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 jobs or careers, 62% of Americans favor work-life balance over just money.

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, along with which states offer both.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

For You: ​​

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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 May 29, 2024.