Texas is America's 7th hardest-working state in 2024, study says

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Texas is known for having some dedicated workers. Photo via Getty Images

Texas residents are among the most industrious workers in the country, according to WalletHub's annual "Hardest-Working States in America (2024)" study. The Lone Star State ranks No. 7 this year.

Despite still ranking in the top 10, though, Texas has seemingly become a little less driven over the last six years. Texas ranked No. 4 most industrious state for two years in a row starting in 2019, then slipped to No. 5 in 2021 and 2022, then to No. 6 in 2023. And here we've arrived at No. 7.

The 2024 report ranked each state based on two major categories: "Direct Work Factors," which cover average workweek hours, employment rates, and the rate of "idle youth" (a.k.a. the measure of 18 to 24-year-old residents who aren't enrolled in school, have no job, or a high school diploma or GED); and "Indirect Work Factors," such as the share of workers with multiple jobs, average commute times, and other employment data.

Outshining the Lone Star State as the No. 1 hardest-working state in America is North Dakota, with a score of 66.54 points out of a possible 100. Rounding out the top five are Alaska (No. 2), Nebraska (No. 3), Wyoming (No. 4), and South Dakota (No. 5).

Texas was less than 10 points away from the No. 1 spot, scoring 56.86 points, and ranked No. 4 nationally in the "Direct Work Factors" category. Unfortunately, the state suffered in the national "Indirect Work Factors" ranking and only came in at No. 31.

Texans have the second-longest workweeks in America, right behind Alaska, but the study doesn't give details on how long the average workweek is in Texas. The state also has the fifth-lowest annual volunteer hours per resident, likely because Texans are too busy at their day jobs (or are too exhausted after work) to volunteer their time anywhere else.

In May 2024, over 15.26 million people were part of the state’s civilian workforce (which excludes active-duty military personnel), according to the Texas Workforce Commission. May marked the 10th consecutive month where Texas set a record-high level for jobs growth.

“Texas continues to outpace the nation in nearly all industries and continues to increase the number of employed Texans,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III. “With job opportunities increasing, students and job seekers have multiple resources to help navigate the job market and create a career pathway.”

Houston succeeded as the No. 27 most hardworking city in America in a separate WalletHub report from February 2024.

Being known for efficiency and productivity is a good reputation for Texas workers to hold, but WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe emphasizes that taking time to relax and reset is equally important for sustaining a determined workforce.

"It’s undeniable that America has fostered a culture of hard work, with people working longer hours than residents of other developed countries and often leaving vacation time on the table," Happe said. "Working hard is commendable, but people in the hardest-working states may need to consider taking a break once in a while, as a lack of leisure time can have a negative impact on people’s physical and mental health."

The top 10 hardest working states are:

  • No. 1 – North Dakota
  • No. 2 – Alaska
  • No. 3 – Nebraska
  • No. 4 – Wyoming
  • No. 5 – South Dakota
  • No. 6 – Maryland
  • No. 7 – Texas
  • No. 8 – Colorado
  • No. 9 – New Hampshire
  • No. 10 – Kansas
The full report can be found on wallethub.com

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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The opportunities to reach and empower underserved populations to participate in the health care workforce are limitless. Photo via Getty Images

Op-Ed: Removing barriers is critical for the future of Houston's health care workforce

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Houston houses one of the most renowned medical communities in the world. However, Texas' current health care workforce shortage has severely impacted the city, with large swaths of the Gulf Coast Region deemed medically underserved. Thousands of Houstonians are impacted year after year due to the lack of access to life-saving medical care.

The obvious solution to this problem is to form a pipeline of health care workers by equipping students with the necessary skills and education to fill this gap. Sadly, many individuals who lack opportunity yet aspire to pursue a career in the health care industry face barriers related to childcare, transportation, mentorship gaps and life's unexpected circumstances.

Dwyer Workforce Development (DWD), a national health care training nonprofit, has recently expanded its footprint to Texas and has joined Houston Community College (HCC), one of the largest community colleges in the country, to provide life-changing support and create a pipeline of new health care workers, many who come from underserved areas.

