15+ Average Commute Time Statistics [2023]: How Long Is the Average American Commute?

Research Summary. Whether you live in the middle of the city or have to drive in from the country, almost all Americans have to deal with some form of commute. In fact, cars dominate transportation, which is the reason you might be stuck behind 200 of them on the highway.

But, what is the average American commute really like? Luckily, we’ve investigated all of the essential facts about the average American commute, and according to our extensive research:

• The average one-way commute for Americans is 27.6 minutes.

• New York City, NY, has the longest average commute time in the U.S. at 34.7 minutes.

• Since 1980, the average American commute time has increased by 27% (From 21.7 minutes to 27.6 minutes).

• The average American commutes 41 miles a day to and from work.

• 76.4% of U.S. workers drive alone to work.

For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
State | City | Means of Transportation | Other

General Average Commute Time Statistics

With Americans traveling an average of 41 miles per day to and from work, it’s clear that cars have made it possible to distance yourself from your job. However, this also isn’t the case for every single American. According to our research:

• 74% of Americans commute to work every day.

  The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic affected the number of Americans who commute to work, as remote work became far more popular. As of 2021, 26% of Americans are still working from home and, therefore, don’t need to commute.

• The average American commute time to and from work is 55 minutes.

  Given that Americans spend an average of 27.6 minutes traveling one way, that means it takes nearly an hour for them to commute both ways each day. In fact, traveling 55 minutes per day equates to over 333 hours per year (Nearly two weeks of your life lost to commuting).

• 22% of commutes are more than 30 minutes long.

  Nearly a quarter of Americans spend more than 30 minutes on a one-way commute, just under the 24% who spend less than 15 minutes commuting.

  Average Commute Time In US

  Average commute time	% of Americans
  No commute	26%
  Less than 15 minutes	24%
  15-29 minutes	30%
  30-59 minutes	17%
  60-119 minutes	4%
  120 minutes or more	1%

Average Commute Time by State

When it comes to commute times, not all states and cities are equal. For example, states like New York or New Jersey have nearly double the average commute time as Montana or South Dakota. Overall, our research shows that:

• New York State has the longest average commute time at 33.4 minutes.

  Especially due to New York City, this state has the longest average commute times in the whole country. However, other states with exceedingly high commute times include: Maryland (32.8 minutes), New Jersey (31.7 minutes), Massachusetts (29.6 minutes), and California (29.4 minutes).

• South Dakota has the shortest average commute times at 16.6 minutes.

  With average commute times being half that of New York State, you’ll spend a lot less time in the car in South Dakota. Additionally, other states with short commute times include: Wyoming (16.9 minutes), North Dakota (17.4 minutes), Montana (17.5 minutes), and Alaska (18 minutes).

  Commute Time By State

  State	Average commute time (in minutes)
  New York	33.4
  Maryland	32.8
  New Jersey	31.7
  Massachusetts	29.6
  California	29.4
  Illinois	28.9
  Georgia	28.5
  Virginia	28.5
  Washington	27.9
  Florida	27.4
  Hawaii	27.4
  New Hampshire	26.9
  Pennsylvania	26.9
  Texas	26.5
  Connecticut	26.3
  Delaware	26.1
  West Virginia	25.4
  Arizona	25.3
  Tennessee	25.1
  Louisiana	25
  Colorado	25
  Rhode Island	24.8
  South Carolina	24.7
  Alabama	24.6
  Michigan	24.5
  North Carolina	24.4
  Mississippi	24.3
  Nevada	24.1
  Maine	23.9
  Oregon	23.9
  Missouri	23.7
  Indiana	23.6
  Minnesota	23.5
  Ohio	23.4
  Kentucky	23.3
  Vermont	23.1
  New Mexico	21.9
  Wisconsin	21.9
  Utah	21.6
  Oklahoma	21.4
  Arkansas	21.2
  Idaho	20.9
  Kansas	19.4
  Iowa	19
  Nebraska	18.6
  Alaska	18
  Montana	17.5
  North Dakota	17.4
  Wyoming	16.9
  South Dakota	16.6

Average Commute Time by City

While some states may not even make the top five longest commutes, that doesn’t mean some of their cities also share those stats. The fact is that a city’s population, infrastructure, growth, and other factors can affect commute times for workers. For instance, our research shows that:

• New York City, NY has the longest average commute at 34.7 minutes.

  Aligning with its parent state, NYC has exceptionally long average commute times. No wonder many people walk around the big apple.

  Other cities with high commute times include Long Island, NY (33.3 minutes), Washington, DC (32.8 minutes), Newark, NJ (31.1 minutes), and Chicago, IL (30.8 minutes).

  Cities With The Longest Commute

  City	Average commute time (in minutes)
  New York City, NY	34.7
  Long Island, NY	33.3
  Washington, DC	32.8
  Newark, NJ	31.1
  Chicago, IL	30.8
  Boston, MA	30.4
  Oakland, CA	29.9
  San Bernardino, CA	29.8
  Baltimore, MD	29.4
  Atlanta, GA	29.2

• Great Falls, MT has the shortest average commute at 15.3 minutes.

  While not the largest city by any means, Great Falls, MT has the benefit of short commute times.

