The Work-Life Balance Level in Your State
Work-life balance has become increasingly important to the American worker. A recent GOBankingRates survey found that when choosing a job or career, 62% of Americans favor work-life balance over salary.
Read More: It’s Never Too Late To Become Wealthy,’ According to Robert Kiyosaki
Learn More: 6 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)
Work-life balance is not only affected by the job you choose, but also by where you live. To determine the work-life balance level in every state, GOBankingRates analyzed a number of factors, including commute time, average hours worked per week, labor force participation rate, unemployment rate and livability.
These factors were scored to find the overall best and worst states for work-life balance, with high scores representing optimal work-life balance and low scores representing poor work-life balance. Based on this analysis, Utah was ranked as the state with the best work-life balance, with an overall score of 5.02. New York was ranked as the worst, with an overall score of 1.94.
Here’s a look at how each state scored for work-life balance. Also see jobs that offer both.
Alabama
Average commute time (minutes): 25.3
Average hours worked per week: 39.1
Labor force participation rate: 58.0%
Unemployment rate: 5.2%
Work-life balance score: 3.10
Find Out: I’m a Financial Advisor — Here’s Why My Rich Clients Identify With the Middle Class
Discover More: Net Worth for US Families — How To Tell if You’re Poor, Middle Class, Upper Middle Class or Rich
Alaska
Average commute time (minutes): 19.3
Average hours worked per week: 41.6
Labor force participation rate: 66.7%
Unemployment rate: 6.4%
Work-life balance score: 3.30
Find Out: How Much Household Income Will Be Considered Upper Middle Class in 5 Years?
Arizona
Average commute time (minutes): 25.5
Average hours worked per week: 38.8
Labor force participation rate: 60.5%
Unemployment rate: 5.4%
Work-life balance score: 2.89
Arkansas
Average commute time (minutes): 22.2
Average hours worked per week: 39.5
Labor force participation rate: 58.2%
Unemployment rate: 5.1%
Work-life balance score: 3.42
California
Average commute time (minutes): 29.2
Average hours worked per week: 38.1
Labor force participation rate: 63.8%
Unemployment rate: 6.4%
Work-life balance score: 2.34
Colorado
Average commute time (minutes): 25.6
Average hours worked per week: 39.0
Labor force participation rate: 68.6%
Unemployment rate: 4.5%
Work-life balance score: 3.35
Connecticut
Average commute time (minutes): 26.4
Average hours worked per week: 38.0
Labor force participation rate: 66.0%
Unemployment rate: 5.9%
Work-life balance score: 3.35
Find More: 7 Things the Middle Class Won’t Be Able To Afford in the Next 5 Years
Delaware
Average commute time (minutes): 25.9
Average hours worked per week: 38.5
Labor force participation rate: 62.3%
Unemployment rate: 5.4%
Work-life balance score: 3.62
Florida
Average commute time (minutes): 27.9
Average hours worked per week: 38.9
Labor force participation rate: 59.4%
Unemployment rate: 5.0%
Work-life balance score: 2.34
Georgia
Average commute time (minutes): 28.4
Average hours worked per week: 39.3
Labor force participation rate: 63.6%
Unemployment rate: 5.2%
Work-life balance score: 2.63
Hawaii
Average commute time (minutes): 26.6
Average hours worked per week: 38.7
Labor force participation rate: 64.6%
Unemployment rate: 5.1%
Work-life balance score: 3.60
Idaho
Average commute time (minutes): 21.4
Average hours worked per week: 38.1
Labor force participation rate: 62.9%
Unemployment rate: 3.8%
Work-life balance score: 4.07
Check Out: 7 Ways the Upper Middle Class Can Become Rich in 2024
Illinois
Average commute time (minutes): 28.4
Average hours worked per week: 38.6
Labor force participation rate: 65.2%
Unemployment rate: 6.0%
Work-life balance score: 2.48
Indiana
Average commute time (minutes): 24.0
Average hours worked per week: 38.7
Labor force participation rate: 63.9%
Unemployment rate: 4.5%
Work-life balance score: 3.74