Last year, our organizations launched the Dwyer Scholar Apprenticeship program, which is actively enrolling to combat the health care shortage and bring opportunities to those lacking. Working together, we are supporting apprentices each year to earn their Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) certificates, where students can choose a Phlebotomy or EKG specialization, helping our city meet the demand for one of the most essential and in-demand jobs in health care each year. Our program will help address Texas' loss of 36 percent of its CNAs over the past decade while providing gateways for highly motivated students—Dwyer Scholars—to thrive in long-term health care careers.

We know financial barriers prevent many potential health care workers from obtaining the certifications needed to enter the workforce. That's why we are bringing our innovative programs together, enabling Scholars to earn while they learn and opening doors for those who do not have the financial luxury of completing their training in a traditional educational atmosphere.

After enrollment, DWD continues to provide case management and additional financial support for pressures like housing, childcare, and transportation so Scholars don't have to put their work before their education. Scholars are placed with employers during the program, where they complete their apprenticeships and begin full-time employment following graduation.

The Texas Workforce Commission has identified apprenticeship programs as a key area for expansion to meet employer demand for skilled workers. Through our partnership, we are doing just that – and the model is proven. More than 85 percent of DWD Scholars in Maryland, where the program was established, have earned their certificates and are now employed or on track to begin their careers.

Our work doesn't end here. Over the next decade, Texas will face a shortage of 57,000 skilled nurses. Texas must continue to expand awareness and access to key workforce training programs to improve outcomes for diverse needs. Our organizations are working to vastly expand our reach, making the unattainable attainable and helping to improve the lives and health of our community.

No one's past or present should dictate their future. Everyone deserves access to health care, the ability to further their education and the chance to set and achieve life goals. The opportunities to reach and empower underserved populations to participate in the health care workforce are limitless.

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Barb Clapp is CEO of Dwyer Workforce Development, a nonprofit that supports individuals who aspire to pursue a career in the health care industry. Christina Robinson is the executive director for work-based learning and industry partnerships at Houston Community College.

The grant will allow about 50 students to become certified aerospace technicians in electrical, composite, or structural tracts. Photo via San Jacinto College

Houston college receives grant to support aerospace technician training

workforce funding

The Texas Workforce Commission granted $332,000 to three Houston-area organizations last month to support aerospace technician training for unemployed and displaced workers, as well as recent high school grads.

The funding will go toward BayTech, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership and San Jacinto College, and comes out of the TWC's Texas Talent Connection grant. The TWC awarded a similar grant to Lone Star College in January with the goal of supporting "innovative education and workforce skills training programs" for first-generation students in six different industries.

This most recent grant will allow about 50 students to become certified aerospace technicians in electrical, composite, or structural tracts.

After advancing through the program, they'll receive a completion certificate from the San Jacinto College's EDGE Center and will have the opportunity to sit for a nationally recognized certification exam.

According to a release from San Jacinto College, the organizations will also facilitate students' placement directly into the workforce.

"Funding like this grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to further our training offerings reaches far beyond our students to the future of the aerospace industry, Brenda Hellyer, chancellor of San Jacinto College, said in a statement. "A skilled workforce is critical to the success of the Houston Spaceport and the aerospace industries that support it, and we understand our role in providing the next generation of aerospace technicians."

San Jacinto College, which is the official education training partner for the Houston Spaceport at Ellington Airport, launched the EDGE Center in 2020.

The center aims to train future aerospace professionals through its technician programs as well as a general aerospace program and a drone pilot program. To date, about 30 students have earned their credentials .

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18 Houstonians land on Forbes world's billionaires list for 2025

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The world’s richest people are wealthier now than they've ever been, and more billionaires have made it onto the 2025 World's Billionaires List than ever before, according to Forbes. This year, 18 Houston-based billionaires are among the richest people in the world, with hospitality honcho Tilman Fertitta leading as the richest Houstonian.

Fertitta, 67, ranked No. 220 overall with an estimated net worth of $11.3 billion, which steadily increased from his 2024 net worth of $9.4 billion.

In addition to owning the Houston Rockets, the busy billionaire owns Texas-based hospitality and entertainment corporation Landry's, and he authored a book about business leadership in 2019. He most recently was nominated as the new United States ambassador to Italy by President Donald Trump.

