US life-work balance key findings
Maine has risen eight places since the 2022 index following the addition of our safety metric. By contrast, the country’s least safe state sits at the bottom — Louisiana which recorded only 31.64 out of 100 in this category, according to World Population Review’s safest-states ranking.
The South contains many of the lowest-ranked states for life-work balance, with nine of the ten lowest positions located 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 held by western states.
Illinois, Maine, and Nevada provide the most generous statutory annual leave — five days in each state — which significantly lifts their index positions.
Washington tops the list for minimum wage, with workers earning $16.28p/h, and offers the highest maternity leave payment rate — up to 90% of a worker’s wage (capped at $1,000 per week).
The happiest state in the US? Hawaii. No surprise — the Aloha State is well known for its warm welcome, dramatic scenery and enviable weather.
Value your free time? Alaska has the shortest working week in the country, with residents working on average just over 27 hours per 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 pay when sick, as their state provides eight paid sick days — the highest figure in our study.
What is life-work balance and how does it look in the United States?
At Remote, we deliberately avoid the phrase work-life balance and instead emphasise life before work — personal commitments, hobbies and downtime should take priority where possible.
That distinction matters because in the United States the balance between work and free time has long been a source of frustration. Even as flexi-time and the 4-day work week enter mainstream discussion, long hours, limited holidays and state-level rules on issues like maternity leave and sick pay continue to provoke debate.
Work gives many people a sense of purpose, but a balance must exist between hours at work and life outside the office. One clear lesson from the pandemic was how much happier people can be when they have more time to focus on life beyond work. Our physical and mental health depends on that balance.
We support this shift through our comprehensive range of global HR solutions — including our employer of record services — helping to make hiring and working more flexible than ever. If you’re thinking of relocating, we also provide relocation services and a dedicated talent hub for finding remote-friendly job opportunities. So, whether you are an employer building 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 is not unique to the United States; it is a global issue.
Our independent research shows that countries such as Ireland, Iceland and Denmark regularly lead in this area, topping the charts in our European study. Meanwhile, our global life-work index placed New Zealand at number one thanks to its generous annual leave entitlement and its position as one of the safest countries to live and work in.
There is still room for improvement worldwide, but at Remote we remain optimistic. We will continue to support changing attitudes toward life-work balance and look forward to next year’s findings.
