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U.S. Cities With the Most People Working Night Jobs

Derek Hales

Written by: Derek Hales

Updated On:

A night shift is generally defined as a job that requires employees to work a portion of their shift during nighttime hours (usually a shift that goes past midnight). A typical night shift, also known as a third shift, could involve working from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. or 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Night shifts are common in many areas of the country. But do you know which U.S. cities have the highest percentage of people working night jobs?

The researchers at NapLab looked at data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to see how many people in metropolitan areas with more than 200,000 workers started their shifts between the hours of 4 p.m. and 4:59 a.m.

See which cities have the highest percentage of night-shift workers!

Cities with Most People Working Night Jobs

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Which Cities Have the Highest Percentage of Night-Shift Workers?

The area with the highest percentage of the work force who are third-shift workers is Las Vegas, NV. The city is known for its 24-hour gambling scene, so it’s no surprise that 16.54% of Las Vegas workers work some of their shifts during the night. Between bartenders, casino employees, and hotel crews, Las Vegas has employees working all day, every day.

The second place with the highest percentage of night-shift workers is the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area in California, where 16.17% of workers work night shifts. There are more than 240,000 night-shift workers in the area.

Third on the list is the Augusta-Richmond County metropolitan area, which encompasses cities in Georgia and South Carolina. The area has 27,220 workers who start between the hours of 4 and 11:59 p.m. as well as 11,683 workers who start their shifts between 12 and 4:59 a.m.

Common Jobs With Night Shifts

Jobs in many different industries require employees to work night shifts. Some of the most common are service-industry jobs like fast-food attendants, baristas, bartenders, waiters, and bakers. People are often looking for food and drinks at all hours of the day (including other workers who are heading to or coming back from night shifts), which makes these types of jobs very important.

Other common night-shift jobs are those that help keep people safe. Nurses, physicians, paramedics, firefighters, and police officers have to be on call 24/7 in case of emergencies. If someone is hurt in the middle of the night or otherwise needs assistance, these workers are there to help at any time of day.

Another category of important night-job workers is related to logistics. Pilots and air traffic controllers need to work around the clock to make sure that flights land safely and on time. Truck drivers work at all hours of the day to ensure that essential items make it to our stores. And retail stockers work behind the scenes to make sure that all of those products make it to the shelves so that customers can purchase everything they need.

All of these are some of the best places to work night shifts.

Pros and Cons of Working Night Shifts

One of the best perks to working a night job is that it may offer higher pay. Many employees want to work traditional 9-to-5 hours, so those able to take on a night shift can sometimes make more money. There is also typically less traffic to contend with. While most workers are dealing with hectic morning and evening commutes, many night-shift workers can drive into work easily.

One of the biggest cons of working a night shift is adjusting to a new sleep schedule. Instead of sleeping when it’s dark outside, night-shift workers sleep during the day.

This can be challenging, especially for those who are new to night jobs. One of the biggest problems is learning how to fall asleep faster. When people are used to a traditional nighttime sleep schedule, trying to fall asleep during the day can be hard to adapt to.

To fall asleep faster during the day:

  • Use blackout curtains in your bedroom to block the sunlight.
  • Try to go straight to bed after work.
  • Limit your caffeine intake, as it may be a hindrance to falling asleep when you get home.
  • Stick to a regular sleep/wake schedule the best you can.

The U.S. Metro Areas With the Highest Percentages of Night-Job Workers

RankMetropolitan AreaWorkers Who Start Between 4 and 11:59 p.m.Workers Who Start Between 12 and 4:59 a.m.Total Night WorkersPercentage of Workforce Who Work a Night Shift
1Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV91,89453,891145,78516.53%
2Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA113,603129,096242,69916.17%
3Augusta-Richmond County, GA27,22011,68338,90315.64%
4Reno, NV15,98318,31834,30115.62%
5Toledo, OH31,70912,22343,93215.60%
6Stockton, CA17,40323,00840,41115.31%
7Lancaster, PA17,92914,65032,57914.30%
8Louisville/Jefferson County, KY53,56624,41077,97614.19%
9Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ127,695121,448249,14314.02%
10Greensboro-High Point, NC32,29413,38145,67513.97%
11Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL17,10817,03234,14013.96%
12Memphis, TN48,15527,46675,62113.80%
13Ogden-Clearfield, UT18,25314,69732,95013.66%
14Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA30,57813,44244,02013.54%
15Lexington-Fayette, KY22,20510,85833,06313.27%
16Chattanooga, TN22,7499,15531,90413.27%
17Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA22,1657,58429,74913.08%
18Dayton-Kettering, OH32,39512,35044,74512.99%
19Tucson, AZ28,15722,42350,58012.96%
20Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA19,09713,89232,98912.56%
21Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN70,67636,672107,34812.24%
22Cincinnati, OH75,22936,035111,26412.24%
23Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA93,25984,980178,23912.20%
24Cleveland-Elyria, OH70,79032,258103,04812.15%
25Jackson, MS18,03510,44328,47811.99%
26Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI49,17930,53079,70911.98%
27Columbus, OH68,30533,745102,05011.94%
28Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI120,76570,792191,55711.93%
29Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL79,39049,234128,62411.76%
30Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI36,01221,96257,97411.75%
31Akron, OH23,10111,25934,36011.72%
32Birmingham-Hoover, AL32,78218,84451,62611.72%
33Winston-Salem, NC18,7438,64527,38811.63%
34Springfield, MO15,4988,47023,96811.60%
35Kansas City, MO-KS71,48132,542104,02311.55%
36Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL261,875156,637418,51211.52%
37McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX20,61411,26431,87811.51%
38Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA63,37841,890105,26811.48%
39Fresno, CA20,56520,67541,24011.48%
40El Paso, TX24,79312,89137,68411.46%
41Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA15,19511,52726,72211.40%
42Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL84,07050,179134,24911.38%
43Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA297,944263,182561,12611.33%
44Tulsa, OK26,31320,10746,42011.28%
45Lansing-East Lansing, MI14,8287,92622,75411.22%
46Baton Rouge, LA12,80726,76539,57211.19%
47Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA49,51242,47291,98411.15%
48Knoxville, TN28,84413,41242,25611.14%
49St. Louis, MO83,05142,057125,10811.13%
50Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC69,99041,267111,25710.96%

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FAQ

What job can I do at night?

Some of the best jobs for the night owls include: fast food worker, gas station attendant, bartender, grocery stocker, hotel front desk clerk, flight attendant, freelance writer, security guard, air traffic controller, or a Lyft / Uber driver.

What kind of people work at night?

There are many jobs that require people to work at night. Industries range, but many are service industries that require 24-hour surveillance or labor. This would include many jobs in the following fields: shipping fulfillment, healthcare, traffic safety, wellness, air travel, security, and product distribution plants.

Who works at night only?

People who work at night only are considered to be “night owls”. A night owl

Do people who work at night get paid more?

In many jobs, night shift workers are often paid more, but it’s not the law. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require extra pay for night work. That being said, many companies opt for higher pay as an incentive. Night shifts can be harder to fill because they are less desirable positions and tends to go against our natural circadian rhythms.

About Derek Hales

Derek Hales

Derek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of NapLab.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, Huffington Post, Washington Post, AskMen, and She Knows. Derek has personally tested over 320+ mattresses and hundreds of pillows, sheets, beds, and other sleep products.