For millions of American workers, the daily commute takes a meaningful share of the workday. Census data shows that average travel times vary considerably across states, with longer journeys especially common in densely populated regions and states connected to major employment centers.
Maryland recorded the highest average commute among states in the Census analysis, followed by New York and New Jersey. Illinois, Massachusetts, Virginia, California, Georgia, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania also ranked near the top.
These figures help show how geography, housing patterns, transportation networks, and employment concentration can shape the time people spend traveling between home and work each day.
1. Maryland
Maryland has the longest average commute among the states included in the Census analysis, with workers spending an average of 32.2 minutes traveling to work.
That figure stood well above the national average of 25.5 minutes in the same analysis. Maryland’s position reflects its close connection to major employment centers, particularly the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, where workers frequently cross county and state boundaries for employment.
The state’s geography also contributes to lengthy journeys. Maryland contains suburban communities surrounding Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and other employment hubs.
Many residents live outside the immediate areas where they work, creating regular flows of commuters along major highways and public transportation corridors. A person may live in a relatively quiet suburban community while traveling considerable distances to reach a workplace in a larger employment center.
Housing costs can also influence commuting patterns. Workers who cannot or do not want to live close to major job centers may choose communities farther away, where housing options can be more accessible.
That decision can reduce housing expenses while increasing travel time. Over the course of a year, even a difference of several minutes per trip can add up to many hours spent commuting.
Maryland also has strong transportation connections to neighboring jurisdictions. Workers can cross into Washington, D.C., Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and other areas depending on where they live and work.
This regional labor market means that state boundaries do not necessarily match the boundaries of people’s daily routines. A Maryland resident may technically live in one state while spending most working days elsewhere.
2. New York
New York ranks second among states in the Census analysis, with an average commute of 31.5 minutes. The state’s large population, extensive metropolitan areas, and concentration of jobs in major cities contribute to long travel times.
New York City has an especially large regional labor market, drawing workers from numerous surrounding communities in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
The state’s transportation system gives residents several ways to reach work, including subways, commuter rail, buses, ferries, and roads. Having many transportation options does not automatically produce short journeys.
Workers can still spend significant amounts of time traveling because they may need to transfer between services, walk between stations, or travel long distances from suburban or outer urban communities.
New York also has a wide range of residential environments. Some workers live close to their workplaces, while others commute from distant suburbs or smaller communities.
The differences between these groups can be substantial. A person working in Manhattan may live within the city or travel from far outside the central business district, producing very different daily experiences within the same state.
Employment concentration is another important factor. Major business districts attract workers from large geographic areas, particularly when specialized jobs are clustered in specific locations. When thousands of people travel toward the same employment centers at similar times, transportation networks can become heavily used during morning and evening peaks.
The 31.5-minute statewide average places New York just behind Maryland and significantly above the national figure reported in the Census analysis.
The statistic provides a useful snapshot of commuting conditions, but it should not be interpreted as a prediction for every resident. Commute length varies by occupation, residence, workplace location, transportation method, and daily traffic conditions.
3. New Jersey
New Jersey has an average commute of 30.5 minutes, putting it third among the states in the Census ranking. Its location between New York City and Philadelphia creates a particularly important regional commuting environment.
Many residents live in New Jersey while working in major employment centers across state lines, making cross-border travel a regular feature of the state’s labor market.
The relationship between New Jersey and New York is especially significant. Communities throughout northern and central New Jersey are connected to New York City through highways and commuter rail services. Workers may travel toward Manhattan or other New York employment centers each weekday. These journeys can involve long distances, transfers, congestion, and delays.
New Jersey also contains substantial employment centers of its own. Cities and business districts across the state attract workers from nearby communities, creating commuting patterns that move in multiple directions.
This makes the state’s transportation network important not only for residents heading into New York or Philadelphia but also for people traveling between New Jersey communities.
The state’s proximity to major metropolitan markets can provide workers with access to a broad range of employment opportunities. At the same time, access to those opportunities can come with longer travel requirements.
Someone may accept a job farther away because it offers better pay, career opportunities, or working conditions, creating a tradeoff between employment benefits and commuting time.
A statewide average of 30.5 minutes demonstrates that lengthy commutes are a significant part of New Jersey’s transportation picture. The number represents workers who did not work from home in the Census analysis, so it should not be treated as the average travel time for every resident.
