Although most New Yorkers use public transport for their daily commute, they spend the most time getting to work as compared to rest of the country, according to Business Insider and Wallet Hub. At 39.4 minutes every day on average, residents of NYC spend almost 15 minutes more than the national average of 25 minutes.
Although the majority of NYC commuters opt for train or bus travel, the second top choice is driving alone, followed by walking.
[graphiq id=”lM9iONNacAt” title=”Transportation in New York City” width=”600″ height=”532″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/lM9iONNacAt” link=”http://places.findthehome.com/l/71121/New-York-City-NY” link_text=”Transportation in New York City | FindTheHome”]
Jersey City came in at no. 2 for worst commute with 35.6 minutes, and Newark at no. 3 with 33.9 minutes. Both cities are part of the New York statistical metropolitan area — the most populous region in the U.S. with 20,092,883 people as of 2014, according to Census data.
In Jersey City, commuters follow the same trend as NYC residents: first public transport, then driving solo and then walking. But in Newark, the majority of people drive alone, with less of the population choosing to take public transportation or carpool, the report says.
Chicago and Philadelphia
Outside of the greater NYC area, Chicago residents have it a little easier with 33.7 minutes to and from work each day. The public transportation system in the Windy City helps — locals can choose from eight different rail lines on the “L” train or opt for the CTA bus system running throughout the city — but the city has 234 square miles to cover.
Most Chicago commuters drive. Some opt for public transport, and the third largest portion of commuters carpool.
Philadelphia hit number five, with an average of 32.5 minutes spent alone in the car, followed by public transportation or carpooling for the minority of work-related travelers.
California trekkin’
Living in San Francisco isn’t just pricey; it comes with a longer-than-average commute, too. Those in the City by the Bay average 31 minutes back and forth between the office during the week, even though the city is relatively small in size compared to other metro areas.
Locals in San Francisco are critical of the public transportation system within the city, referred to as the MUNI, currently undergoing improvements. The BART — Bay Area Rapid Transit — helps connect San Franciscans to the East Bay, including Oakland and Berkeley. Most commuters drive alone, then take public transport, and the fewest number of people walk.
Fremont, Baltimore, D.C. and Los Angeles
Fremont, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles rounded out the bottom of the list. While residents in Los Angeles often complain of an arduous commute, they came in at number 10 with an average of 29.6 minutes. Most LA residents drive alone, then take public transport. Fewer people choose to carpool.
While the study didn’t describe differences between renters and homeowners, Trulia’s examination of the American Community Survey shows renters in Long Island and other cities in the country have shorter commutes, since they search for apartments closer to work.
Renters, on average, spend one-and-a-half minutes less per day commuting to work compared to homeowners. Although seemingly minimal, it adds up to 8.7 hours annually.
