120+ Commuting Statistics

The average commuter drives a personal vehicle, around 25 minutes per day. Those who drive 60 minutes or more have an increased risk of poor life satisfaction, high blood pressure, and financial strain. While the pandemic resulted in abrupt reversals to commuting patterns like the percentage of people who drive 60 minutes or longer, or the average distance people commute in the last 2 years figures have quickly reverted to pre-pandemic numbers resulting in little permanent change in these regards in large part due to the number of people who simply cannot work from home.

Average Commute Times

The average commute time has remained around 25.6 minutes, increasing steadily before the pandemic, then dropping, and resuming after the pandemic.

• 22%: In 2024, 22% of people reported a daily commute of less than 15 minutes.
• 29%: in 2024, 29% of people had a commute between 15 and 29 minutes.
• 19%: 19% of people reported a commute between 30 and 59 minutes in 2024.
• 5%: 5% of Americans in 2024 had a daily commute between 60 and 119 minutes.
• 3%: Another 3% in 2024 reported a daily commute over 120 minutes.

Since 2006, the average commuting travel time in minutes has remained relatively stable, around 25 minutes.

The table below presents the data on the average time every year, since 2006:

As you can see from the data above, the average travel time to work slowly increased around 2012 and reached its peak figure of 27.6 minutes in 2019. It was in large part thanks to the pandemic that this increase was temporarily halted although recent figures from 2024 indicate that numbers are heading directly up, close to 2018 and 2019 numbers.

This indicates that the average commute time is quickly rebounding to pre pandemic numbers.

Of those Americans 16 and older who did not work for home, an average of 8.5% travel 60 minutes or more to get to work.

The table below presents the annual data of what percentage of workers traveled 60 minutes or more as part of their daily commute from 2006 until 2024:

Again, the data above paints a picture of a steadily increasing percentage of workers who travel 60 minutes or longer for their daily commute heading into the pandemic at which point numbers regressed to their lowest point since 2006.

However, within the last 2 years those numbers have increased, competing with figures from 2015. This indicates that a substantial increase in workers who do not work from home are returning to commutes that are 60 minutes or longer on a daily basis.

Average Commute Times By State

South Dakota has the lowest commute time, averaging just over 17 minutes whereas New Yorkers have the highest commute time averaging over 33 minutes. The table below presents the average commute times divided by state:

Average Commute Times By Mode Of Transportation

The average commute time is heavily influenced by the mode of transportation.

• 71: People who take a bicycle have an average 71 minute commute.
• 47: People who take a subway or elevated rail have a travel of 47 minutes on average.
• 46: Those who take a light rail, trolley, or streetcar have an average 46 minute commute.
• 37: Those who take a long distance train average a 37 minute commute.
• 29: People who walk average 29 minutes for transportation.
• 28: Those who drive alone have a commute of 28 minutes.
• 26: Those who travel via carpool have an average 26 minute commute.
• 21: Those who commute by motorcycle average 21 minutes.
• 13: Those who travel by bus, average a 13 minute commute.

Average Commute Times By Gender

There is a gender discrepancy in average commute times as well.

• 17.4: Women commute an average of 17.4 minutes.
• 25.3: Men commute an average of 25.3 minutes.
• 31.1%: There is a 31.1% difference in the average commute times for men versus women indicating that men commute 31.1% longer than women on average.

Commuting Trends Over The Years

Looking at commuter data over the years paints the picture of the changes that have happened for the different modes of transportation. The table below presents the percentage of people who use different modes of transportation over the last several years:

Commuting Modes Of Transportation

The majority of commuters use personal vehicles and drive alone to get to and from work with an average of 5% of workers using public transportation annually.

• 46.3%: 46.3% of people who use public transportation take a bus.
• 37.7%: 37.7% of people who use public transportation use a subway or elevated railway.
• 11%: 11% of people who use public transportation rely on a long distance train or commuter rail.
• 3.1%: 3.1% of people who use public transportation for their commute use a trolley, streetcar, or light rail.
• 1%: 1% of those who use public transportation use a ferry boat.
• 76%: 76% of workers in 2006 drove for their daily commute by themselves.
• 75.5%: In 2008 75.5% of workers drove alone for their daily commute to and from work.
• 76.6%: 76.6% of workers in 2010 and 2016 used a personal vehicle and drove alone as their commute.
• 76.3%: In 2012 and again in 2018 76.3% of workers used a personal vehicle and drove alone as their commuting mode of transportation.
• 75.9%: In 2019 75.9% of people drove as their commuting mode of transportation.
• 67.8%: In 2021 only 67.8% of people drove personal vehicles for their commute.
• 69.2%: As of 2024 an average of 69.2% of people use a personal vehicle to drive to and from work.
• 4.8%: In 2006 4.8% of employees used public transportation for their commute.
• 5%: From 2008 through 2012 an average of 5% of employees used public transportation for their commute.
• 5.7%: 2019 had the highest recorded numbers of American workers using public transportation at 5.7%.
• 2.5%: In 2021 the lowest recorded numbers of workers using public transportation were recorded at 2.5%.
• 3.5%: In 2024 the percentage of workers who use public transportation for their commute reached 3.5%.