Ranking 248th overall is oil and gas chairmanRichard Kinder. Forbes estimates his net worth at $10.6 billion, up from $8.1 billion in 2024.

Kinder cofounded pipeline giant Kinder Morgan in 1997, and stepped down as CEO in 2015, though he still retains his seat as chairman of the board. The company is the largest energy infrastructure firm in the U.S., Forbes says, and it owns 79,000 miles of pipeline.

New to the 2025 list is Perry Homes executive chair Kathy Britton, whose company has built over 65,000 homes across the U.S., according to Forbes. Her late father, Bob Perry, founded Perry Homes in 1967. Britton ranked No. 1408 with an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion.

Mercedes-Benz mega-dealer Joe Agresti is another newbie to the list, ranking No. 2790 with a net worth of $1.1 billion. He owns Dream Motor Group with former football coach Nick Saban.

14 additional Houston-area billionaires that made Forbes 2025 world’s richest list are:

  • Houston pipeline heir Randa Duncan Williams: ranked No. 307 with an estimated net worth of $9.3 billion, up from $7.7 billion in 2024. Fellow pipeline heirs Dannine Avara and Milane Frantz tie for 311th nationally. Each has an estimated net worth of $9.2 billion, up from $7.6 billion. Scott Duncan ranks No. 329 with a $9 billion estimated net worth, up from $7.6 billion in 2024.
  • Houston oil tycoon Jeffery Hildebrand: ties for No. 411; $7.7 billion, down from $12.6 billion
  • Toyota mega-dealer Dan Friedkin: ties for No. 411; $7.7 billion, up from $6.4 billion
  • Houston Texans owner Janice McNair and family: No. 561, $6.2 billion, up from $5.6 billion
  • Energy exploration chief exec George Bishop: No. 717, $5 billion, up from $3.2 billion (based in The Woodlands)
  • Westlake Corporation co-owners Albert Chao, James Chao and their families:tied for No. 902, $4 billion, down from $4.9 billion
  • Hedge fund honcho John Arnold: No. 1266, $2.9 billion, down from $3.3 billion
  • Houston Astros owner Jim Crane: No. 1513, $2.4 billion, unchanged from 2024
  • Former Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander: tied for No. 1850, $1.9 billion, unchanged from 2024
  • Frontier Airlines chairman William Franke: No. 2623, $1.2 billion, down from $1.3 billion

Elsewhere in Texas, Austin-based billionaire Elon Musk topped Forbes' list as the world's richest person in 2025. The Tesla and SpaceX founder knocked French luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault down to second place this year.

Forbes declared Musk the first person to reach the $300 billion status. His current net worth stands at $342 billion, which is a staggering $147 billion more than his 2024 net worth.

"It’s another record-breaking year for the world’s richest people, despite financial uncertainty for many and geopolitical tensions on the rise," said Forbes senior editor of wealth Chase Peterson-Withorn. "And, from Elon Musk to Howard Lutnick and the other billionaires taking over the U.S. government, they’re growing more and more powerful."

In Dallas-Fort Worth, Walmart heiress Alice Walton became the wealthiest woman in the world in 2025. Forbes declared Walton's net worth at $101 billion, which is $28.7 billion more than her 2024 net worth of $72.3 billion. She is now one of 15 individuals to claim 12-figure fortunes, also known as the "$100 Billion Club."

State-of-the-art innovation hub opens in Houston Energy Corridor

flagship facility

French multinational company Schneider Electric has opened a new 10,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art Energy Innovation Center in Houston.

The new facility is located in Houston’s Energy Corridor and is designed to “foster increased collaboration and technological advancements across the entire value chain,” according to a news release from the company. The new Houston location joins Schneider's existing innovation hubs in Paris, Singapore and Bangalore.

The venue will serve as a training center for process control engineers, production superintendents, manufacturing managers, technical leads and plant operations personnel. It can simulate various real-world scenarios in refineries, combined-cycle power plants, ethylene plants, recovery boilers and chemical reactors.

It includes an interactive control room and artificial Intelligence applications that “highlight the future of industrial automation,” according to the release.

"Digitalization is significantly enhancing the global competitiveness of the U.S. through continuous innovation and increased investment into next-generation technology," Aamir Paul, Schneider Electric's President of North America Operations, said in the release.

