US Metropolitan Journey to Work
Travel Times: 1980-2000
Areas Over 1,000,000

AVERAGE JOURNEY TO WORK TIME 1980 Rank 1990 Rank 2000 Rank
Atlanta, GA MSA 24.9 6 26.0 6 31.2 3
Austin--San Marcos, TX MSA 19.0 43 21.3 35 25.5 24
Baltimore PMSA 25.3 5 26.0 6 29.8 5
Boston--Worcester--Lawrence, MA--NH--ME--CT CMSA (NH part) 23.4 11 24.2 11 27.8 11
Buffalo--Niagara Falls, NY MSA 19.3 41 19.4 47 21.1 47
Charlotte--Gastonia--Rock Hill, NC--SC MSA (NC part) 20.5 30 21.6 31 26.1 17
Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL--IN--WI CMSA (IL part) 26.3 3 28.1 3 31.0 4
Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH--KY--IN CMSA (OH part) 21.8 22 22.1 24 24.5 29
Cleveland--Akron, OH CMSA 21.6 24 22.0 25 24.0 35
Columbus, OH MSA 20.1 36 21.2 37 23.2 38
Dallas--Fort Worth, TX CMSA 22.4 17 24.1 12 27.5 13
Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO CMSA 22.0 20 22.4 22 25.9 20
Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI CMSA 22.5 16 23.4 15 26.1 17
Grand Rapids--Muskegon--Holland, MI MSA 17.1 49 18.1 49 20.7 49
Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA 18.3 47 18.9 48 22.4 43
Hartford, CT MSA 20.1 36 20.6 39 22.9 40
Houston--Galveston--Brazoria, TX CMSA 25.9 4 26.1 5 28.8 9
Indianapolis, IN MSA 20.8 28 21.9 26 23.8 36
Jacksonville, FL MSA 21.8 22 22.6 20 26.6 16
Kansas City, MO--KS MSA (MO part) 20.7 29 21.4 34 22.9 40
Las Vegas, NV--AZ MSA (AZ part) 18.9 45 20.4 40 24.1 33
Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County, CA CMSA 23.6 10 26.4 4 29.1 7
Louisville, KY--IN MSA (KY part) 22.2 19 21.3 35 22.7 42
Memphis, TN--AR--MS MSA (TN part) 22.0 20 21.6 31 24.5 29
Miami--Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA 22.6 14 24.1 12 28.9 8
Milwaukee--Racine, WI CMSA 18.8 46 20.0 42 22.1 45
Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI MSA (MN part) 20.1 36 21.1 38 23.7 37
Nashville, TN MSA 22.4 17 22.7 19 25.8 21
New Orleans, LA MSA 24.5 7 24.4 9 26.7 15
New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island, NY--NJ--CT--PA CMSA (NJ part) 33.7 1 31.1 1 34.0 1
Norfolk--Virginia Beach--Newport News, VA--NC MSA (NC part) 21.0 27 21.6 31 24.1 33
Oklahoma City, OK MSA 20.2 32 20.3 41 22.0 46
Orlando, FL MSA 20.3 31 22.9 18 27.0 14
Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City, PA--NJ--DE--MD CMSA (DE part) 24.0 8 24.1 12 27.9 10
Phoenix--Mesa, AZ MSA 21.6 24 23.0 17 26.1 17
Pittsburgh, PA MSA 22.8 12 22.6 20 25.3 26
Portland--Salem, OR--WA CMSA (WA part) 21.4 26 21.7 30 24.4 32
Providence--Fall River--Warwick, RI--MA MSA (MA part) 18.3 47 19.6 46 23.2 38
Raleigh--Durham--Chapel Hill, NC MSA 19.0 43 19.7 44 24.9 28
Rochester, NY MSA 19.3 41 19.7 44 21.1 47
Sacramento--Yolo, CA CMSA 19.5 39 21.8 28 25.6 22
Salt Lake City--Ogden, UT MSA 20.2 32 19.8 43 22.4 43
San Antonio, TX MSA 20.2 32 21.9 26 24.5 29
San Diego, CA MSA 19.5 39 22.2 23 25.3 26
San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA CMSA 23.9 9 25.6 8 29.3 6
Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA CMSA 22.8 12 24.3 10 27.7 12
St. Louis, MO--IL MSA (IIL part) 22.6 14 23.1 16 25.5 24
Tampa--St. Petersburg--Clearwater, FL MSA 20.2 32 21.8 28 25.6 22
Washington PMSA 27.2 2 29.5 2 33.2 2
Major Metropolitan Areas 21.8   22.6   25.7  
National Average 21.7   22.4   25.8  
             
