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10 worst cities for commuting

San Fransisco tops our list

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By Susan Meyer Info icon
Updated May 21, 2024
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Susan Meyer

Senior Editorial Manager

Susan is a licensed insurance agent and has worked as a writer and editor for over 10 years across a number of industries. She has worked at The Zebr…

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
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Ross Martin

Insurance Writer

Ross joined The Zebra as a writer and researcher in 2019. He specializes in writing insurance content to help shoppers make informed decisions.

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  • 5+ years in the Insurance Industry
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  1. Cities 1 - 3
  2. Cities 4 - 6
  3. Cities 7 - 10
  4. Methodology

Which cities made the list?

The majority of American employees commute to work, averaging 26.8 minutes in 2021.[1] While the amount of time spent in the car or on the train has a large impact on the quality of your commute, it's not the only factor to consider. In order to find the worst cities for commuting, The Zebra also looked at car accident fatalities and car repair costs.  

We analyzed the 50 most populous cities in the U.S. using the following four data points relevant to getting to and from work each day:

  • Average travel time to work: This is the average one-way commute in minutes by MSA. 
  • Time lost per year at rush hours: The number of hours spent annually in rush hour traffic in the MSA's city center.
  • Car accident fatalities: At the state level, measuring deaths per 100,000 people in the population.
  • Average car repair due to road quality: The average dollar amount spent each year by drivers on repairs and maintenance due to poor road quality.

Here's our list of top cities for worst commutes in the hopes you can avoid spending too much time on the road.

#1: San Francisco, California

San Francisco drivers spend some of the largest amounts of time getting to work than people in any other city. The average travel time to work is over 35 minutes, the second-highest just after Washington, DC. Drivers also spend an average of 72 hours in rush hour traffic each year. The good news is that the California fatality rate for car accidents is below average. But roads in San Francisco could use some work — the average cost to repair or maintain cars due to road conditions came in at over $1,000 per year.

San Fransisco by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 35.2 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 72 hours

Car accident fatalities: 10.9 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $1,049 per year

#2: Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles doesn't have a good reputation for traffic, so it's no surprise that it takes the number two spot for worst commute. The average L.A. driver loses 86 hours per year due to rush hour traffic, second only behind New York. The average commute is just under 32 minutes. And car repair due to road quality is in the top five on our list, averaging $921 per year.

Los Angeles by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 31.7 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 86 hours

Car accident fatalities: 10.9 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $921 per year

#3: Denver, Colorado

Denver's average travel time to work clocks in under 30 minutes. But if you're driving during rush hour, you may lose 54 hours per year. Colorado's car accident fatality rate is average compared to the other states on our list, at 11.9 deaths per 100,000 people. Denver residents can also expect to pay an average of $739 each year to maintain their car after driving on local roads.

Colorado by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 28.8 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 54 hours

Car accident fatalities: 11.9 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $739 per year

#4: Riverside, California

Riverside has the third-longest average commute time of 33.9 minutes. Rush hour, however, doesn't play as large a role in travel time compared to other cities, adding just 39 hours per year to the drive. But Riverside residents do spend an average of $795 on auto maintenance and repair because of road conditions.

Riverside by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 33.9 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 39 hours

Car accident fatalities: 10.9 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $795 per year

#5: San Jose, California (tied)

San Jose has one of the most expensive car repair and maintenance rates out of the cities we analyzed, averaging $983 per year. While the rate of accident fatalities in California isn't huge, the average travel time to work in San Jose does take just over 30 minutes. Rush hour is more manageable, causing drivers to lose just 44 hours per year during this time.

San Jose by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 30.3 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 44 hours

Car accident fatalities: 10.9 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $983 per year

#5: Houston, Texas (tied)

Like San Jose, Houston workers average just over 30 minutes to get to work each day. Rush hour, however, is more congested, adding an extra 56 hours in the car annually. The car accident fatality rate is higher in Texas compared to California, resulting in 15.2 deaths per 100,000 people each year. Road quality and mechanic costs are better, with road-related maintenance averaging just $610 each year.

Houston by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 30.7 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 56 hours

Car accident fatalities: 15.2 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $610 per year

#7: Miami, Florida

It takes Miami drivers an average of 30.3 minutes to get to work, but driving during rush hour can heavily impact that commute. The average time lost each year to sitting in rush hour traffic is 64 hours. Florida has one of the top car accident fatality rates, totaling 17.1 deaths per 100,000 people each year. However, drivers only spend an average of $427 per year on road-related maintenance and repair.

Miami by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 30.3 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 64 hours

Car accident fatalities: 17.1 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $427 per year

#8: New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans drivers spend less time getting to work than many other cities on our list, averaging just 26.5 minutes. On top of that, rush hour in the Big Easy, causes people to lose just 39 hours per year. However, Louisiana has one of the highest car accident fatality rates out of all the areas we looked at, with 21 deaths per 100,000 people per year. Annual car repair costs due to road quality are above average on the list, totaling $716.

New Orleans by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 26.5 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 39 hours

Car accident fatalities: 21 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $716 per year

#9: Chicago, Illinois

Chicago's car accident fatalities and auto repair costs due to road quality are below average compared to other areas we surveyed. But drivers do need to account for longer drive times. The average travel time to work is one of the nation's highest at 32.4 minutes, while Chicagoans lose a whopping 83 hours each year to sitting in rush hour traffic.

Chicago by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 32.4 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 83 hours

Car accident fatalities: 10.5 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $627 per year

#10: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (tied)

Working in Philadelphia means spending nearly 31 minutes getting to work in the morning. Time lost per year during rush hour averages 52 hours and it costs an average of $732 each year for car repairs or maintenance caused by road quality. On the plus side, Pennsylvania has a fairly low car accident fatality rate of 9.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

Philadelphia by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 30.8 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 52 hours

Car accident fatalities: 9.5 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $732 per year

#10: Atlanta, Georgia (tied)

Traffic is heavy in Atlanta, causing drivers to spend an average of 32.5 minutes getting to work each day. You're also likely to lose 56 hours each year if you commute during rush hour. Additionally, Georgia has a high fatality rate for car accidents, totaling 16.7 deaths per 100,000 people. However, drivers in Atlanta don't spend a lot of money on car upkeep due to road conditions, spending just $269 each year on average.

Atlanta by the numbers

Average travel time to work: 32.5 minutes

Time lost per year during rush hour: 56 hours

Car accident fatalities: 16.7 deaths per 100,000 people

Average car repair costs due to road quality: $269

Methodology

The Zebra pulled four data points to analyze the top 50 MSAs (by population) in the U.S. related to commuting. 

  • Average travel time to work[2]
  • Time lost per year during rush hour[3]
  • Car accident fatalities[4]
  • Average car repair costs due to road quality[5]

MSA data was used where applicable, and we sometimes substituted city or state data as necessary.

Sources

  1. Average travel time to work in 2023. [Energy.gov]

  2. Average travel time to work. [U.S. Census Bureau]

  3. Time lost per year during rush hour. [TomTom Traffic Index]

  4. Car accident fatalities state by state. [Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

  5. Worst maintained roads. [Teletrac Navman US]