New York has the longest work commute in the nation: Report

Adeja Shivonne

NEW YORK - Surprise, surprise, workers in New York State have the longest trek in the nation, according to a report from the Department of Energy.

New Yorkers spend approximately 33.2 minutes on average commuting to work, the DOE says.

They blame the lengthy commute on "traffic and urban sprawl."

Between congestion pricing, subway crime, and the cost of living, it's no wonder there are reports of younger professionals shifting away from the city.

<div>Traffic jam in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States, on October 14, 2022. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</div>
Traffic jam in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States, on October 14, 2022. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

New Jersey nearly tied for second with Maryland and Washington D.C. clocking in at just over 30 minutes.

The United States as a whole averaged about 27 minutes, while South Dakota and North Dakota had commute times of less than 18 minutes.

States with the longest commute times

  1. New York

  2. Maryland

  3. New Jersey

  4. District of Columbia

  5. Massachusetts

  6. California

The study used 2022 data on the average 9 to 5 travel time to work (one-way) in order to compile a list of the worst states for commuting.

Which cities have the most expensive commutes?

<div><strong>Credit: Chamber of Commerce</strong></div>
Credit: Chamber of Commerce

In the past, New York City has been known to have one of the nation's most stressful commutes, as well as the costliest.

According to a 2023 report from the Chamber of Commerce, it costs NYC workers roughly $41 a day (over $10K annually) compared to a nationwide average of $22 daily.

Cities with the costliest commutes

  1. San Francisco, California - $48.66 daily, $12, 650.66 yearly

  2. Fremont, California - $46.34 daily, $12,048.32 yearly

  3. Washington, D.C. - $42.57 daily, $11, 067.07 yearly

  4. New York City - $41.66 daily, $10,831.74 yearly

  5. Jersey City, NJ - $41.94 daily, $10,903.23 yearly

  6. Yonkers, NY - $32.72 daily, $8,507.53 yearly

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