States with the longest commutes
Average one-way travel time to work for workers who do not work from home, from the Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Top of the list: New York at 32.6 min. Bottom: South Dakota at 17.8 min.
| # | State | Average commute | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 32.6 min | $1,621 |
| 2 | Maryland | 31.1 min | $1,705 |
| 3 | New Jersey | 30.5 min | $1,720 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 30.0 min | $1,954 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 29.1 min | $1,762 |
| 6 | California | 28.7 min | $2,036 |
| 7 | Georgia | 28.3 min | $1,393 |
| 8 | Florida | 28.0 min | $1,669 |
| 9 | Illinois | 27.8 min | $1,274 |
| 10 | Virginia | 27.3 min | $1,579 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 26.7 min | $1,491 |
| 12 | Texas | 26.7 min | $1,403 |
| 13 | Washington | 26.6 min | $1,760 |
| 14 | West Virginia | 26.6 min | $872 |
| 15 | Connecticut | 26.5 min | $1,488 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 26.3 min | $1,209 |
| 17 | Hawaii | 26.2 min | $1,971 |
| 18 | Delaware | 26.0 min | $1,401 |
| 19 | Louisiana | 25.7 min | $1,064 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 25.7 min | $1,189 |
| 21 | Mississippi | 25.6 min | $954 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 25.6 min | $1,180 |
| 23 | Alabama | 25.5 min | $1,007 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | 25.5 min | $1,342 |
| 25 | Arizona | 25.4 min | $1,543 |
| 26 | Colorado | 25.2 min | $1,761 |
| 27 | North Carolina | 25.1 min | $1,228 |
| 28 | Nevada | 24.8 min | $1,597 |
| 29 | Maine | 24.6 min | $1,139 |
| 30 | Michigan | 24.2 min | $1,129 |
| 31 | Indiana | 24.1 min | $1,062 |
| 32 | Kentucky | 24.0 min | $967 |
| 33 | Missouri | 23.5 min | $1,033 |
| 34 | New Mexico | 23.5 min | $1,067 |
| 35 | Vermont | 23.5 min | $1,234 |
| 36 | Ohio | 23.4 min | $1,034 |
| 37 | Oregon | 23.0 min | $1,525 |
| 38 | Minnesota | 22.7 min | $1,280 |
| 39 | Arkansas | 22.5 min | $947 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | 22.4 min | $1,014 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | 22.2 min | $1,087 |
| 42 | Utah | 22.1 min | $1,496 |
| 43 | Idaho | 21.6 min | $1,238 |
| 44 | Iowa | 19.8 min | $972 |
| 45 | Kansas | 19.7 min | $1,060 |
| 46 | Alaska | 19.4 min | $1,419 |
| 47 | Nebraska | 19.2 min | $1,072 |
| 48 | Montana | 19.1 min | $1,081 |
| 49 | Wyoming | 18.8 min | $992 |
| 50 | North Dakota | 17.9 min | $954 |
| 51 | South Dakota | 17.8 min | $946 |
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates (summary file) · B01003, B01002, B25031, B19301, B17001, B15003, B08013, B08303, B08301, B28002, B27010, B25040 · 2020–2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official data
Understanding states with the longest commutes
Across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, average commute spans from 32.6 min in New York at the top of the list to 17.8 min in South Dakota at the bottom. The three at the top are New York, Maryland, and New Jersey; the three at the bottom are Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
New York has the longest average commute, 32.6 minutes each way, followed by Maryland, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and California. These are states dominated by large, dense metro areas where many people ride transit or drive long distances from more affordable suburbs. The national average is 26.4 minutes.
The shortest commutes are in the Plains and the Mountain West: South Dakota and North Dakota average under 18 minutes, with Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, and Alaska close behind. Smaller cities and less congestion keep trips short.
Commute time is a hidden cost of housing. Moving farther out for cheaper rent or a larger home often adds travel time and transportation costs. The averages exclude people who work from home, and they describe the state as a whole: a commute inside a single metro area can be much longer or shorter.