New Mexico Among Top 5 LEAST Hard Working States

A recent list named the top 15 least hard working states and New Mexico made it into the top 5 while Texas didn't place at all.

Many of these things explain the research that helped them reach their conclusions but this one also added a few "theories", one of which was borderline racist.

The list posted at insidermonkey.com ranked the top 15 least hard working states based on several criteria including info from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Census Bureau. According to them:

... these states exhibit trends indicative of lower workforce engagement and productivity. For instance, the labor force participation rate, which measures the percentage of the population that is either employed or actively seeking employment, tends to be lower in these states compared to the national average.

They also credit data from News Nation, Beckers ASC, and Thrillist. To see the entire top 15 list, click here. The land of enchantment got #5 because, in part, of its "cultural heritage". That's the part that may offend some peeps.

After pointing out New Mexico's many Hispanic and Native American inhabitants, it notes that some cultures have "varying attitudes towards work and productivity". Then adds that "some communities may prioritize leisure and familial connections over traditional work pursuits".

Putting family first is really a compliment but the "prioritize leisure" comment could be construed as "lazy".  Here's the insidermonkey.com top 5. Click the links to read their comments on each state, none of which include remarks about culture or putting leisure first.

• 5) New Mexico
• 4) Rhode Island
• 3) New York
• 2) West Virginia
• 1) Michigan