If you think your commute is rough in Jacksonville, believe it or not, it could be a lot worse.
Data compiled by the U.S. Census and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show Florida is home to 7 of the top 20 cities with the worst commutes.
The data show the average one-way commute in Jacksonville is 27 minutes, which may sound about right for a lot of our viewers. As for the average speed during rush hour, it’s 27 miles per hour.
The data also shows 27% of Jacksonville drivers say they have the ideal commute, and the average gas cost for Jacksonville drivers is $1,011 per year.
Florida and California overwhelmingly lead the nation with the top 20 cities with the worst commutes. Even though Jacksonville is not in the top 20, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and even some cities you may not think about right away like Lakeland and Port St. Lucie are in the top 20.
Lakeland and Winter Haven take the lead for Florida. It ranks third on the list of the 20 metropolitan areas with the worst commute. Its average one-way commute is 31 minutes. The same goes for Port St. Lucie, Cape Coral, Orlando, and Miami.
Then you go to Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, and that commute drops down to 29 minutes.
The two areas in the U.S. with the worst commutes are both in California. They are Stockton and Riverside with the average one-way commutes holding steady at 35 minutes. They also have the highest gas costs.
The cities with the best commutes are Des Moines, Iowa, and Anchorage, Alaska. Their average one-way commutes are 22 and 24 minutes, respectively.
We all know sitting in any kind of traffic can be frustrating, but there are some ways to cope with it, including listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts, and gentle stretching or yoga.
