My area came in 3rd, but the 36 minute one-way commute average is far below my average. I would kill for a 36 minute commute. The morning is about 65 minutes. The evening is usually 60 to 90 minutes. Yes I have neck and back pain. Yes I’m exhausted when I get home and have no energy to exercise. Yes I continue to do this because I have two kids in college and need healthcare for a multitude of illnesses affecting my family.
New York and Los Angeles may be known for the most traffic-strewn highways, but the metropolitan area with the longest average one-way commute is East Stroudsburg, Penn.
That city topped the chart with 38.6 minutes one way, according to the Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey 5-year estimates, ahead of New York and Jersey City with 37.1 minutes and New York and Newark areas with 35.9 minutes. Silver Spring, Md. came in fourth with 34.6 minutes one way, with Washington, D.C. right behind it at 34.4 minutes.
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U.S. Census Bureau research has found that those who rely on public transportation typically have the longest commutes, even and especially workers who leave earliest in the morning. Workers who walk to work unsurprisingly have the shortest travel time. And workers who carpool take longer to get to work than those who drive alone.
| Cities | Average minutes one-way commute times |
| East Stroudsburg, PA Metro Area | 38.6 |
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metro Division | 37.1 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area | 35.9 |
| Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metro Division | 34.6 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area | 34.4 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Division | 34.4 |
| Picayune, MS Micro Area | 34.0 |
| Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metro Division | 33.9 |
| Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metro Division | 33.5 |
| Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metro Division | 33.4 |
| Bogalusa, LA Micro Area | 33.1 |
| Newark, NJ-PA Metro Division | 32.7 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division | 32.2 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA Metro Area | 32.1 |
| Boston, MA Metro Division | 32.0 |
| Shelton, WA Micro Area | 31.9 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area | 31.8 |
| San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR Metro Area | 31.6 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metro Division | 31.5 |
| Fernley, NV Micro Area | 31.4 |
See: A $40 toll for a 10-mile trip? This is the new infrastructure math
About 2.2 million U.S. workers have at least a one-hour commute to and from work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and those hours spent in transit could be stressful, potentially ruining health and marriages. Here are a few ways how:
• One-in-three employees with commutes of more than an hour and a half complain of pain in their necks and backs, a 2010 Gallup survey of more than 173,000 workers found.
• There is a 40% chance of separation or divorce with long commutes, according to a 2011 study by social geographer Erika Sandow at Umea University in Sweden, likely because of the strain it puts on one spouse over the other for household chores and childcare, or because of the financial burdens of commuting.
• The longer the person is stuck commuting to and from work, the less time they have to exercise or feel the motivation to make healthier food purchases, a 2009 study by the Department of Community Health at Brown University found.
Of course, many metro areas have long commutes that are far from average. In Normantown, W. Va, some citizens face a commute of more than 109 minutes, according to an analysis by car parts provider Auto Accessories Garage.
Also see: How the daily commute is going to change
About 86% of commuters drive to work, with more than three-quarters driving alone, according to Census Bureau data. About 10% carpooled, a little more than 5% take mass transit, and more than 2% walk to work and less than 1% ride a bicycle.
Approximately two-thirds of commuters say they actually enjoy “me time” on their morning and evening commute, a 2015 survey by Citi found. Some call family or friends (27%), read a book or magazine (13%) and/or listen to music (85%).
Admin’s commute makes the top 20. If they come put with a list of most dangerous commutes, bet he has a chance to be in the top 5.
Instead of a car, he needs a tank. Mileage would suck, but he would be safer.
The doctors have told me to walk around the truck stops if nothing else to get exercise or to walk on my 30 minute break in between my 8 hours of driving that we have to take.I can already tell it’s going to be hard but I got to do it or die. Those are my choices .Maybe you could get some exercise in on your hour lunch break . Walk around the campus a couple days a week .I got to walk a couple miles a day at least 3 – 5 times a week .I can walk a mile in about 20 minutes at a fast pace.Just a thought.
I’m busy on my lunch break trying to entertain you shit throwing monkeys. I can post shit from 6:10 am until 6:40 am when I leave for work and from 12:00 to 1:00 during my lunch break.
And we appreciate it, Admin.
By the way, I’m going to use your Walmart affiliate to stock up on some pet food. Although I hate shopping at Walmart stores, I’m not adverse to low prices, so online I go with Walmart. And it will help you out as well. Two wins.
Kudos, sir! You’re a true trooper and that’s a heartfelt observation. You do a great job!
BB, as you’re walking around the truck stop (doctors recommendation) breathe deeply and enjoy the diesel exhaust. I hear the fumes have unexplored health benefits-like an early grave to escape the rat race hellhole.
My commute is all of 3-4 minutes. Sometimes I even see another car.
Don’t worry, Jim. We’ll get plenty of rest at FEMA camp. Remember, I called top bunk.
FEMA camp. Sounds fun. I wonder if
they have archery?
One does what one has to when it comes to commuting. 30 years ago it was leave at 6am to get from Ewa Beach to Pearl Harbor. Way worse now. After my last trip to Oahu I said I would just mail the state of Hawaii the money instead of doing that again. I think I have a one way trip to punchbowl left. I did a 50 mile commute to Boulder, CO for a 12 hour rotating shift until I couldn’t take it with the 1.5 hour commute each way anymore. And in the winter it was longer.
Now that I do one hr., one way, daily + the return, I understand why my old man couldn’t wait to retire and get out of the rat race, and move to an area less hectic, and a lot more laid back.
