The Worst Commutes in America – Did Your City Make the List?
If you feel like you spend more time commuting each week than you do with your family at the dinner table, you probably do.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2014, it took the average worker over 26 minutes to travel (one-way) to work. That’s the longest it’s been since the Census started tracking American’s commutes in 1980.
On a weekly basis, that’s roughly equivalent to five 50-minute family dinners or eight 30-minute workouts. Instead of going for a run, cooking a healthy dinner, or talking to our kids, many Americans are spending that time commuting – and it’s taking a toll, not just on our car insurance, but also on our health. A growing body of research shows that sitting is detrimental to our well-being; longer commutes are associated with higher weight, higher blood pressure, and lower fitness levels.
While not all of us have lengthy commutes, approximately 20 percent of American workers have one-way commutes that are 45 minutes or longer. To determine which cities have the worst commutes, experts at ConsumersAdvocate.org pulled data from the American Community Survey and calculated the average commute time for every city.
Here are the top 10 cities with the worst commutes in America:
Methodology
Data is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2016 release. Average Commute Time for each city was calculated by dividing the aggregate time spent commuting by the total working population (excluding those that work from home). In the event of a tie, the city with the larger Worker Population with Commutes over 60 Minutes served as a tiebreaker. In order to be considered, a city must have at least 100,000 people over the age of 16 working out of the house. The data was pulled on October 12, 2017.
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10. Philadelphia
- Average Commute Time: 29 minutes
- Worker Population: 727,709
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 17%
The city of brotherly love boasts some of the nation’s top schools, hospitals and employers, but some of its longest commutes, with 17 percent of its 727,709 worker population commuting more than 60 minutes both to and from work every day.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia
9. Chicago
- Average Commute Time: 30 minutes
- Worker Population: 1,448,029
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 23%
According to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), on an average weekday, Chicagoans travel more than 136 million miles. Through its ON TO 2050 initiative, CMAP is working with experts and stakeholders from the private and public sectors to identify ways to maintain and build upon its transportation system. In the meantime, 23 percent of Chicago’s 1,448,029 worker population commute more than 60 minutes by car to and from work each way.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia
8. Arlington, Texas
- Average Commute Time: 32 minutes
- Worker Population: 154,293
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 5%
Located 12 miles from Fort Worth and 20 miles from Dallas, Arlington, TX is a popular workplace for those in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. However, the highways that connect the three cities are congested, and the heat makes commuting by foot or bike difficult and dangerous.
The average commute time in Arlington, is 32 minutes, with 5 percent of the worker population commuting more than 60 minutes each way.
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7. Aurora, Colorado
- Average Commute Time: 32 minutes
- Worker Population: 151,809
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 5%
The third most populous city in the state of Colorado, Aurora is home to many large private employers, including Raytheon, Kaiser Permanente and ADT. It’s no surprise then that the average commute for workers in Aura clocks in at 32 minutes.
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6. Mesa, Arizona
- Average Commute Time: 33 minutes
- Worker Population: 158,490
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 4%
A study conducted by AZTech, a group of both transportation and public safety agents in the Phoenix metropolitan area, found that being strategic about which freeway they choose can help people in the area fare better during their commutes. However, those working in Mesa, Arizona, still have an average commute time of 33 minutes each way.
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5. New York, New York
- Average Commute Time: 34 minutes
- Worker Population: 4,560,218
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 33%
New York has more jobs accessible by public transit than any other metro region in the U.S. However, with a population of more than 8.5 million individuals, overcrowding, and unpredictable delays due to repairs still add up to long commute times.
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4. Oakland, California
- Average Commute Time: 35 minutes
- Worker Population: 187,650
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 17%
With the median price of a starter home around $436,250, Oakland is more affordable for homeowners than other cities in the Bay area such as San Francisco, where the median price of a starter home is $778,667. However, those working in the city still suffer from long commutes with an average commute time of 35 minutes.
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3. Long Beach, California
- Average Commute Time: 36 minutes
- Worker Population: 180,197
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 11%
With its pedestrian and bike-friendly streets, ocean views, and one of the only dedicated dog-friendly beaches in Los Angeles County, it’s easy to see why some call Long Beach one of the 15 best places to live in the U.S. However, situated 21 miles from LAX and about 25 miles from downtown, Los Angeles, the average commute time for Long Beach residents is 26 minutes, with 11 percent of the population traveling more than 60 minutes commuting each way.
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2. Jersey City, New Jersey
- Average Commute Time: 38 minutes
- Worker Population: 129,606
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 28%
Jersey City may be a haven for people looking to escape New York City’s housing prices, but there may be no escaping New York’s traffic patterns. The average commute time in Jersey City is 38 minutes, with 28 percent of the worker population commuting more than 60 minutes one-way.
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1. San Jose, California
- Average Commute Time: 39 minutes
- Worker Population: 383,251
- Worker Population with Commutes Over 60 Minutes: 12%
Some say the traffic in the Bay Area has become such a problem it is now at “emergency” status. Concerns over the cost of housing and traffic have become so severe that 40 percent of the region’s residents say they want to move away in the next few years. In the meantime, the average commute lasts 39 minutes, with 12 percent of workers commuting more than 60 minutes each way.