Census ACS 5-Year · 500 cities
US Cities With Longest Commutes
Cities with the longest average commutes are typically distant suburbs of major job centers, where workers trade housing affordability for daily travel time. Commuter cities surrounding New York, Washington DC, and the San Francisco Bay Area have mean commute times exceeding 40 minutes. Long commutes reduce available time, increase stress, and impose environmental costs through emissions. The remote-work shift has reduced average commute times, but in-office workers in these cities still face the longest travel times.
Key Findings
- 1Waldorf Cdp, MD leads with a mean commute time of 43.5 min, followed by Antioch city, CA (43.3 min) and Tracy city, CA (42.8 min).
- 2Wichita Falls city, TX ranks last at 14.4 min, while Waldorf Cdp, MD leads at 43.5 min.
- 3The national median across all states is 25.0 min (Warwick city, RI at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: Waldorf Cdp, MD, Antioch city, CA, Tracy city, CA, Palmdale city, CA, Hesperia city, CA, Menifee city, CA, Victorville city, CA, New York city, NY, Manteca city, CA, Homestead city, FL.
Full Ranking: US Cities With Longest Commutes
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Waldorf Cdp, MD has the highest mean commute time at 43.5 min, according to latest Census ACS data. Antioch city, CA and Tracy city, CA round out the top three.
Wichita Falls city, TX has the lowest mean commute time at 14.4 min. Abilene city, TX is second-lowest at 15.2 min.
The median across all 500 states is 25.0 min. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.