hating traffic is a personality
Dallas makes top 10 on not-so-great list of the hardest commutes in the U.S.
LBJ Freeway & US-75 Central Expressway at night.
For better or for worse, it's finally been confirmed – Dallas traffic is among the worst in the nation, according to a recent study by Forbes Home.
Dallas ranked No. 9 in "The Hardest Commutes in the U.S.," which ranked 25 of the largest U.S. cities according to the average commute times for workers.
Using 2021 U.S. Census data, the report determined the average time spent traveling to work in Dallas is 29.70 minutes.
"No amount of personal playlist songs, audiobooks, podcasts, commuter coffee, or glove compartment snacks can make a tough commute more pleasant," the report said.
While the COVID-19 pandemic brought commuting to a halt for most workers, about 74 percent of Americans are back to making those early morning and afternoon drives to-and-from their employers. Work-from-home rates have continuously dropped since 2020, which isn't helping the rise in commute times.
Dallas has more than 843,000 workers over the age of 16 living within the area, and only 3.2 percent of households don't have access to a car. Unless workers live close to their jobs, it's otherwise pretty difficult to walk or bike to work in such a gridlock-stricken city.
It surely doesn't help that Dallas' (unfortunate) fame for being the third most stressful U.S. city for workers is a factor in its overall ranking. Add commuting to that list of stressors, and it all equals an unhealthy effect on the working population.
"Research by the National Library of Medicine has found that the longer the commute time, the less satisfaction with work and life as hours spent commuting daily can contribute to a decline in mental and physical health," the report said.
Fort Worth ranked right behind Dallas, coming in at No. 10, with a commute time of 26.80 minutes.
Houston drivers have the hardest commutes in Texas, and the No. 4 worst in the nation. A Houston resident spends half an hour, on average, making their way to work.
San Antonio ranked No. 16 with an average commute time of 25.40 minutes. Austin ranked No. 18 overall with an average of 27.90 minutes.
The top 10 U.S. cities with the hardest commutes are:
- No. 1 – Nashville, Tennessee
- No. 2 – Charlotte, North Carolina
- No. 3 – Jacksonville, Florida
- No. 4 – Houston, Texas
- No. 5 – Washington, D.C.
- No. 6 – New York City, New York
- No. 7 – Boston, Massachusetts
- No. 8 – Los Angeles, California
- No. 9 – Dallas, Texas
- No. 10 – Fort Worth, Texas
