By the end of 2024, 90% of companies will require a return to the office, be it hybrid or full-time. With more employees returning to the office, commute times are reaching pre-pandemic levels. Considering rising fuel costs and burgeoning traffic congestion, Americans are left wondering how long it will take them to get to work and at what cost.
Using data from the U.S. Census, we looked at the average commute time to work (in minutes) for car and public transit commuters in 100 of the largest U.S. cities to find where commutes are the longest and shortest around the country. In addition to the time cost of commuting, we calculated the financial cost of car and public transit commuting in each city to find where commutes are the most and least expensive.
So what does commuting truly cost, in both time and money? Read on for the full breakdown.
The Average Commute Time to Work by Car
The average American car commuter will spend 25.4 minutes per day commuting to work and 50.8 minutes round-trip. That equates to nearly 19 hours of commuting time each month, nine days of commuting time each year, and over a year of commuting time throughout one’s working lifetime.
Here are the U.S. cities with the longest car commutes to work:
- Riverside, CA – 32.6 minutes
- Stockton, CA – 32.5 minutes
- Washington, D.C. – 31.7 minutes
- Atlanta, GA & New York, NY – 30.7 minutes
- Poughkeepsie, NY – 30.6 minutes
Riverside, CA, Stockton, CA, Washington D.C., Atlanta, GA, and New York, NY have the longest car commutes—each over a half-hour one-way and over an hour round-trip. Within those five cities, New York City commute times increased by 4.07% year over year, while Washington D.C. commute times increased by 3.26%.
Here are the U.S. cities with the shortest car commutes to work:
- Wichita, KS – 20.0 minutes
- Omaha, NE – 20.4 minutes
- Provo, UT – 20.8 minutes
- Toledo, OH – 20.9 minutes
- Rochester, NY – 21.1 minutes
Wichita, KS, Omaha, NE, Provo, UT, Toledo, OH, and Rochester, NY have the shortest car commutes –– all under 22 minutes one-way and under 43 minutes round-trip. Within those five cities, Toledo, OH commute times decreased by 2.34% year over year, while Provo, UT commute times decreased by 1.89%.
Sarasota, FL, Tampa, FL, Harrisburg, PA, Spokane, WA, and Colorado Springs, CO saw the largest increases in commute times year over year—all over 6%. Springfield, MA, Baton Rouge, LA, Jackson, MS, Ogden, UT, and Toledo, OH saw the largest decreases in commute time year over year—all over 2%.
The Average Commute Time to Work by Public Transit
The average American public transit commuter will spend 44.6 minutes per day commuting to work and 89.2 minutes round-trip (almost an hour and a half). That amounts to 33 hours of commuting each month, 16 days of commuting each year, and over two years of commuting time throughout one’s working lifetime.
Here are the U.S. cities with the longest public transit commutes to work:
- Memphis, TN – 88.5 minutes
- Poughkeepsie, NY – 86.0 minutes
- Stockton, CA – 85.1 minutes
- Bridgeport, CT – 71.1 minutes
- New Haven, CT – 63.7 minutes
Memphis, TN, Poughkeepsie, NY, Stockton, CA, Bridgeport, CT, and New Haven, CT have the longest public transit commutes –– each over two hours round-trip. Memphis public transit commuters, in particular, will save over two hours each day commuting by car versus public transit.
Poughkeepsie, NY and Stockton, CA stand out on the list of top five cities for having both the longest car and public transit commutes, signaling that getting around in these cities is generally a time-consuming affair.
Here are the U.S. cities with the shortest public transit commutes to work:
- McAllen, TX – 22.3 minutes
- Augusta, GA & Omaha, NE – 23.9 minutes
- Greenville, SC – 24.8 minutes
- Birmingham, AL – 24.9 minutes
- Greensboro, NC – 27.4 minutes
McAllen, TX, Omaha, NE, Augusta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Birmingham, AL have the shortest public transit commutes—all under 28 minutes one-way and under 55 minutes round-trip. Out of the 100 cities analyzed, public transit is faster than car commuting by a small margin in three cities: Augusta, GA, Birmingham, AL, and Greenville, SC.
The Financial Cost of Car Commuting to Work
68.7% of Americans commute to work alone in a vehicle each day. And personal commute costs like fuel, maintenance, and insurance can really start to accumulate for drivers with long commute distances. On average, U.S. car commuters will spend $170 on commuting each month and $2,043 on commuting each year.
