Every year, WalletHub runs a study to find the Hardest-Working Cities in America, thereby revealing the places that are not so hardworking. The study works like this: they examine the 116 most populous cities in America and weigh a variety of metrics like:

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Direct Work Factors

  • Average Workweek Hours
  • Employment Rate
  • Share of Households Where No Adults Work
  • Share of Workers Leaving Vacation Time Unused
  • Share of Engaged Workers
  • Idle Youth

Indirect Work Factors

  • Average Commute Time
  • Share of Workers With Multiple Jobs
  • Annual Volunteer Hours Per Resident
  • Share of Residents Who Participate in Local Groups
  • Averag Leisure Time Spent Per Day

The 2024 study shows that Bridgeport ranked 111th out of the 116 cities considered. That is the bad news; the silver lining is that we jumped up one spot from 2022 when we were #112.

rankings 2009 2022 employment rate 1

There we go, Bridgeport! We are moving the needle in the right direction one position at a time. What did the "White Stripes" say in the preamble to the song "Little Acorns?" I think it goes:

"When problems overwhelm us and sadness smothers us, where do we find the will and the courage to continue? Well, the answer may come in the caring voice of a friend, a chance encounter with a book, or from personal faith. For Janet, help came from her faith, but it also came from a squirrel. Shortly after her divorce, Janet lost her father, then she lost her job, and she had mounting money problems. But Janet not only survived, she worked her way out of despondency, and now she says life is good again. How could this happen? She told me that late one autumn day when she was at her lowest, she watched a squirrel storing up nuts for the winter. One at a time, he would take them to the nest. And she thought, if that squirrel can take care of himself with a harsh winter coming on, so can I. Once I broke my problems into small pieces, I was able to carry them, just like those acorns, one at a time."

Be like the squirrel girl, be like the squirrel; break your problems into small pieces and carry those acorns off one at a time.

The Hardest-Working Cities in US for 2024

1 - Washington D.C.

2 - Irving, TX

3 - Cheyenne, WY

Source: WalletHub

Check out the Ethan, Lou & Large Dave Podcast on Apple and Spotify

I'm sure B-Port has its share of people who work their tails off, and to them, this is probably offensive, but the numbers are what they are. The sad part is, truly lazy people don't care that they are lazy or that they might make someone else look bad.

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