Commuting Modes Of Transportation By State

90% of drivers in the state of Mississippi drive to work alone whereas in New York, only 56% of people drive alone with the majority using public transportation.

The table below indicates what percentage of commuters in each state in 2022 used a car, truck, or van to get to work, and of them which percentage drive alone or carpooled:

You can see from the data above that the percentage of the population who commute using public transportation versus driving is contingent upon the availability of public transportation in the number of large cities. New York for example has 22% of people who use public transportation and New Jersey has 8% but States like North Dakota have 0%.

COVID’s Impact On Commuting

As indicated by the data above, COVID has had a substantial impact on disrupting trends including the percentage of workers who used public transportation as their main mode of commuting, the average length of a commute and the percentage of workers who traveled more than 60 minutes for their commute.

The latter two have rebounded to nearly pre-pandemic numbers however, the number of workers who commute using public transportation is still nearly 40% lower than it was prior to the pandemic.

It is important to note that the pandemic did not have a long-term impact on average figures for the number of people who commute an hour or longer, or the distance that people commute but it did have the most profound impact on the number of people who work from home rather than commute.

For example, in North Carolina 3.2% of the working population worked from home in 2005 which doubled by 2019 and is now at 16.8% of the population.

• $900: Working from home saves an average of $900 on food.
• $300: Working from home saves $300 per year on coffee.
• $450: Data has found that working from home saves an average of $450 per year on travel.
• $700: The average commuter spends over $700 per month on the cost of gas, car insurance, car maintenance, and income lost due to commuting.
• 7.59%: The pandemic caused a decline in the number of people who drive to work alone with a drop of 7.59% from 2019 to 2022.

Safest Commuting Modes Of Transport

Research indicates that the majority of people rely on cars as their primary mode of transportation, to and from work, upwards of 80% of trips taken on a daily basis. However, if public transportation is used, it is primarily for commuting purposes, with walking to and from public transportation.

Given that most people drive, it is important to review the death rates per mode of transportation.

• 0.54: In 2022, the death rate per 100 million passenger miles for personal vehicles was 0.54.
• 0.03: In 2022, the death rate per 100 million passenger miles for trains was 0.03.
• 0.004: In 2022, the death rate per 100 million passenger miles for buses was 0.004.

The data indicates that buses are the safest form of transportation, followed by trains, and personal vehicles.

Effects Of Commuting On People

Research has found that commuting has a direct impact on perceived happiness ratings by those who commute.

• People typically feel less happy when commuting compared to working from home
• The negative difference from commuting versus working at home is largest among those who use public transportation
• The negative difference from commuting versus working at home is smallest among those who bike to work
• Commuting has been shown to increase happiness levels for certain women, but only when that commute is via bike

Data suggests that the longer an individual commutes, the lower their life satisfaction, and vice versa. Longer commute times are associated with:

• Increased strain
• Poor mental health
• Lower job satisfaction
• Lower leisure time satisfaction

Moreover, the opposite was found to be true with studies indicating that shorter commute times, walkable commutes, or working from home contribute to increased job satisfaction and leisure time satisfaction with improved mental health and reduced strain.

Finances

In addition to the overall effect of commuting on people’s perceived happiness, given that the majority of commuters use a personal vehicle, there is the added strain of financing gas which costs 15.93 cents per mile or an average of $3.99 per gallon as of 2023.

The financial impact extends to those who use personal vehicles in terms of the wear and tear on vehicles and the associated costs of having to maintain a vehicle for commuting.

Physical Health

One study found that individuals who have a commute that averages 30 miles round-trip have an increased risk of obesity which brings with it an increased risk of:

1. Diabetes
2. Heart Disease
3. Stroke

That same study found that those with a round trip commute of even 20 miles have a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

This increased risk is associated with reduced time available for exercise. Sitting, such as in a personal vehicle, each day can also result in:

1. Spine problems
2. Lower back pain
3. Tight hip flexors

Mental Health

An average of 8.5% travel 60 minutes or more to get to work and studies show that those with a 90 minute commute or longer are less likely to socialize which can increase loneliness and depression, interfere with sleep habits, and increase stress levels.

As of 2024 an average of 69.2% of people use a personal vehicle to drive to and from work and this has been shown to increase:

1. High stress
2. Episodic moodiness
3. Depression
4. Anxiety

This means that driving will cause an increased risk of mental and physical health issues.