The Industrial Revolution was a period in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the US ranging from the mid-18th century to the mid-19th century. During this period, the production of goods—particularly in factories—dramatically increased. As more factories appeared, the demand for workers drove migration from rural areas to increasingly cramped and polluted cities. The mass migration of people from the countryside to the urban areas is one of the most notable factors of the Industrial Revolution, and its effects are evident in the living conditions of the poor factory workers in Hard Times. Men like Blackpool were pushed to work dangerous jobs for very little money and were forced to live in small, low-quality homes. The novel portrays the dismal quality of life that the working-class people in the cities often endured. The sky is thick with smoke, the factory chimneys dominate the skyline, and abandoned mines are a danger that litters the countryside.

Though Coketown is a fictitious town, it closely resembles many cities in northern England that underwent rapid development during the Industrial Revolution. Cities like Manchester and Sheffield were industrialized during the period in which the novel is set. The factory workers in these towns dealt with difficult working and living conditions for many decades.