Texas has over 4,100 Schneider Electric employees, the most among U.S. states, and has facilities in El Paso, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and other areas.

"This flagship facility in the Energy Capital of the World underscores our commitment to driving the future of software-defined automation for our customers in Houston and beyond,” Paul added in the release. “With this announcement, we are excited to continue supporting the nation's ambitions around competitive, efficient and cost-effective manufacturing."

Schneider Electric says the new Houston facility is part of its expansion plans in the U.S. The company plans to invest over $700 million in its U.S. operations through 2027, which also includes an expansion at its El Paso campus.

The company also announced plans to invest in solar and battery storage systems developed, built, and operated by Houston-based ENGIE North America last year. Read more here.

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This story first appeared on our sister site, EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

9 can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for April

where to be

Two new conferences will launch while another longtime business competition celebrates its 25th anniversary this month in Houston. Plus, there are networking opportunities, family tech events and more.

Here are the Houston business and innovation events you can't miss in April and how to register. Please note: this article might be updated to add more events.

​Ion Block Party: Art Crawl

Network and socialize with other tech enthusiasts and business-minded individuals while taking in the new gallery at Community Artists’ Collective and experiencing the immersive dome at Omnispace360. See work by Joel Zika, who will showcase his digital sculptures through augmented reality screens, and other public art around the Ion while also enjoying food and drink.

This event is Thursday, April 3, from 4-7 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

​CLA Presents: Raising Capital over Happy Hour

Gain a better understanding of the capital-raising process and various funding opportunities at this educational happy hour. Keith Davidson, the market leader for CLA in Dallas and former CFO of ICS, will present.

This event is Thursday, April 10, from 4-6 p.m. at The Cannon. Click here to register.

Rice Business Plan Competition 

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship will host the 25th annual Rice Business Plan Competition this month. Forty-two student-led teams from around the world, including one team from Rice, will present their plans before more than 300 angel, venture capital, and corporate investors to compete for more than $1 million in prizes.

This event is April 10-12. Stream the Elevator Pitch Competition and Final Round here.

RSVF Annual Conference

The Rice Student Venture Fund will host its first-ever Annual Conference to celebrate the university's entrepreneurial spirit and the rising generation of student-led innovation. The conference will include live startup demos, an RSVF fund update, a keynote fireside chat, a builder-investor panel and networking. RSVF welcomes students, alumni, investors, faculty and staff, and innovators and community members of the broader tech scene.

This event is Monday, April 14, from 4-8 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

​TEX-E Conference

TEX-E will host its inaugural conference this month under the theme "Energy & Entrepreneurship: Navigating the Future of Climate Tech." The half-day conference will feature a keynote from Artemis Energy Partners CEO Bobby Tudor as well as panels with other energy and tech leaders from NRG, Microsoft, GE Vernova and TEB Tech.

This event is Tuesday, April 15, from 1-4:30 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series 

Hear from Dr. Jonathan Rogg, Chief Quality Officer and Vice President of Operations at Houston Methodist Hospital and a a practicing emergency medicine physician, at the latest Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series. Rogg will present "Leadership from the Bedside to the Boardroom."

This event is on Wednesday, April 23, from 4:45-6 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

Ion Family STEAM Day– Let's Build a Tripwire Alarm

STEAM on Demand will host a hands-on, family-friendly engineering lesson for young ones on the Ion Forum Stairs. Kids will learn to create and test their own working alarm system. The event is geared toward those ages 7 to 14.

This event is Sunday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ion. Click here to register.

 Greentown Houston Fourth Anniversary Transition On Tap

Climatetech incubator Greentown Labs will celebrate its fourth anniversary with a special edition of its signature networking event, Transition On Tap. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, and friends of climatetech are invited to attend.

This event is Tuesday, April 29, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Greentown Labs. Click here to register.

Integrate Space Technology Into Your Small Biz

The SBA Houston District Office and the UH Technology Bridge will host a collaborative event designed to help small businesses leverage space technology for prototype development. Attendees will also hear from industry experts on resources and gain access free technical engineering assistance to help accelerate their businesses.

This event is Wednesday, April 30, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at UH Technology Bridge Innovation Center. Click here to reserve your spot.

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