Massachusetts Tops Recent Study on Work-life Balance

SEATTLE — Work/life balance is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, and a new study reveals which states have the best and worst balances, with Massachusetts topping the list.

The study, by AI productivity platform Plus Docs, analyzed Bureau of Labor Statistics data and looked at the average weekly hours worked, as well as average weekly earnings, in order to give each state an index score out of 100 for how good — or bad — its work/life balance is.

Massachusetts takes the top spot on the list, with a work/life balance score of 60.29 out of 100. With the highest average weekly income ($1,329.02 per week) and, as a result, the highest average hourly wages ($39.32 per hour), the people of Massachusetts were found to be among the states with the lowest average weekly hours worked, working only 33.8 hours per week on average.

Rounding out the top five, in order, are Washington, California, New York, and Alaska. Mississippi was found to be the state with the worst work/life balance, scoring only 0.19 out of 100. In Mississippi, the average person works 34.6 hours a week and earns only $829.71 per week.

“The study highlights significant variations in work/life balance across different U.S. states. Massachusetts takes the lead with a notably high index score, showing a fine balance between working hours and earnings,” said Daniel Li, CEO and co-founder of Plus Docs. “In contrast, at the lower end of the spectrum, Mississippi indicates a distinct pattern with lower weekly wages and a relatively higher number of weekly hours worked. These findings underscore states’ diverse approaches in managing the delicate balance between professional commitments and personal time.”