4. Illinois
Illinois ranks fourth, with an average commute of 28.2 minutes. Chicago has a major influence on the state’s commuting patterns because it functions as a large employment center for residents across the metropolitan region. Workers travel into the city from surrounding suburbs, while others commute between suburban communities and employment districts outside downtown Chicago.
Chicago’s size and transportation network create varied commuting experiences. The region includes extensive road systems, commuter rail lines, buses, and rapid transit.
These services connect residential areas with employment centers, but the distance between home and work can remain substantial. Transportation availability can make long-distance commuting possible without necessarily making the trip short.
Illinois also includes communities far beyond the Chicago metropolitan area. Workers in smaller cities and rural areas may have very different travel patterns from those in northeastern Illinois.
The statewide average therefore combines many different commuting environments, ranging from urban transit trips to longer highway journeys between smaller communities.
Traffic conditions can further influence commute duration. Major metropolitan highways can experience heavy demand during peak periods, while construction, weather, accidents, and other disruptions can affect travel times. Public transportation can face delays as well, meaning that the method used for commuting does not always determine how long the journey takes.
Illinois’ 28.2-minute average was several minutes above the national average of 25.5 minutes in the Census analysis. The difference illustrates the effect that large metropolitan labor markets can have on statewide commuting statistics.
5. Massachusetts
Massachusetts recorded an average commute of 28.0 minutes, placing it fifth among the states in the Census ranking. Boston is a major factor in the state’s commuting roads, serving as a center for education, healthcare, finance, technology, government, and other industries.
Workers from surrounding communities regularly travel toward the Boston metropolitan area for employment.
The Boston region contains a dense network of communities with different housing and employment characteristics. Some workers live near downtown Boston, while others reside in suburbs and neighboring municipalities.
These residential patterns can create lengthy trips, particularly when people need to travel across the metropolitan area during busy periods.
Public transportation plays a major role in Massachusetts commuting. The Boston area has subway, commuter rail, bus, and other transit services. These systems can provide alternatives to driving, but a transit journey may still take considerable time when workers live far from stations or need multiple connections before reaching their workplaces.
Massachusetts also has employment centers outside Boston. Cities such as Worcester and Springfield have their own labor markets, while smaller communities support local industries and services.
As a result, commute patterns differ significantly throughout the state. The statewide average captures this variety rather than representing conditions in Boston alone.
With an average of 28.0 minutes, Massachusetts was 2.5 minutes above the national figure reported in the Census analysis. That difference may appear modest during a single trip, but regular commuting makes small variations meaningful over hundreds of working days.
6. Virginia
Virginia recorded an average commute of 27.7 minutes, placing it sixth among states in the Census ranking. The state’s position is closely connected to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, which extends across jurisdictional boundaries.
Northern Virginia contains numerous residential communities and major employment centers, creating substantial daily movement between homes and workplaces.
Northern Virginia is home to a large concentration of businesses, government contractors, technology companies, and professional services. Workers can live in Virginia while working in Virginia, Washington, D.C., or Maryland. These interconnected labor markets mean that commuting frequently involves movement across local and state boundaries.
The region’s transportation infrastructure includes major highways and public transportation services. Interstate routes carry large numbers of commuters, while commuter rail, buses, and other services provide alternatives to private vehicles.
During peak periods, however, high demand can make journeys longer, especially along heavily traveled corridors.
Virginia’s commuting conditions are not uniform across the state. A worker in Northern Virginia may experience a very different trip from someone living in Richmond, Hampton Roads, Roanoke, or a rural community. The statewide average combines these distinct patterns, making it useful for comparison but less precise for describing individual experiences.
The 27.7-minute average was 2.2 minutes higher than the national figure in the Census analysis. Virginia’s ranking shows how large regional employment centers can influence statewide commuting statistics, particularly when residential areas and workplaces are spread across a broad metropolitan region.
7. California
California ranks seventh, with an average commute of 27.1 minutes. The state is geographically large and contains several major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, and San Jose.
Each region has distinct employment and housing patterns, but long-distance commuting is common in many heavily populated areas.
Los Angeles is particularly associated with lengthy travel because of its size, sprawling development patterns, and extensive road network. Workers can live many miles from their workplaces, creating long daily journeys. Traffic congestion can add further time, particularly during morning and evening peak periods on heavily used freeways.
