U.S. States · Lowest to highest
States ranked by shortest average commute
Average commute time captures the daily time tax of getting to work. State-level differences are driven by metro density, sprawl, public transit availability, and the share of remote workers.
Top 5
Shortest commutes are in less-dense states (South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska) where short distances and limited congestion dominate.
- #1 South Dakota17.6 min
- #2 North Dakota18 min
- #3 Wyoming18.5 min
- #4 Nebraska19.1 min
- #5 Montana19.2 min
Bottom 5
Longest commutes concentrate in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, and California — states with major sprawling metros, congestion, and (in NY/NJ) heavy commuter rail dependence.
- #51 New York32.8 min
- #50 Maryland31.5 min
- #49 New Jersey30.9 min
- #48 District of Columbia30.3 min
- #47 Massachusetts29.3 min
All 50 states
| # | State | Shortest average commute |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South DakotaSD | 17.6 min |
| 2 | North DakotaND | 18 min |
| 3 | WyomingWY | 18.5 min |
| 4 | NebraskaNE | 19.1 min |
| 5 | MontanaMT | 19.2 min |
| 6 | AlaskaAK | 19.5 min |
| 7 | IowaIA | 19.8 min |
| 8 | KansasKS | 19.8 min |
| 9 | IdahoID | 21.6 min |
| 10 | UtahUT | 22 min |
| 11 | WisconsinWI | 22.2 min |
| 12 | ArkansasAR | 22.3 min |
| 13 | OklahomaOK | 22.4 min |
| 14 | MinnesotaMN | 23.1 min |
| 15 | New MexicoNM | 23.2 min |
| 16 | OregonOR | 23.2 min |
| 17 | VermontVT | 23.4 min |
| 18 | OhioOH | 23.6 min |
| 19 | MissouriMO | 23.7 min |
| 20 | IndianaIN | 24 min |
| 21 | KentuckyKY | 24 min |
| 22 | MaineME | 24.4 min |
| 23 | MichiganMI | 24.4 min |
| 24 | NevadaNV | 24.8 min |
| 25 | North CarolinaNC | 25.1 min |
| 26 | AlabamaAL | 25.4 min |
| 27 | ArizonaAZ | 25.5 min |
| 28 | ColoradoCO | 25.5 min |
| 29 | Rhode IslandRI | 25.5 min |
| 30 | MississippiMS | 25.6 min |
| 31 | South CarolinaSC | 25.6 min |
| 32 | TennesseeTN | 25.7 min |
| 33 | LouisianaLA | 25.8 min |
| 34 | DelawareDE | 26.1 min |
| 35 | HawaiiHI | 26.4 min |
| 36 | ConnecticutCT | 26.6 min |
| 37 | PennsylvaniaPA | 26.6 min |
| 38 | West VirginiaWV | 26.6 min |
| 39 | TexasTX | 26.7 min |
| 40 | New HampshireNH | 26.8 min |
| 41 | WashingtonWA | 27 min |
| 42 | VirginiaVA | 27.6 min |
| 43 | FloridaFL | 28 min |
| 44 | IllinoisIL | 28.1 min |
| 45 | GeorgiaGA | 28.3 min |
| 46 | CaliforniaCA | 29 min |
| 47 | MassachusettsMA | 29.3 min |
| 48 | District of ColumbiaDC | 30.3 min |
| 49 | New JerseyNJ | 30.9 min |
| 50 | MarylandMD | 31.5 min |
| 51 | New YorkNY | 32.8 min |
Methodology
- What this measures
- ACS5 Table B08303: travel time to work for workers 16 and over who did not work from home. Mean commute in minutes.
- Why it matters
- Commute time directly compresses leisure, family time, and energy. Long-commute states tend to have sprawling metros with limited transit and concentrated employment cores.
- Caveats
- Excludes remote workers (whose 'commute' is zero). As remote-work share has risen, average reported commute times have shifted somewhat — fewer people commute, but those who do tend to live farther out.
- Source
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, vintage 2023 (released December 2024). census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Frequently asked
- Does this include remote workers?
- No. Remote workers are excluded from the average. As remote share has risen, the headline state averages have actually drifted up because the people still commuting tend to be those traveling longer distances.