When his brother Leyone “Spud” moved to town, Vern couldn’t wait to deliver him the daily newspaper and share a chat. He loved tinkering in the garage, always engineering new ways to drain water, and he was the biggest Green Bay Packers fan around — proud to call himself a team shareholder. After moving to Fargo, Vernon was grateful for the time he was able to spend with his sister, Carole Jean, who had always been his protector.
Vernon will be remembered for his steady hands, his quiet devotion to family and community, and the example he set of showing up — for his country, for his city, and most of all, for the people he loved. He will be deeply missed.
Vern is survived by his son, Mark Krause, Fargo; two sisters-in-law, Priscilla Krause and Donna Krause; two brothers-in-law, Ron Carey and Don Carey; eight grandchildren, Carey, Danielle, Margo, Jodi, Nikki, Kevin, Brad and Tracee; 13 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jean Krause; his daughter, Deb Christopher; five brothers, Alfred, Donald, Willard, Kenneth and Leyone Krause; five sisters, Dorothy Peterson, Loretta Dable, LaVelle Odegard, Lucille Kruchek and Carole Jean Johnson-Bohlken; sisters-in-law, Viola Krause, Marleen Krause, Amy Carey and Linda Carey; brothers-in-law, Elroy Odegard, Robert Johnson, Willis Bohlken, Pete Peterson, Johnny Kruchek and Frank Dable; granddaughter, Robyn Krause; and grandson, Jack Bollman.
GRAFTON, N.D. — Two North Dakota men are speaking out about a 38-year-long alleged mistake that altered their entire lives.
The men and their families are suing Unity Medical Center in Grafton, saying the hospital is responsible for
switching them at birth in 1988
. The hospital denies the allegations.
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There are moments that remind us exactly who we are as a community, and the recent fire at Antelope Creek Bar and Grill in Mooreton was one of them. Many already know the awful loss that unfolded. It was a brutally hot day, the kind where the sun feels heavy and the air is so thick, and social media quickly filled with photos, videos, and comments documenting the devastation. Heartbreaking. Gut‑wrenching. A place that held memories for so many suddenly only visions smoke and charred remains.
But even in the middle of all that loss, something else rose up, something that always seems to show itself around here when life gets hard. Kindness. Pure, steady kindness.
The volunteer firefighters were the first reminder. They never cease to amaze me. They drop everything … work, family, whatever they were in the middle of and suit up in layers of gear despite the heat and humidity. They’re regular people with regular jobs, yet they show up like it’s the most natural thing in the world. No spotlight. No applause. Just service. Just heart.
Then came the folks who arrived with water, Gatorade, and anything they could think of to help ease the burden of those battling the blaze. Nobody organized it. Nobody asked. They simply showed up because that’s what people do here. That alone would have been enough to warm my heart.
But it didn’t stop there.
As the day went on, I saw posts from other regional businesses, specifically other bar and grills, reaching out with messages of support. These are places that could easily be seen as competition, yet there they were, offering help, extending care, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the owners who had just watched their livelihood disappear. “We are here. How can we help?” they wrote. No rivalry. No hesitation. Just neighbors being neighbors.
If you ever need a reminder of what makes this valley special, it’s moments like that. People who could have stayed quiet choosing instead to lift someone else up. Businesses that could have focused on themselves choosing instead to stand with another in their darkest moment. It’s the best of us. The part of small town life that doesn’t make headlines but makes all the difference.
We talk a lot about community, but this, this right here is what it looks like. It looks like firefighters sweating through their gear on a 90‑degree day. It looks like strangers handing out cold drinks. It looks like business owners reaching across the aisle to say, “You’re not alone.” It looks like compassion showing up before anyone has time to think twice.
Loss has a way of revealing character. And what I saw in the wake of that fire was a valley full of people who still believe in showing up, still believe in helping, still believe in each other. In a world that can feel divided and loud, this quiet, steady goodness is worth noticing. Worth celebrating. Worth holding onto.
Because when the smoke clears and the debris settles, what remains is the strength of a community that refuses to let anyone face hardship alone. And that, more than anything, is the story worth telling.
That is the true Best of the Valley. The people.
Bobbi Steffens resides in the Southern Valley and discovered her passion for writing through an unexpected path.
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