The San Francisco Bay Area has a different transportation but also has substantial commuting pressures. Employment centers such as San Francisco and Silicon Valley attract workers from surrounding communities.
Housing costs and limited availability in some employment-rich areas can influence where workers choose to live, sometimes resulting in longer journeys.
California’s size also means that statewide figures include many communities with relatively different commuting conditions. Rural areas and smaller cities may have shorter trips, while large metropolitan regions can have much longer journeys. The statewide average therefore represents a broad combination of experiences.
At 27.1 minutes, California’s average was 1.6 minutes above the national average in the Census analysis. The figure highlights how transportation demand, housing geography, employment concentration, and metropolitan growth can combine to produce longer commutes.
8. Georgia
Georgia recorded an average commute of 27.1 minutes, tying California in the Census ranking. Atlanta has a major influence on this result because the metropolitan area covers a broad geographic region and contains a large concentration of employment. Workers often travel between suburban communities and major business districts during the working week.
Atlanta’s metropolitan structure has contributed to extensive automobile commuting. The region has developed across a wide area, with residential neighborhoods, offices, shopping districts, and industrial areas spread across numerous communities.
This geographic pattern can require workers to travel significant distances between home and work.
The state’s highway network is central to commuting. Major routes connect Atlanta with surrounding counties and cities, giving workers access to a wide employment market. High traffic volumes can create delays during peak periods, making actual travel times longer than the distance alone might suggest.
Georgia’s commuting picture extends beyond Atlanta. Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, and other communities have their own employment centers and transportation patterns. Rural residents may have different travel requirements, while workers in major metropolitan areas can face heavier congestion and longer journeys.
Georgia’s 27.1-minute average placed it well above the national figure of 25.5 minutes in the Census analysis. Its ranking demonstrates that lengthy commutes are not limited to the Northeast or West Coast.
Large and geographically dispersed metropolitan regions in the Southeast can also generate substantial daily travel demands.
9. New Hampshire
New Hampshire ranks ninth among the states, with an average commute of 26.9 minutes. Its position is important because the state has a much smaller population than several states higher on the list. Geography and its relationship with nearby employment centers help explain why commuting can take a significant amount of time for many residents.
Many New Hampshire residents live in communities that are connected economically to neighboring Massachusetts.
The Boston metropolitan area extends beyond the Massachusetts border, and workers may choose to live in New Hampshire while traveling south for employment. This creates regular interstate commuting along major routes.
Housing costs and lifestyle preferences can influence these decisions. Some residents may seek communities farther from Boston because they prefer different housing options, smaller towns, or a different pace of life. The tradeoff can involve longer daily travel, particularly for workers whose jobs remain concentrated closer to Boston.
New Hampshire’s transportation differs from that of densely populated states such as New York or New Jersey. The state has smaller cities and large rural areas, but its southern communities are closely connected to the Boston region.
Consequently, a relatively small population can still produce significant commuting activity across state lines.
The 26.9-minute average was 1.4 minutes above the national figure in the Census analysis. New Hampshire’s ranking demonstrates that commute length depends on regional relationships and settlement patterns, not simply population size.
10. Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania rounds out the top 10, with an average commute of 25.9 minutes. The state contains several major metropolitan areas, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, along with many smaller cities and communities. These different regions create varied commuting patterns that contribute to the statewide average.
Philadelphia has a particularly strong influence on commuting in southeastern Pennsylvania. The metropolitan area extends into New Jersey and Delaware, creating a large labor market that crosses state boundaries.
Workers may live in one jurisdiction while working in another, producing regular traffic and transit flows across the region.
Pittsburgh has its own distinctive commuting environment. The city’s terrain, bridges, rivers, and road network can influence travel patterns. Workers may travel between suburban communities and employment districts, with physical geography sometimes affecting the routes available for reaching work.
Pennsylvania also contains numerous smaller cities, towns, and rural communities. These areas generally have different commuting requirements from the major metropolitan regions.
Some residents may have relatively short local trips, while others travel considerable distances to reach employment centers. The statewide figure combines these different experiences.
Pennsylvania’s 25.9-minute average was only slightly higher than the national average of 25.5 minutes in the Census analysis. Its inclusion in the top 10 shows that even a relatively small difference from the national figure can place a state near the upper end of a nationwide ranking.
