north texas tenacity

Dallas and Irving punch in as top 10 hardest-working cities in America

No one works harder in North Texas than an Irving or Dallas resident.

Photo courtesy of Visit Irving

Dallas and neighboring Irving are proving their tenacity as some of the hardest-working American cities, so says a new study.

WalletHub's annual "Hardest-Working Cities in America (2026)" report ranked the two North Texas cities among the top 10 for 2026. Irving ranked No. 5 nationally, while Dallas came in seventh. Last year, the two cities claimed third and fourth place, respectively.

The personal finance website evaluated 116 U.S. cities based on 11 key indicators across "direct" and "indirect" work factors, such as an individual's average workweek hours, average commute times, employment rates, and more.

The U.S. cities that rounded out the top five include Cheyenne, Wyoming (No. 1); Anchorage, Alaska (No. 2); Washington, D.C. (No. 2); and Sioux Falls, South Dakota (No. 4).

Based on the report's findings, Irving and Dallas have the third- and fifth-best "direct work factors" ranks in the nation, which analyzed residents' average workweek hours, employment rates, the share of households where no adults work, the share of workers leaving vacation time unused, the share of "engaged" workers, and the rate of "idle youth" (residents aged 16-24 that are not in school nor have a job).

"Irving, Texas, has the lowest share of households where no adults work, which is 3.6 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest," the report said.

Irving has also emerged as a popular destination for millennials, which make up about a third of the city's total population and a significant chunk of the workforce.

However, both cities lagged behind in the "indirect work factors" ranking. Irving ranked No. 72 in this category, while Dallas ranked 64th. "Indirect" work factors that were considered include residents' average commute times, the share of workers with multiple jobs, the share of residents who participate in local groups or organizations, annual volunteer hours, and residents' average leisure time spent per day.

Arlington, which ranked as the 10th hardest-working city in 2025, dropped five spots and now ranks 15th for 2026. Three more North Texas cities also appeared among the top 25 for 2026: Fort Worth (No. 13), Plano (No. 17), and Garland (No. 24).

Based on data from The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), WalletHub said the average American employee works hundreds of more hours than workers residing in "several other industrialized nations."

"The typical American puts in 1,796 hours per year – 179 more than in Japan, 284 more than in the U.K., and 465 more than in Germany," the report's author wrote. "In recent years, the rise of remote work has, in some cases, extended work hours even further."

Remote work flexibility is extremely prevalent in other Dallas-Fort Worth cities like Frisco and McKinney, which have the top-10 highest rates of remote workers in the nation in 2026.

WalletHub also tracked the nation's lowest and highest employment rates based on the largest city in each state from 2009 to 2024.

Source: WalletHub

Other Texas cities that earned spots on the list include Austin (No. 10), Corpus Christi (No. 14), Laredo (No. 22), Houston (No. 37), El Paso (No. 43), Lubbock (No. 46), and San Antonio (No. 61).

The top 10 hardest working cities in America are:

No. 1 – Cheyenne, Wyoming
No. 2 – Anchorage, Alaska
No. 3 – Washington, D.C.
No. 4 – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
No. 5 – Irving
No. 6 – Nashville
No. 7 – Dallas
No. 8 – San Francisco
No. 9 – Denver
No. 10 – Austin

Data for this study was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Travel Association, Gallup, Social Science Research Council, and the Corporation for National & Community Service as of January 29, 2026.

wallethub irving dallas reports

Flood Response

New relief fund launches for 2026 Texas Hill Country flood victims

People look out at flood on July 16, 2026 in Center Point, Texas

Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The same foundation that collected more than $60 million for the 2025 floods has launched a new fund for 2026.

Texans looking to support Hill Country neighbors affected by floods over the past few days can turn to the same organization they did for the July 2025 floods: The Community Foundation of the Hill Country has launched a new Texas Hill Country Flood Relief Fund that is accepting donations now.

The foundation emphasizes that the two funds are distinct (last year's was called the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund), so donors should note that their contributions will specifically go toward Hill Country residents affected by the current floods. The money raised will offer emergency assistance and long-term recovery support.

According to the Associated Press, nearly 1 trillion gallons of water fell on the three hardest-hit Texas counties over three days — enough to fill 1.5 million Olympic-sized swimming pools or supply 11 million homes for a year. First responders rushed to save people trapped in high waters Friday, as more heavy rain widened the danger from floods that have killed at least two people and left hundreds more in need of rescue.

Earlier in the week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a disaster in 59 counties including Travis to help emergency services respond quickly.

Although many regional businesses, churches, and other groups organized donations for the 2025 floods, the Community Foundation was the main entity holding and distributing funds. The Kerr County Flood Relief Fund totaled more than $60 million by the end of that July.

"Our hearts break that the Texas Hill Country is once again facing catastrophic flooding. Just one year after the devastating July 2025 floods, many of our neighbors are again in harm's way," said Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country CEO Austin Dickson. "People from across Texas and around the world came together to help Kerr County begin the long road to recovery. As first responders and local and state officials continue their response efforts, the Community Foundation's role is to help ensure communities have the philanthropic resources they need to recover in the weeks, months and years ahead."