MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. is one of the world’s hardest working countries, according to the OECD1, but what towns are working hard for the U.S.? According to Total Cereal and PARADE magazine, Columbia, Mo. is the hardest working town in America in a newly-released list naming the “Top 25 Hardest Working Towns in America.” Hard work can mean a lot of things -- working two jobs, putting in overtime, taking care of your family -- and Total Whole Grain cereal rewards hardworking Americans each and every day with 100-calorie servings containing 100 percent whole grain flakes and 100 percent Daily Value of 12 vitamins and minerals.
The list, which analyzed total number of hours worked, unemployment rates, commute times, dual-income families and the likelihood of people to give up personal time for work, was compiled by PARADE magazine’s editorial research team using data from MRI, Claritas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau to rank America’s hardest working towns. The top 10 are as follows:
1. Columbia, Mo.
2. Hartford, Conn.
3. Norfolk, Va.
4.
Bloomington, Ind.
5. Tuscaloosa, Ala.
6. Gainesville, Fla.
7.
Las Cruces, N.M.
8. Newark, N.J.
9. Lansing, Mich.
10.
Bridgeport, Conn.*
“We know that Americans work hard – and they deserve to be rewarded with a cereal that gives them a great start to their challenging days,” said Jim Wilson, marketing manager of Total. “That’s why Total partnered with PARADE to compile this list and on April 25, we will reward thousands of residents in the top five towns with free, nutrient-packed, 100-calorie cereal to ensure that they start their day with a cereal that works as hard as they do.”
- Weekend Warriors: According to the list, Bloomington, Ind. ranked highest when it comes to working weekends, 15 points higher than the national average.
- Over and Beyond: When it comes to long workweeks, towns named in the top five know a thing or two about it. Whereas the national average for workweeks is 34.2, Tuscaloosa, Norfolk and Hartford clock more hours (36.3, 35.6 and 35.1, respectively).
- Bustling Families: The list also looked at dual-income families: in Columbia, MO, 81 percent of households with children ages 6-17 are dual income, compared to Tuscaloosa, Ala. where 71 percent of households with children ages 6-17 are dual-income.
The list, which was released in conjunction with PARADE magazine’s annual “What People Earn” issue, paints a vivid picture of what exactly makes a hardworking town: one where the citizens punch the clock longer, and work harder, than anyone else. The issue, included in the April 15 edition of newspapers nationwide, takes a 30-year historical look at the American income.
“While the economic crisis has darkened people’s spirits, Americans want to work, live to work and are working harder to make ends meet,” says Maggie Murphy, editor in chief, PARADE magazine. “This survey, done in conjunction with Total Cereal, lets PARADE shine a spotlight on the towns where people are really putting their noses to the grindstone. There’s no free lunch for these folks, but thanks to Total we hope they will get the chance at a free breakfast.”
For more information on the list, please www.Parade.com/towns. For more information on Total, visit www.TotalCereal.com.
*Other towns named in the list include: Baton Rouge, La. (11), Salt Lake City, Utah (12), Los Angeles (13), Waco, Texas (14), Athens, Ga (15), Boulder, Colo. (16), Des Moines, Iowa (17), Long Beach, Calif. (18), Evansville, Ind. (19), Milwaukee, Wis. (20), Akron, Ohio (21), Albany, N.Y. (22), Montgomery, Ala. (23), Baltimore, Md. (24), Dallas, Texas (25)
About Total Cereal
Launched in 1961, Total® Cereal was the first cereal in the United States to contain 100 percent of the U.S. government's minimum daily requirement for eight vitamins. Today, Total® is the only leading brand of cereal to provide 100% Daily Value of at least 11 essential vitamins and minerals, and the most calcium of any leading cereal brand. Total Cereal varieties include Total Whole Grain and Total Raisin Bran. For more information, visit www.TotalCereal.com.
About Parade
PARADE, the most widely read magazine in America, has a circulation of 33 million through its distribution in more than 640 of the nation’s finest newspapers and a readership of 65 million each week. Its content is carried on over 500 newspaper websites — the single most trusted and most visited source of local news and information — and reaches an online audience of 50 million. Each Sunday in PARADE, and every day at Parade.com, our mission is to connect emotionally with Americans about the issues they care most about and move them to action.
Methodology
When ranking the towns, PARADE’s editorial research team used the following criteria and sources: likelihood of working weekends and giving up personal time for work (source: MRI/Claritas); average hours worked per week (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics); amount of dual-income households (source: Census Bureau); unemployment rate (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
1 http://www.oecd.org/document/60/0,3746,en_21571361_44315115_47567356_1_1_1_1,00.html