  Other cities with low commute times in the U.S. include Wichita, KS (19.5 minutes), Omaha, NE (20.2 minutes), Des Moines, IA (20.3 minutes), and Buffalo, NY (20.3 minutes).

  Cities With The Shortest Commute

  City	Average commute time (in minutes)
  Great Falls, MT	15.3
  Wichita, KS	19.5
  Omaha, NE	20.2
  Des Moines, IA	20.3
  Buffalo, NY	20.3
  Toledo, OH	20.7
  Syracuse, NY	21.2
  Dayton, OH	21.3
  Rochester, NY	21.3
  Provo, UT	21.4

Average Commute Time by Means of Transportation

While cars are the most popular method of transportation in the U.S., there are other ways workers can get around. From buses to trains, here are the facts about the different types of transportation in the U.S.:

• Public transportation in the U.S. takes up to 85% longer than commuting by car.

  The average U.S. commute by car is only 25 minutes, but this isn’t the case for many forms of public transportation. For example, traveling by bus or subway in the U.S. takes an average of 45 and 47 minutes, respectively.

• Driving time is an average of 25 minutes for American commuters. This is per one-way trip. This means Americans who drive to work spend at least an hour in the car each workday.

• On average, only 23% of Americans carpool to work.

  Communal commuting isn’t very common in the U.S., but its prevalence also depends on where you live. For example, up to 66% of commuters in Washington, D.C. actually carpool to work, and 47% of New York City workers do the same.

• Subways have the longest average commute times in the U.S. at 47 minutes.

  Conversely, those who are able to walk in major metro areas have the shortest commute times of only 12 minutes on average.

  Commute Time By Transportation Type

  Method of transportation	Average commute time (in minutes)
  Walking	12
  Car	25
  Bus	45
  Subway	47

Other Commuting Statistics

If you want to learn more about where the U.S. stands when it comes to commuting, here are some additional facts and statistics:

• China has the longest average commute time at 56 minutes.

  In some ways, this may not be surprising, as China has the largest population on earth. However, that’s still double the average commute time in the U.S. In fact, there are very few countries with commute times shorter than the U.S., with Italy’s being 23 minutes.

• The average American spends over 330 hours per year commuting to work.

  That equates to nearly 14 days, or two whole weeks spent commuting. No wonder we have such a disdain for those long commutes.

• The average American will commute for over a year of their lifetime.

  If you were to work for at least 45 years, you would spend over 11,000 hours commuting. This equates to a massive 450 days of time spent commuting, or more than a full year.

Average Commute Time Statistics FAQ

1. How much does the average American commute?

   It takes the average American 27.6 minutes to commute. Of course, how long the actual commute is per person depends on many factors, like population density, construction, traffic, etc.

   For example, rural states like South Dakota have average commute times as low as 16.6 minutes, while NYC (America’s largest city) nearly doubles that average.

2. What is the average commuting distance?

   The average commuting distance is 41 miles to and from work. However, it’s important to note that distance doesn’t always equate to longer commute times. You might have to drive farther to get to work in a rural state like Montana, but you’ll also face less traffic and have the benefit of 80 mph speed limits.

   On the other hand, an urban state like New Jersey is more likely to have construction, traffic, pedestrians, and other things that will slow you down considerably.

3. What is a reasonable commute?

   A reasonable commute is considered to be less than 50 miles from your employer. Of course, as discussed previously, the time it takes to travel 50 miles can vary greatly depending on your location.

   In the end, what’s considered a reasonable commute is entirely up to you and an important factor to consider when you’re deciding on a new career.

4. What does average commute time mean?

   Average commute time is the average length of time a commuter spends traveling from home to their work location. Note that this only takes into account one direction of travel. An Americans average commute time can be considered the typical commute time, but you must also take into account outliers that can affect the final average.

Conclusion

As much as we sometimes dread it, a daily commute is an essential fact of life for most Americans. The average American spends an average of 27.6 minutes commuting just one way. However, not all commutes are created equal.

As a commuter, you can expect to face much longer commute times in populous states and cities. For example, the average New Yorker spends 33.4 minutes commuting, while the average South Dakotan spends only 16.6 minutes commuting.

That, among other factors, can determine how long you have to spend honking your horn and tearing your hair out. Just keep in mind that all that stress is one of the many reasons why you should always consider your commute before starting a new career.

Sources:

1. TitleMax. “100 U.S. Cities, Ranked by Commute Time.” Accessed on July 25th, 2022.

2. Jerry. “How Many Miles Do People Usually Commute for and Is Yours Too Long?” Accessed on July 25th, 2022.

3. Census. “Who Drives to Work? Commuting by Automobile in the United States.” Accessed on July 25th, 2022.

4. Statista. “How Long Do Americans Commute For?” Accessed on July 25th, 2022.

5. TitleMax. “The Average Commute to Work by State and City.” Accessed on July 25th, 2022.

6. Governing. “Average Commute Times for Metro Areas.” Accessed on July 25th, 2022.

7. Jerry. “States With the Highest Percentage of Communal Commuters.” Accessed on July 25th, 2022.

8. The Geography of Transport Systems. “Average Daily Commuting Time, Selected Countries.” Accessed on July 25th, 2022.

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.