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The hardest working U.S. zip codes were:
1. 07833, Delaware, NJ
2. 17730, Dewart, PA
3. 10914, Blooming Grove, NY
4. 83011, Kelly, WY
5. 83118, Etna, WY
6. 47010, Bath, IN
7. 03604, Walpole, NH
8. 07311, Jersey City, NJ
9. 89426, Paradise Valley, NV
10. 20105, Aldie, VA
These might not be the biggest zip codes, and they might not even be near big cities, but you can just about guarantee that folks in these spots go the extra mile when it comes to their jobs. If you’re curious about how we determined that, you can read all about it in the very next section. If you’re too curious to wait, you can scroll to the end of this article to see the top 50 zip codes. Who knows, maybe your home is among them.
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Our Methodology
We didn’t go around feeling muscles, checking sweat rates, or figuring out stress levels to get this Big Deal List. Nope, instead we did this all by numbers we got from the most recent U.S. Five Year Community Survey. First, we made a list of all the zip codes in the country, then analyzed each using data in the following criteria:
- Percent of Population In The Labor Force (the higher the better)
- Percent of Civilian Population Currently Employed (the higher the better)
- Median Household Income (In 2012 Inflation adjusted dollars, the higher the better)
- Percent of Households Currently Earning (the higher the better
- Percent of Households Without Retirement Income (the higher the better)
- Average Commute to Work (in min)
Note that these unemployment figures are a five-year average from 2008-2012.
From there, we omitted any zip codes that did not have data in those criteria, leaving us with 30,462 zip codes. Then, we ranked each place in each category from one to 30,462, with numbers closer to one being better. Last, we averaged each zip code’s rankings into one Big Deal Score. The spot that had the lowest number for that average score became our best zip code in the nation.
You can find out more about our top 50 zip codes in the chart near the bottom of this page. For now, though, let’s go over each of our top 10 spots in a little more detail so that you can see why each of these places were perfect for the working Joe (or Jane).
1. 07833, Delaware, NJ
This Hunterdon County locale is beautiful, rustic, and is a little old fashioned. That is, when it comes to good ol’ fashioned work at least. For starters, this zip code had 100 percent of workers employed, 100 percent of households earning, and even 100 percent of households not relying on retirement income. In short, everyone had a job, and everyone was working their butts off.
On the bright side, this place had a very high median household income, at a whopping $122,500. On the other hand, the average commute time here was a withering 53 minutes, so even when folks here aren’t toiling away at their jobs, they’re probably “enjoying” the traffic.
2. 17730, Dewart, PA
Located right in the middle of Delaware Township, this locale of only 306 people certainly knows the value of a hard day’s work. As with our No. 1 spot, this zip code had 100 percent of its workers employed, 100 percent of households earning, and 100 percent of households not using retirement income.
The only real reason this place wasn’t No. 1 was that folks here made a little less money on the whole, with a median household income of $87,179. That’s still a pretty respectable sum, plus with a high percent of locals being classified as in the workforce and a very long average commute time, no one would really call this place a slouch.
3. 10914, Blooming Grove, NY
Another picturesque little area, this home to 310 lovely people put up some great working numbers across the board. Everyone here had a job, everyone here had a household that earned money, and the median household income was one of the highest on our list at $173,024. That’s the 56th highest on our overall list.
It’s also true that this place had a high percent of households not using retirement funds, and a high percent of the population in the labor force, but the most telling number here was the commute time. The average worker here commuted 57 minutes, each day to get to their jobs. Hope you New Yorkers have audio books or language lessons for the car to keep you occupied.
4. 83011, Kelly, WY
While this might be a census designated place surrounded by the beautiful views of mountains and sky that make Wyoming famous, that doesn’t mean this place is all about relaxation. On the contrary, this zip code is all about everyone doing their fair share of work. If you don’t believe us, just look to the fact that 97.85 percent folks here were in the labor force.
There’s more to the hard workers in Kelly, though. The median household income was pretty high at $83,125, and the average commute time was still a very dismal 42 minutes. Oh well, that just goes to show how devoted folks here are to their jobs.
5. 83118, Etna, WY
If you’re looking for wide open spaces, this is definitely the place to go. Of course, a distant horizon and grassy plains are just a secondary perk to the hard workesr in this 1,087 person zip code. The other major perk is probably the $91,219 parcheck folks here get every year.
Still, people here worked hard for that money. A large portion of the population was in the workforce, and 100 percent of those people were employed. Over 96 percent of households were earning, and an equal number did not rely on retirement income. To top it all off, this zip code had 145th longest commute, at an average of 51 minutes.
6. 47010, Bath, IN
Nestled in Franklin County, this zip code was more about doing a job right the first time, rather than making corny jokes. If you need any proof, just check out the 61st most people in the labor force here at over 93 percent. Still not convinced? maybe the high number of of households earning income and not relying on retirement income will change your mind.
All workers here were employed, making a respectable average of $80,486 per household. That nice paycheck did come with a high price, though, seeing as the average commute times in these parts were almost an hour.
7. 03604, Walpole, NH
Though this New Hampshire zip code may have some small-town charm, given the 249 population, it was hardly a sleepy spot. Over 90 percent of folks were in the labor force, and all of those people were employed. 100 percent of households were earning, and no households relied on any sort of retirement income.
So why didn’t this place rank higher? The paychecks here were a little smaller, at merely $72,216 per household, and the average commute was slightly more tolerable at 47 minutes on average. Some still might argue, that just means these people know the value of a dollar, considering they’re working harder for less cash.
8. 07311, Jersey City, NJ
This little 324 person zip code is a part of the much larger Jersey City area, which certainly has plenty of hard workers and difficult jobs. The 100 percent of households that earned, didn’t use retirement income, or were not jobless certainly spoke to this zip code being the hardest working portion of the city.
The commute time here was a little shorter, at only half an hour, but the paycheck certainly made it all worth it. People who lived in this zip code pulled in an impressive $212,554 per household each year. So while people sweat over their jobs and commutes, they’re definitely compensated well for their efforts.
9. 89426, Paradise Valley, NV
So is this Nevada locale, home to 255 people, really a paradise? Maybe for the working Joe, considering 100 percent of workers here had jobs and 100 percent of households had earnings.
The rankings here were pretty good in general. A large portion of the populace was in the workforce, a very high percent of households did not rely at all on retirement income, and the commute times were a dull 48 minutes on average. That being said, folks here got a median household income of $94,118 yearly, so that long dreary commute is probably pretty worth it in the end.
10. 20105, Aldie, VA
While this is the only Virginia zip code on our list, it certainly represented the state well. Aldie was easily the largest zip code on our list, as it was home to 11,420 residents and had one of the highest median household incomes in the top 10, at $126,792. That sum probably makes the 44 minutes average commute time almost worth it.
This spot was pretty much full of workers in general. Almost 80 percent of people here were in the labor force, almost 97 percent of those people were employed, and 97.59 percent of households had earnings. While Virginia might be a pretty cool place to retire, this certainly wasn’t the spot for it, given that less than six percent of households relied on any retirement funds.
All Work And No Play…
…means you’re probably from Delaware, NJ. But honestly, these are some of the most success-dedicated, job oriented, and all around hardest working folks you can find anywhere. So hats off to you top 10 zip codes and your great work ethic. Whew, it’s almost making us tired just thinking about it.
If you find you’re a hard worker that needs to be someplace more suited to your lifestyle, don’t hesitate to drop us a line. Besides making great lists like these, we sell houses, and we’re pretty sure Delaware, NJ or Dewart, PA has a home just calling your name.
