Employee burnout is on the rise in the United States, with longer work hours and more workplace pressures causing employees to feel fatigued and stressed.
A study from Social Market Way revealed the states with the highest and lowest burnout rates by analyzing the volume of burnout-related searches, including keywords like "work stress" and "burnout symptoms," and changes from 2023 to 2024. They also surveyed average weekly work hours to calculate a burnout score. Social Market Way used data from Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Read more: Fight, flight, freeze: Navigating stress in the workplace
Wyoming is the state with the highest level of employee burnout, due to above-average weekly working hours — 42.3 — as well as significant burnout-related search activity, indicating that many workers in the state have high stress levels.
Other states with high levels of burnout are Vermont and Delaware. While Vermont has shorter average working hours, they have higher burnout-related searches. Delaware has higher average weekly working hours, at 40.8.
Alaska has the lowest level of employee burnout, with short weekly working hours at 27.7, as well as a moderate level of burnout-related searches.
Other states with low burnout levels include New Mexico and South Carolina. New Mexico has shorter weekly working hours, at 36.9, and low burnout search rates. South Carolina also has shorter weekly work hours, at 38.2, and minimal burnout-related searches online.
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"Based on the findings of this study, it's clear that addressing employee burnout should become a priority for both businesses and policymakers," Yassin Aberra, the CEO of Social Market Way, said in a release. "States with higher burnout levels should consider implementing policies that promote work-life balance, such as flexible working arrangements and reasonable work-hour limits. Employers should invest in mental health programs, stress management workshops, and burnout prevention training. It is also a good idea for employees to look for ways to better manage their own stress levels."
Read more about the best and worst states for burnout.
States with the lowest levels of burnout
Ranking
| State
| Burnout Score
|
10
| Kansas
| 44.82
|
9
| Alabama
| 44.58
|
8
| Iowa
| 42.58
|
7
| Oregon
| 41.56
|
6
| Mississippi
| 40.36
|
5
| Montana
| 39.02
|
4
| Arkansas
| 37.82
|
3
| South Carolina
| 36.59
|
2
| New Mexico
| 34.72
|
1
| Alaska
| 30.04
|
States with the highest levels of burnout
Ranking
| State
| Burnout Score
|
10
| Illinois
| 55.26
|
9
| Massachusetts
| 55.29
|
8
| Hawaii
| 58.1
|
7
| New York
| 58.51
|
6
| Virginia
| 59.16
|
5
| North Dakota
| 60.08
|
4
| Rhode Island
| 63.95
|
3
| Delaware
| 64.14
|
2
| Vermont
| 80.42
|
1
| Wyoming
| 86.29
|
