New Zealand vs United States: Hours of work needed to escape poverty — Working hours needed to
New Zealand
26 Hours per week
in 2025
United States
24 Hours per week
in 2025
New Zealand rank
1st
United States rank
4th
Hours of work needed to escape poverty — Working hours needed to over time
- New Zealand
- United States
How they compare
New Zealand currently reports 26 Hours per week against 24 Hours per week in United States, a difference of 2 Hours per week.
That makes New Zealand's figure about 1.1 times United States's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 25 shared years of data; in 2001 it was United States ahead.
New Zealand ranks 1st and United States ranks 4th of 31 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, New Zealand averaged higher in 2 and United States in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.11 Hours per week | 22.11 Hours per week | 6 Hours per week | United States |
| 2010s | 23.8 Hours per week | 21.5 Hours per week | 2.3 Hours per week | New Zealand |
| 2020s | 26.5 Hours per week | 24.33 Hours per week | 2.17 Hours per week | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher hours of work needed to escape poverty — working hours needed to, New Zealand or United States?
- New Zealand, at 26 Hours per week against 24 Hours per week in United States as of 2025.
- What is the difference in hours of work needed to escape poverty — working hours needed to between New Zealand and United States?
- 2 Hours per week, with New Zealand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and United States?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2025.
- How do New Zealand and United States rank globally for hours of work needed to escape poverty — working hours needed to?
- New Zealand ranks 1st and United States ranks 4th of 31 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as Hours of work needed to escape poverty — Working hours needed to escape poverty for a jobless family claiming minimum income benefits. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
This indicator measures the working hours needed to escape poverty for a jobless family claiming minimum income benefits. Calculations for families with children assume 2 children aged 4 and 6 who do not use formal childcare.