Iowa
Average commute time (minutes): 19.6
Average hours worked per week: 38.9
Labor force participation rate: 66.6%
Unemployment rate: 3.8%
Work-life balance score: 4.11
Kansas
Average commute time (minutes): 19.7
Average hours worked per week: 39.2
Labor force participation rate: 66.2%
Unemployment rate: 4.0%
Work-life balance score: 4.13
Kentucky
Average commute time (minutes): 23.9
Average hours worked per week: 39.0
Labor force participation rate: 59.5%
Unemployment rate: 5.1%
Work-life balance score: 3.52
Louisiana
Average commute time (minutes): 26.0
Average hours worked per week: 39.7
Labor force participation rate: 59.2%
Unemployment rate: 6.6%
Work-life balance score: 2.51
See More: How Far a $100,000 Salary Goes in America’s 50 Largest Cities
Maine
Average commute time (minutes): 24.4
Average hours worked per week: 38.3
Labor force participation rate: 62.2%
Unemployment rate: 4.0%
Work-life balance score: 3.69
Maryland
Average commute time (minutes): 32.0
Average hours worked per week: 38.8
Labor force participation rate: 67.2%
Unemployment rate: 5.1%
Work-life balance score: 2.97
Massachusetts
Average commute time (minutes): 29.4
Average hours worked per week: 38.0
Labor force participation rate: 67.1%
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Work-life balance score: 2.91
Michigan
Average commute time (minutes): 24.5
Average hours worked per week: 38.3
Labor force participation rate: 61.5%
Unemployment rate: 6.0%
Work-life balance score: 2.92
Minnesota
Average commute time (minutes): 23.3
Average hours worked per week: 38.2
Labor force participation rate: 68.7%
Unemployment rate: 4.0%
Work-life balance score: 3.88
Mississippi
Average commute time (minutes): 25.4
Average hours worked per week: 39.5
Labor force participation rate: 57.2%
Unemployment rate: 6.4%
Work-life balance score: 2.80
Learn More: What Income Level Is Considered Middle Class in Your State?
Missouri
Average commute time (minutes): 23.8
Average hours worked per week: 38.9
Labor force participation rate: 62.9%
Unemployment rate: 4.3%
Work-life balance score: 3.48
Montana
Average commute time (minutes): 18.8
Average hours worked per week: 38.4
Labor force participation rate: 63.0%
Unemployment rate: 3.9%
Work-life balance score: 4.32
Nebraska
Average commute time (minutes): 19.1
Average hours worked per week: 39.2
Labor force participation rate: 68.8%
Unemployment rate: 3.1%
Work-life balance score: 4.67
Nevada
Average commute time (minutes): 24.7
Average hours worked per week: 38.8
Labor force participation rate: 63.3%
Unemployment rate: 7.0%
Work-life balance score: 2.71
New Hampshire
Average commute time (minutes): 27.0
Average hours worked per week: 38.6
Labor force participation rate: 66.6%
Unemployment rate: 3.6%
Work-life balance score: 3.94
Discover More: Here’s What the US Minimum Wage Was the Year You Were Born
New Jersey
Average commute time (minutes): 31.1
Average hours worked per week: 38.4
Labor force participation rate: 66.1%
Unemployment rate: 6.2%
Work-life balance score: 2.36
New Mexico
Average commute time (minutes): 23.1
Average hours worked per week: 38.2
Labor force participation rate: 57.6%
Unemployment rate: 6.2%
Work-life balance score: 3.13
New York
Average commute time (minutes): 33.2
Average hours worked per week: 38.1
Labor force participation rate: 62.9%
Unemployment rate: 6.2%
Work-life balance score: 1.94
North Carolina
Average commute time (minutes): 25.0
Average hours worked per week: 39.1
Labor force participation rate: 62.6%
Unemployment rate: 5.1%
Work-life balance score: 2.94
North Dakota
Average commute time (minutes): 17.9
Average hours worked per week: 39.7
Labor force participation rate: 69.1%
Unemployment rate: 2.9%
Work-life balance score: 4.81
Read More: ‘Shark Tank’ Star Kevin O’Leary’s Morning Habit That Keeps Him From ‘Losing Money 100% of the Time’
Ohio
Average commute time (minutes): 23.6
Average hours worked per week: 38.4
Labor force participation rate: 63.2%
Unemployment rate: 5.0%
Work-life balance score: 3.35
Oklahoma
