Are Michiganders Lazy? Here’s Why Experts Say the Answer Is Yes

A new study looking for the hardest-working states in America places Michigan almost dead last.

Really? Just what exactly makes us so lazy?

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Let's be clear. There's plenty of evidence to the contrary - Michigan is full of hard working people. Heck, we're literally the birthplace of the 40-hour work week.

What Makes Michigan So Lazy?

WalletHub, a personal finance website, recently published its list of the "Hardest Working States in America in 2024".

The study looked at both direct and indirect work factors.

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"Direct work factors" included things such as the average hours worked each week by residents of each state; each state's unemployment rate; the percentage of households in each state where no one works; the percentage of workers who regularly leave vacation time on the table; the percentage of engaged workers - those who are “involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace,” as defined by Gallup; and the number of "idle youth" - residents ages 18 to 24 who aren't in school and don't work.

"Indirect work factors" weren't weighted quite as heavily. These things included the average commute time of workers in each state; the percentage of people with more than one job; how many hours a year that the average person in each state devotes to volunteer work; and the average number of hours each person spent engaged in leisure activities.

After crunching all the data, the survey determined that 47 of America's 50 states work harder than Michigan does. Only New York and West Virginia scored worse.

SEE ALSO: 2 Michigan Cities Rank Among the Dirtiest Cities in America

Michigan ranked 48th among the direct work factors, and 33rd among the indirect ones.

We Still Have Questions

But was this a fair assessment? No regard seems to have been given to the physicality (or lack thereof) of the work performed by the average Michigander. Further, Michigan winters are known to take a toll on its residents, including the ability of many to perform the work they set out to do.

Not sure Michigan got a fair shake on this one.