US life-work balance key findings
Maine has climbed eight places since 2022’s index, thanks to the introduction of our new safety metric. Meanwhile, America’s least safe state languishes at the bottom of the table — Louisiana only scored 31.64 out of 100 in this category, according to World Population Review’s ranking of the safest states.
The South is home to some of the lowest-scoring locations for life-work balance, with nine out of ten of the lowest-ranked states found there, including Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
In contrast, the west of the US dominates the top of our index, with eight of the top 20 positions belonging to western states.
Illinois, Maine, and Nevada offer the most generous statutory annual leave allowances — five days for each state — significantly boosting their index standings.
Washington leads the pack for minimum wage, with workers earning $16.28p/h, while also offering the highest maternity leave payment rate — up 90% of a worker’s wage (capped at $1,000 per week).
The happiest state in the US? Hawaii. No surprises here, though — the Aloha State is renowned for its welcoming atmosphere, stunning scenery, and envy-inducing weather.
Value your free time? Alaska is home to the shortest working week in America. Alaskan residents work on average just over 27 hours a week.
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine lead the way for LGBTQ+ inclusivity, scoring highly for LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms.
The safest state to live and work in is Vermont.
Residents of New Mexico are least likely to lose wages when they’re ill, as their state offers eight paid sick days in America — the highest in the study.
What is life-work balance and what does it look like in the United States?
At Remote, we deliberately avoid using the term work-life balance, instead opting to flip the phrase, emphasizing that our personal lives — family commitments, hobbies, downtime — deserve precedence over our careers.
It’s an important revision, particularly because in the United States, the equilibrium between work and free time has long been a source of discontent. Even today, in a world where flexi-time and the 4-day work week are seen as valid points of discussion, long hours, limited vacation time and state-governed rules on core issues like maternity leave and sick pay remain as contentious as ever.
Our careers shouldn’t be seen as unimportant — the vast majority of society derives purpose in working — but there’s a crucial balance to be struck between the hours we spend on the job, and what we do away from our desks. One of the greatest lessons learned from the pandemic was just how much happier humans can be when they’re allowed more time to focus on life outside of work. Our physical and mental health depends on this balance.
We’re proud to support this shift through our full suite of global HR solutions — including our employer of record services — making hiring (and working) more flexible than ever before. If you’re inspired to relocate, we also offer relocation services and a dedicated talent hub for discovering remote-friendly job openings. So, whether you’re an employer looking to build a global team or an applicant seeking new horizons (in a US state or another country altogether) we can help.
How is life-work balance evolving around the world?
Life-work balance isn’t an issue confined to the United States; it’s a global concern.
Our independent research shows that countries like Ireland, Iceland, and Denmark consistently lead the way in this area, topping the charts in our European study. Meanwhile, our global life-work index revealed New Zealand as the world leader, ranking #1 thanks to its generous annual leave allowance and status as one of the safest countries to live and work in.
Globally, there’s still progress to be made, but at Remote, we’re optimistic about the future. We remain committed to supporting the continual evolution of attitudes toward life-work balance, and we’re excited to see next year’s results!
