Commuting in America can be a significant drain on time, money, and health. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, SmartAsset evaluated the 100 largest U.S.
cities based on six key metrics to determine where residents have the worst commutes. These metrics include: commuters as a percentage of workers, average travel time to work, five-year change in average travel time, percentage of workers with a commute longer than 60 minutes,
five-year change in the rate of workers with a commute longer than 60 minutes, and transportation as a percentage of income. Here are the 10 cities where you might want to pack extra patience for your drive.
1. Stockton, California: The Golden State’s Gridlock Champion
Stockton, California, ranks as the city with the worst commute in America. Its proximity to San Francisco contributes to its traffic woes.
The average commute time in Stockton is 33 minutes, but over 17% of workers endure commutes longer than an hour. From 2016 to 2021, Stockton saw a 6.21% increase in commute times.
2. Bakersfield, California: Bumper-to-Bumper Blues
Another California city, Bakersfield, secures the second spot for the worst commutes. Between 2016 and 2021, Bakersfield experienced a significant 10.5% increase in travel time, marking the highest five-year change in average travel time in the study. On average, commutes in Bakersfield last approximately 24 minutes.
3. Garland, Texas: Lone Star State Standstill
With a high percentage of workers commuting (86.1%), Garland, Texas, presents its fair share of traffic frustrations.
The average commute time in Garland is 30 minutes, the seventh highest in the study, with 9.1% of commuters facing drives exceeding an hour. Commute times in Garland increased by 2.37% between 2016 and 2021.
4. Glendale, Arizona: Desert Drive Discomfort
Glendale, Arizona, is not ideal for those who dread long commutes. Approximately 10% of workers in Glendale spend over an hour commuting, ranking as the 12th highest in the study. The average commute time in Glendale is just over 28 minutes.
5. Orlando, Florida: The Mouse Trap
Orlando, Florida, home to major attractions like Disney World and Universal Studios, faces heavy traffic congestion. Four-fifths of Orlando’s workforce commutes, spending an average of 26 minutes on the road. Fortunately, less than 5% of commuters experience commutes longer than an hour.
6. Las Vegas, Nevada: Sin City Slowdown
Nearly 87% of workers in Las Vegas, Nevada, drive to work, contributing to significant traffic. As a major tourist destination, the city’s average commute time is 25.7 minutes, ranking in the top third of the study.
Five percent of workers spend over an hour commuting, with a 0.8% increase in this figure from 2016 to 2021.
7. El Paso, Texas: Lengthy Travel Times
In El Paso, Texas, a significant 89.9% of the workforce commutes. Commuters in El Paso spend a considerable 14.13% of their median household income on transportation costs.
8. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Bayou State Backups
As the capital of Louisiana, Baton Rouge has a high percentage of commuters in the workforce, at 90.2%.
The average travel time is just under 23 minutes, but over 6% of workers have commutes exceeding one hour. Baton Rouge commuters allocate approximately 12.24% of their annual income to transportation.
9. Aurora, Colorado: Rocky Mountain Roadblocks
Aurora, Colorado, located 17 miles outside of Denver, attracts residents with its lower housing costs. However, Aurora has the 12th-highest average commute time, at 28.5 minutes. About 6.8% of workers experience commutes lasting over an hour.
10. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Tobacco Town Traffic
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, located 30 miles from Greensboro, rounds out the list of cities with the worst commutes. With 85% of its workers commuting, residents spend a significant amount of time in traffic.
Transportation costs residents 12.63% of their income, with an average commute time of 21.6 minutes. Commute times in Winston-Salem increased by 6% between 2016 and 2021.
Alicia Richards