States with the Most Unused Vacation Time 2025

Eight hours a day, five days a week, 52 weeks in a year . . . for the average American, that comes out to more than 2,000 hours a year spent working. While holidays and other company closures can reduce that time, the main way Americans spend less time at work is by utilizing PTO.

Last year, the team at Solitaired surveyed Americans about their vacation time and found that 47% of people were leaving time unused. That’s a lot of time you can take off to have fun and play solitaire games. So, we decided to check back in this year to learn if workers have taken advantage of their available time off or if they are still leaving PTO on the table.

To do this, we surveyed Americans in each state and asked how many days of PTO they received at the start of 2025 and then how many days they have taken off throughout the year. We then calculated the average number of days left unused by state and ranked states accordingly. Read on to learn if Americans are taking more time off than last year or if PTO is still going unused.

Key Takeaways

• Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and New Jersey residents have the most unused vacation time in 2025.
• Oregon, Colorado, and Indiana residents are the most likely to leave PTO unused in 2025.
• 67% of Americans are leaving some PTO unused in 2025.
• Americans in the science and research and government industries have the most unused vacation time in 2025.
• Americans were most likely to use their PTO to travel or for sick leave in 2025.
• Saving up for potential needs and not wanting work to pile up are the top two reasons Americans left vacation time unused in 2025.
• 60% of Americans wish they received more PTO each year.

Where Americans Leave the Most PTO on the Table

Taking time off from work seems like a natural part of having a job, but some Americans struggle with stepping back and taking time for themselves. Leading the way for the most unused PTO in 2025 are Pennsylvania residents with an average of nearly 7 days left unused. Perhaps this is due in part to the 63% of residents who say their company allows time to roll over to the next year.

Oklahoma is up next with 6.24 days left on the table by the end of this year on average. This is followed by New Jersey, with an average of 6.14 days unused, earning third place. While New Jersey residents are leaving PTO unused, they are the second most likely to have used their vacation time for travel, only behind New York residents. Rounding out the top five are Colorado (5.75) and Iowa residents (5.74).

In addition to the number of days left over on average by state, we also wanted to learn which states lead the way when calculating the percentage of residents who leave PTO unused. Topping this ranking is Oregon where 83% of residents will leave vacation time on the table this year.

Colorado follows closely behind with 81% of residents reporting they will have unused PTO time this year. While some Americans experience difficulty getting time off approved by their managers, 1 in 9 Colorado residents say their boss has criticized them for taking too little time off from work.

Indiana is up next ranking third for the percentage of residents leaving PTO unused at 79%. Even with a majority of Indiana residents leaving time off on the table, we discovered that 71% wish they received more vacation time from their employer.

In addition to unused time by state, we wanted to learn which industries are most likely to leave PTO unused. In 2025, it was those working in the science and research field with an average of 6.94 days. Those working for the government are up next with the second most unused time (6.82) this year. The energy, utilities, and environment industry comes in third with an average of 6.52 days left unused.

While some jobs provide a specific number of days for employees to take off each year, other companies have pivoted to unlimited PTO. With this in mind, we asked those who currently receive unlimited PTO how they feel about this policy and found that nearly 1 in 4 dislike it.

Although unlimited PTO seems like a great benefit, some Americans have reported difficulty getting time off approved or even worry about management’s opinions of how much time they do take. Additionally, if a worker with unlimited PTO was to leave their job, they would not receive a payout for any unused time, leaving many people unsure about the concept.

Overall, when comparing unused PTO this year to last year, we uncovered that nearly 1 in 5 Americans are leaving more time on the table this year.

Most Common Uses of Vacation Time by Americans

From going on a family vacation to recharging at home, Americans find many reasons to take time away from their jobs. This year, we uncovered the number one usage of PTO was for travel with 56% of workers noting it. Up next on our ranking is sick leave as 1 in 2 people took time off while they were feeling under the weather.

For more than two-fifths of Americans time off from work was used this year simply to relax at home. Health-related appointments are up next with nearly 2 in 5 people reporting they needed to request time off to visit their doctor, dentist, or someone similar.

Coming in fifth place for PTO uses among Americans are mental health days. Sometimes work can be stressful and taking time off to reset our minds can be just as important as gaining a physical reprieve. Rounding out the list are personal reasons like car troubles (30%), parenting duties (23%), holidays that the office doesn’t close for (22%), and non-medical appointments for things like hair or nails (12%).

Why Americans Left PTO Unused in 2025

To wrap up our study, we wanted to learn why some Americans are leaving PTO unused in 2025. For a majority of people (56%) the answer is simple—they aren’t wasting time but rather saving it up in case they need it later. Afterall, more than half (53%) of Americans say their company allows for unused PTO hours to roll over to the next year.

For nearly 2 in 5 workers, taking time off means work piling up while they are away, equating to a heavier workload upon return, which has deterred them from using it. The third most common reason people are leaving time unused in 2025 is because they are saving it for future plans.

Sometimes it can be difficult to step away, especially if you don’t have specific plans that require taking time off. For 34% of workers, PTO is being left unused this year because they have been too focused on work to think about taking time off.

Enjoy a Game During Your Time Off

Whether it’s for a vacation or simply to relax, taking time off from work can be crucial to helping us recharge. Regardless of how stressful your job is, it’s important to take time for yourself and unwind from time to time.

At Solitaired, we know a thing or two about relaxing and having fun. That’s why we offer a variety of free online games that you can play anytime, anywhere. So next time you are feeling overwhelmed at work or are enjoying some much deserved time off, fill your time with a game of Spider Solitaire, Yukon Solitaire, Canfield, or Mahjong.

Methodology

In this study, we wanted to learn which parts of the country are leaving the most unused vacation time on the table in 2025. To do this, we surveyed workers in every state and asked how much vacation time they received at the beginning of the year and how much time they took off this year. Using this data, we calculated the average amount of PTO each state's residents left unused over the past year.

In addition to the unused time, we also asked respondents about the purposes they had for using PTO, why they left vacation time unused, their opinions on the amount of PTO they receive, and more.