Census ACS 2023 · 51 states
States With Highest Public Transit Use
Public transportation usage in the United States is heavily concentrated in a few states with major transit systems. New York dominates this ranking — roughly 30% of New York workers use public transit, far more than any other state, thanks to the MTA subway and bus system that serves New York City. New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois follow, each anchored by large transit-dependent metro areas (Newark/Jersey City, Boston, and Chicago). Most of the country, however, is overwhelmingly car-dependent: the national average for public transit use is under 5%. Public transit investment is a major policy debate. States with robust transit systems see benefits in reduced congestion, lower carbon emissions, better access to jobs for low-income workers, and more compact urban development. States without significant transit infrastructure face increasing pressure to invest as congestion worsens and environmental concerns grow.
Key Findings
- 1Mississippi leads with a public transit usage rate of 82.5%, followed by Alabama (81.5%) and Arkansas (79.7%).
- 2The gap between #1 Mississippi and #51 District of Columbia (28.2%) is 54.3 percentage points.
- 3The national median across all states is 73.3% (North Carolina at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Dakota, West Virginia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Kentucky, South Dakota.
Full Ranking: States With Highest Public Transit Use
Source: Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates
| # | State | Transit % | Drive Alone | Avg Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 75.8% | 0.9% | 18.5 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 75.5% | 1.2% | 22.2 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 79.0% | 0.6% | 26.6 |
| 4 | Washington | 64.7% | 4.0% | 27 |
| 5 | Virginia | 69.2% | 2.6% | 27.6 |
| 6 | Vermont | 70.1% | 0.9% | 23.4 |
| 7 | Utah | 69.1% | 1.7% | 22 |
| 8 | Texas | 73.2% | 1.0% | 26.7 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 77.2% | 0.5% | 25.7 |
| 10 | South Dakota | 77.6% | 0.5% | 17.6 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 77.9% | 0.4% | 25.6 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 74.3% | 1.9% | 25.5 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 69.6% | 3.9% | 26.6 |
| 14 | Oregon | 65.8% | 2.6% | 23.2 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | 78.7% | 0.3% | 22.4 |
| 16 | Ohio | 76.6% | 1.1% | 23.6 |
| 17 | North Dakota | 79.1% | 0.4% | 18 |
| 18 | North Carolina | 73.3% | 0.7% | 25.1 |
| 19 | New York | 49.7% | 22.4% | 32.8 |
| 20 | New Mexico | 75.1% | 0.7% | 23.2 |
| 21 | New Jersey | 63.7% | 8.5% | 30.9 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | 73.7% | 0.6% | 26.8 |
| 23 | Nevada | 72.1% | 2.4% | 24.8 |
| 24 | Nebraska | 77.3% | 0.5% | 19.1 |
| 25 | Montana | 72.0% | 0.6% | 19.2 |
| 26 | Missouri | 76.4% | 0.9% | 23.7 |
| 27 | Mississippi | 82.5% | 0.3% | 25.6 |
| 28 | Minnesota | 70.3% | 2.1% | 23.1 |
| 29 | Michigan | 75.6% | 1.0% | 24.4 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | 62.7% | 7.0% | 29.3 |
| 31 | Maryland | 66.3% | 4.9% | 31.5 |
| 32 | Maine | 72.3% | 0.5% | 24.4 |
| 33 | Louisiana | 79.4% | 0.9% | 25.8 |
| 34 | Kentucky | 77.8% | 0.7% | 24 |
| 35 | Kansas | 76.7% | 0.4% | 19.8 |
| 36 | Iowa | 76.7% | 0.7% | 19.8 |
| 37 | Indiana | 77.3% | 0.7% | 24 |
| 38 | Illinois | 67.3% | 6.4% | 28.1 |
| 39 | Idaho | 73.5% | 0.6% | 21.6 |
| 40 | Hawaii | 65.9% | 4.1% | 26.4 |
| 41 | Georgia | 72.3% | 1.3% | 28.3 |
| 42 | Florida | 72.1% | 1.2% | 28 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | 28.2% | 22.3% | 30.3 |
| 44 | Delaware | 73.4% | 1.8% | 26.1 |
| 45 | Connecticut | 70.6% | 3.4% | 26.6 |
| 46 | Colorado | 66.8% | 1.9% | 25.5 |
| 47 | California | 67.1% | 3.2% | 29 |
| 48 | Arkansas | 79.7% | 0.3% | 22.3 |
| 49 | Arizona | 68.5% | 1.2% | 25.5 |
| 50 | Alaska | 65.6% | 1.0% | 19.5 |
| 51 | Alabama | 81.5% | 0.3% | 25.4 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 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
Mississippi has the highest public transit usage rate at 82.5%, according to Census ACS 2023 data. Alabama and Arkansas round out the top three.
District of Columbia has the lowest public transit usage rate at 28.2%. New York is second-lowest at 49.7%.
The median across all 51 states is 73.3%. 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) 2023 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 data (currently 2023 5-Year estimates). The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually, typically in September. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 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.