hating traffic is a personality
Austin takes surprising ranking on list of hardest commutes in the U.S.
Austin traffic may be among the worst in the nation, but it's looking good compared to some other big cities, according to a recent study by Forbes Home.
Austin surprisingly ranked No. 18 in Forbes' "The Hardest Commutes in the U.S.," which analyzed 25 of the largest U.S. cities according to the average commute times for workers. A lower ranking meant a more tolerable commute. The only Texas city that ranked lower than Austin was El Paso.
Using 2021 U.S. Census data, the report determined the average time spent traveling to work in Austin is just under 28 minutes. Take that with as big of a grain of salt as you'd like.
"No amount of personal playlist songs, audiobooks, podcasts, commuter coffee, or glove compartment snacks can make a tough commute more pleasant," the report said.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic brought commuting to a halt for most workers, about 74 percent of Americans are back to making those early morning and afternoon drives to-and-from their workplace. Work-from-home rates have continuously dropped since 2020, which isn't helping the rise in commute times.
Austin has more than 731,000 workers over the age of 16 living within the area, and only 2.3 percent of households don't have access to a car. Unless workers live very close to their jobs, it's pretty difficult to find alternatives in some areas of such a gridlock-stricken city. The bus is an option, but it takes significantly more time, and routes strongly favor the downtown area.
The study pulled outside scores for walking, taking public transportation, and biking; Austin did okay in biking, and not so well in walking or public transportation.
The stress of dealing with Austin's congested roadways (looking at you, I-35), plus long commute times all adds up to an unhealthy effect on the working population.
"Research by the National Library of Medicine has found that the longer the commute time, the less satisfaction with work and life as hours spent commuting daily can contribute to a decline in mental and physical health," the report said.
Houston drivers have the hardest commutes in Texas, and the No. 4 worst in the nation. A Houston resident spends half an hour, on average, making their way to work, but they are also less likely to have a car.
Dallas (No. 9) and Fort Worth (No. 10) both made it into the top 10 with their respective commute times of 29.70 and 26.80 minutes.
San Antonio ranked No. 16 with an average commute time of 25.40 minutes.
The top 10 U.S. cities with the hardest commutes are:
- No. 1 – Nashville, Tennessee
- No. 2 – Charlotte, North Carolina
- No. 3 – Jacksonville, Florida
- No. 4 – Houston, Texas
- No. 5 – Washington, D.C.
- No. 6 – New York City, New York
- No. 7 – Boston, Massachusetts
- No. 8 – Los Angeles, California
- No. 9 – Dallas, Texas
- No. 10 – Fort Worth, Texas