Average commute time (minutes): 22.3
Average hours worked per week: 39.5
Labor force participation rate: 61.2%
Unemployment rate: 4.9%
Work-life balance score: 3.42
Oregon
Average commute time (minutes): 23.3
Average hours worked per week: 37.9
Labor force participation rate: 62.5%
Unemployment rate: 5.5%
Work-life balance score: 3.33
Pennsylvania
Average commute time (minutes): 26.7
Average hours worked per week: 38.5
Labor force participation rate: 62.9%
Unemployment rate: 5.4%
Work-life balance score: 2.66
Rhode Island
Average commute time (minutes): 25.3
Average hours worked per week: 37.7
Labor force participation rate: 64.9%
Unemployment rate: 5.9%
Work-life balance score: 3.89
Explore More: Warren Buffett’s 6 Best Pieces of Money Advice for the Middle Class
South Carolina
Average commute time (minutes): 25.5
Average hours worked per week: 39.0
Labor force participation rate: 60.4%
Unemployment rate: 5.2%
Work-life balance score: 2.97
South Dakota
Average commute time (minutes): 17.4
Average hours worked per week: 39.7
Labor force participation rate: 67.6%
Unemployment rate: 3.1%
Work-life balance score: 4.78
Tennessee
Average commute time (minutes): 25.5
Average hours worked per week: 39.2
Labor force participation rate: 61.9%
Unemployment rate: 5.0%
Work-life balance score: 3.21
Texas
Average commute time (minutes): 26.6
Average hours worked per week: 39.9
Labor force participation rate: 65.1%
Unemployment rate: 5.2%
Work-life balance score: 2.56
Utah
Average commute time (minutes): 21.9
Average hours worked per week: 37.0
Labor force participation rate: 69.4%
Unemployment rate: 3.4%
Work-life balance score: 5.02
Check Out: 9 Bills Frugal People Don’t Pay
Vermont
Average commute time (minutes): 23.3
Average hours worked per week: 37.5
Labor force participation rate: 64.9%
Unemployment rate: 3.8%
Work-life balance score: 4.62
Virginia
Average commute time (minutes): 27.9
Average hours worked per week: 39.0
Labor force participation rate: 65.7%
Unemployment rate: 4.4%
Work-life balance score: 3.14
Washington
Average commute time (minutes): 27.3
Average hours worked per week: 38.5
Labor force participation rate: 64.6%
Unemployment rate: 5.0%
Work-life balance score: 2.93
West Virginia
Average commute time (minutes): 26.3
Average hours worked per week: 39.0
Labor force participation rate: 53.2%
Unemployment rate: 6.1%
Work-life balance score: 2.62
Wisconsin
Average commute time (minutes): 22.2
Average hours worked per week: 38.6
Labor force participation rate: 65.7%
Unemployment rate: 3.4%
Work-life balance score: 3.86
Wyoming
Average commute time (minutes): 18.0
Average hours worked per week: 39.9
Labor force participation rate: 65.7%
Unemployment rate: 3.8%
Work-life balance score: 4.32
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each state to find the best states for work-life balance. First, data was collected from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, including total population ages 16 and over, total workers ages 16 and over, total households in each state, median household income, labor force participation rate, unemployment rate, average hours worked each week and average commute time. Next, for each state, cost of living indexes were sourced from the Missouri Economic and Research Information Center. Using the average expenditure costs for all residents from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs were calculated. Finally, the livability index was sourced from WorldPopulationReview. The average commute time was scored and weighted at 1.50, the average hours worked per week was scored and weighted at 1.50, the labor force participation rate was scored and weighted at 1.00, the unemployment rate was scored and weighted at 1.00, and the livability index was scored and weighted at 1.00. All scores were summed and sorted to find the states with the best work-life balance. All data was collected on and is up to date as of April 15, 2024.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Work-Life Balance Level in Your State