Nine out of the ten most expensive cities for car commuting are located in Florida due to longer commutes, above-average gas prices, and high car insurance premiums in the state. Miami, FL is the most expensive city for car commuting, with an annual commute cost of $2,656. Daytona Beach, Fort Myers, Lakeland, Sarasota, and Tampa follow closely behind, all with annual car commute costs over $2,600.
With annual commute costs under $1,500, Boise, ID, Dayton, OH, and Cleveland, OH are the three least expensive cities for car commuting due to shorter commute distances and relatively low car insurance premiums.
The Financial Cost of Public Transit Commuting to Work
Public transportation commuting rose from 2.5% to 3.1% between 2021 and 2022. Nearly 50% of public transit commuters in the U.S. take the bus to work, but in larger metro areas, over a third (37%) rely on rapid transit services like a metro or subway to get to their jobs.
Of the larger cities with multiple modes of public transit, New York City is the most expensive city for public transit commuting, with an annual commute cost of $1,584. NYC’s monthly subway pass increased from $127 to $132 in 2023.
Proving to be a pricey commuting city all around, Miami is not only the most expensive city for car commuting but also the second-most expensive city for public transit commuting, with annual commuting costs of $1,350. West Coast cities Portland, OR, Sacramento, CA, and Seattle, WA round out the top five most expensive cities for public transit, all with annual commuting costs over $1,000.
Of the larger cities with multiple modes of public transit, Houston, TX and Orlando, FL are the most affordable cities for public transit commuting, with annual commute costs of just $567 and $672, respectively. Houston commuters can save $1,483 each year using public transit instead of driving, while Orlando commuters can save a whopping $1,969.
Of the smaller U.S. cities relying primarily on bus service, Memphis, TN and Boise, ID are the two least expensive, with annual commute costs ranging from $300-$325. In these areas, monthly bus passes are affordably priced between $25 and $27.
Time vs. Money: Commuting Tradeoffs
The daily commute presents a balancing act between time and financial considerations. Choosing between driving and using public transit can significantly impact both your schedule and wallet. Here’s what the tradeoffs look like in real numbers.
Opting for car commuting over public transit can gift you back an average of 38 minutes each day. This time saved adds up quickly, equating to roughly 14 hours each month or an entire year over the span of a lifetime.
However, the financial aspect of commuting paints a different picture. The average American bus commuter spends $600 annually. Taking the bus can save commuters over $120 per month and $1,412 per year. The average U.S. public transit commuter who uses rapid transit services like metro, subway, or light rail spends $976 on commuting each year. While higher than the bus-exclusive cost, it still presents savings of $1,036 annually when compared to car commuting.
The decision between car and public transit commuting ultimately hinges on individual priorities and circumstances. For some, the time saved by car commuting is invaluable, offering flexibility and more personal time. For others, the financial savings and environmental benefits of public transit align more closely with their values and budgetary constraints.
Closing Thoughts
It’s clear that both time and money play pivotal roles in determining the most efficient and cost-effective ways to navigate our daily trek to work. For car commuters, managing and mitigating the associated costs becomes crucial. This is where Coast fuel cards enter the equation, offering a strategic advantage. Using these cards, commuters and businesses alike can significantly reduce their transportation expenses through discounts, rewards, and detailed expense tracking.
Methodology
To find the time cost of commuting around the U.S., we found the mean commute time to work (in minutes) for both car and public transit commuting in the 100 largest U.S. metro areas using the most recent data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS). We then extended this data to daily, monthly, annual, and lifetime figures, with lifetime indicating 47 working years (i.e., the average retirement age of 65 minus 18 years old).
To find the total financial cost of car commuting in the same metro areas, we found the average commute mileage to work and used that as a starting point to calculate gas, maintenance, and insurance costs on a daily, monthly, and annual basis. We sourced data on average commuting distances from StreetLight Data, gas and maintenance costs from AAA, car insurance costs from Policygenius, and fuel economy data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
To find the financial cost of public transit commuting in each metro area, we found the cost of a monthly transit pass using data from APTA’s public transit fare database and local transit authority websites. Using the monthly pass costs, we could determine the annual cost of public transit commuting in both large metro areas, which have bus and rapid transit services (metro, subway, light rail), and smaller metro areas, which have primarily bus service.
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