It would be nice to be able to do that, but not just yet. Keep working and watching to see the intensity of the storm clouds gathering. One of these days.
Throw in the game of dodge ’em cars with all the road warriors and people who should be letting someone more intelligent take the wheel, and it’s a challenge to do it and stay even keeled.
Good music or good audio books help.
I heard that sitting is the new smoking; i.e., bad for your health, if done too often and too long.
I sure as hell feel it, in my 6th decade, on long car trips. Pass the painkillers, and a double dose of patience, pls. Hang in there, Q.
If my business is a success, I’ll be working from home. If I am able to work from home….hasta la vista Mclean Va.
My current commute is 35 miles each way. Usually 30-35 minutes in the morning and 45-50 at night.
I’ve commuted on a motorcycle my whole life. Splitting lanes here in Cali is a blessing. People ask me if I’m afraid or stressed to ride. I tell them no- it’s therapeutic. I’d go stark raving mad if I had to sit in
traffic in a car (pickup) every day. Commute times would increase at least 80%.
I, too, dream of retirement and not having to do the grind every day.
Here in the Twin Cities of MN, our local commie politicians have decided that the way to ameliorate traffic is to 1) never build any additional lanes, ensuring that traffic remains clogged enough that people will demand more choo choos and B) take two out of three lanes of city thoroughfares to make bicycle lanes so that a dozen lumbersexuals can ride their “fat bikes” through the snow when it’s 8F with a -11F windchill. We have to stay ahead of Portland, OR as the bikeiest city, after all. Mayor “Bicycle Lane Betsy” Hodges just lost her reelection bid, but that was because she wasn’t “progressive” enough.
Oh fuck, you are fucked.
Yes Iska we are fucked in the great state of Minnesocold – Land of 10,000 Taxes.
MNDOT – actually has a conspiracy against cars. I’m not from MN, but these interstates and main highways were designed in the 1950’s – when MN was really the ‘sticks’. So 70 years later – how about a redesign?
My commute is similar to Jims in time but less risky demographically speaking. Today got a call from a neighbor. We were having a flood while I was at work. Made it home in 35 minutes mid day. Never done that before. Fire department beat me home and turned off the water. God I love those guys.
D/FW not on the list, but I still think it’s a shitter here.
My commute is 30 miles/45 minutes each way, but it’s not very heavy traffic and is on a 4-lane divided highway with not too many stoplights, plus I’m going against traffic, or it would be 60 minutes each way. I used to be able to work 50% from home but not with this gig. Car gets 30 mpg, which equates to about $35 in gas per week which includes weekend driving around home.
This is in the Northern VA area southwest of D.C. I get up at 6 a.m., out the door by 6:15 to make it onsite by 7 a.m. Out promptly at 3 p.m. This has been my commute for the last 2 years. Prior to that, I took public transportation to a different location which was in D.C. proper and parking was expensive. But it was a combination of bus-train-train-bus EACH WAY (had to transfer to a different line on the DC Metrorail, hence 2 train legs). It sometimes took 90 minutes each way depending on if I hit the
station as a fresh train rolled in. Saved wear/tear on my vehicle but not a fan of smelly people on public transportation and train delays. Comparing gas cost vs. bus/train fare was about even. The other tradeoff was being able to rest easy on the bus/train vs. fighting traffic were I to drive.
Looking forward to getting out of the D.C. area within the next 3 years, cuz it gets worse every year.
Truer words have never been spoken.
I understand how anyplace can anchor you there but it is possible to move for the vast majority of people. Sitting in those miles of traffic should give you pause that something is wrong with your life. There are other options. I moved from Ft. Lauderdale (anyone know 595?). Where I’m at now 7 cars constitute a crisis. And what about a SHTF scenario? How are you gonna fare? Get out of the cities, they’re a death trap in more ways than one. Good Luck, God Bless…JUST DO IT
When I go to the office, I have a 10 mile trip on a four lane road with schools and traffic lights, it takes me 25 to 35 minutes. The return is about the same.
Mostly I fly and deal with TSA and the airlines. My commute & wait time is typically 6 to 8 hours each way. I prefer that to sitting in a car cuz I can always get a beer in between flights on Friday!
Yea! My neck of the woods made #2 and #3.
The Aldi’s in Union NJ is 11 miles from where we live. Yesterday, it took just under an hour to get there. There’s a 4 mile section of Route 22 that averages 200+ accidents per year!!!
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But, it terms of danger, looks like Florida leads the nation.
Top 10 deadliest highways in America according to their fatality crash rates ….
Florida US-1: 2.78 (1011 fatal crashes, 1079 fatalities)
Florida US-41: 2.16 (714 fatal crashes, 772 fatalities)
Florida US-27: 2.13 (529 fatal crashes, 614 fatalities)
Texas US-83: 1.95 (268 fatal crashes, 336 fatalities)
Florida US-441: 1.77 (417 fatal crashes, 442 fatalities)
California I-40: 1.76 (116 fatal crashes, 136 fatalities)
Arizona I-40: 1.65 (249 fatal crashes, 293 fatalities)
Texas US-87: 1.59 (166 fatal crashes, 197 fatalities)
Florida US-17: 1.58 (387 fatal crashes, 420 fatalities)
Florida US-98: 1.57 (422 fatal crashes, 465 fatalities)
If I was a crow my commute would be 1.3 minutes. Maybe under 1 minute if I had a hawk on my ass. Wait would I even have an ass? Sadly there are days where it take 15 minutes to get to work…