             
CHANGE IN MINUTES     1980-1990 Rank 1990-2000 Rank
Atlanta, GA MSA     1.1 18 5.2 1
Austin--San Marcos, TX MSA     2.3 4 4.2 5
Baltimore PMSA     0.7 28 3.8 8
Boston--Worcester--Lawrence, MA--NH--ME--CT CMSA (NH part)     0.8 26 3.6 15
Buffalo--Niagara Falls, NY MSA     0.1 44 1.7 46
Charlotte--Gastonia--Rock Hill, NC--SC MSA (NC part)     1.1 18 4.5 4
Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL--IN--WI CMSA (IL part)     1.8 7 2.9 25
Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH--KY--IN CMSA (OH part)     0.3 38 2.4 38
Cleveland--Akron, OH CMSA     0.4 35 2.0 43
Columbus, OH MSA     1.1 20 2.0 43
Dallas--Fort Worth, TX CMSA     1.7 8 3.4 19
Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO CMSA     0.4 35 3.5 17
Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI CMSA     0.9 24 2.7 28
Grand Rapids--Muskegon--Holland, MI MSA     1.0 22 2.6 34
Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA     0.6 32 3.5 17
Hartford, CT MSA     0.5 33 2.3 41
Houston--Galveston--Brazoria, TX CMSA     0.2 41 2.7 30
Indianapolis, IN MSA     1.1 20 1.9 45
Jacksonville, FL MSA     0.8 26 4.0 7
Kansas City, MO--KS MSA (MO part)     0.7 28 1.5 48
Las Vegas, NV--AZ MSA (AZ part)     1.5 12 3.7 12
Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County, CA CMSA     2.8 1 2.7 28
Louisville, KY--IN MSA (KY part)     -0.9 49 1.4 50
Memphis, TN--AR--MS MSA (TN part)     -0.4 47 2.9 25
Miami--Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA     1.5 12 4.8 3
Milwaukee--Racine, WI CMSA     1.2 17 2.1 42
Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI MSA (MN part)     1.0 22 2.6 34
Nashville, TN MSA     0.3 38 3.1 21
New Orleans, LA MSA     -0.1 45 2.3 40
New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island, NY--NJ--CT--PA CMSA (NJ part)     -2.6 50 2.9 25
Norfolk--Virginia Beach--Newport News, VA--NC MSA (NC part)     0.6 31 2.5 37
Oklahoma City, OK MSA     0.1 42 1.7 47
Orlando, FL MSA     2.6 3 4.1 6
Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City, PA--NJ--DE--MD CMSA (DE part)     0.1 42 3.8 11
Phoenix--Mesa, AZ MSA     1.4 15 3.1 21
Pittsburgh, PA MSA     -0.2 46 2.7 30
Portland--Salem, OR--WA CMSA (WA part)     0.3 38 2.7 30
Providence--Fall River--Warwick, RI--MA MSA (MA part)     1.3 16 3.6 16
Raleigh--Durham--Chapel Hill, NC MSA     0.7 28 5.2 1
Rochester, NY MSA     0.4 35 1.4 49
Sacramento--Yolo, CA CMSA     2.3 4 3.8 8
Salt Lake City--Ogden, UT MSA     -0.4 47 2.6 34
San Antonio, TX MSA     1.7 10 2.6 33
San Diego, CA MSA     2.7 2 3.1 21
San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA CMSA     1.7 8 3.7 14
Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA CMSA     1.5 12 3.4 19
St. Louis, MO--IL MSA (IIL part)     0.5 33 2.4 38
Tampa--St. Petersburg--Clearwater, FL MSA     1.6 11 3.8 8
Washington PMSA     2.3 4 3.7 12
Major Metropolitan Areas     0.9   3.0  
National Average     0.7   3.4  
             
CHANGE IN PERCENTAGE     1980-1990 Rank 1990-2000 Rank
Atlanta, GA MSA     4.4% 23 20.0% 3
Austin--San Marcos, TX MSA     12.1% 3 19.7% 5
Baltimore PMSA     2.8% 32 14.6% 16
Boston--Worcester--Lawrence, MA--NH--ME--CT CMSA (NH part)     3.4% 28 14.9% 15
Buffalo--Niagara Falls, NY MSA     0.5% 42 8.8% 45
Charlotte--Gastonia--Rock Hill, NC--SC MSA (NC part)     5.4% 20 20.8% 2
Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL--IN--WI CMSA (IL part)     6.8% 13 10.3% 39
Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH--KY--IN CMSA (OH part)     1.4% 39 10.9% 35
Cleveland--Akron, OH CMSA     1.9% 36 9.1% 44
Columbus, OH MSA     5.5% 19 9.4% 41
Dallas--Fort Worth, TX CMSA     7.6% 10 14.1% 19
Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO CMSA     1.8% 37 15.6% 14
Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI CMSA     4.0% 25 11.5% 33
Grand Rapids--Muskegon--Holland, MI MSA     5.8% 18 14.4% 18
Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA     3.3% 30 18.5% 6
Hartford, CT MSA     2.5% 33 11.2% 34
Houston--Galveston--Brazoria, TX CMSA     0.8% 41 10.3% 38
Indianapolis, IN MSA     5.3% 21 8.7% 46
Jacksonville, FL MSA     3.7% 27 17.7% 10
Kansas City, MO--KS MSA (MO part)     3.4% 29 7.0% 49
Las Vegas, NV--AZ MSA (AZ part)     7.9% 8 18.1% 8
Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County, CA CMSA     11.9% 4 10.2% 40
Louisville, KY--IN MSA (KY part)     -4.1% 49 6.6% 50
Memphis, TN--AR--MS MSA (TN part)     -1.8% 47 13.4% 24
Miami--Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA     6.6% 14 19.9% 4
Milwaukee--Racine, WI CMSA     6.4% 17 10.5% 36
Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI MSA (MN part)     5.0% 22 12.3% 29
Nashville, TN MSA     1.3% 40 13.7% 22
New Orleans, LA MSA     -0.4% 45 9.4% 42
New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island, NY--NJ--CT--PA CMSA (NJ part)     -7.7% 50 9.3% 43
Norfolk--Virginia Beach--Newport News, VA--NC MSA (NC part)     2.9% 31 11.6% 32
Oklahoma City, OK MSA     0.5% 43 8.4% 47
Orlando, FL MSA     12.8% 2 17.9% 9
Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City, PA--NJ--DE--MD CMSA (DE part)     0.4% 44 15.8% 13
Phoenix--Mesa, AZ MSA     6.5% 16 13.5% 23
Pittsburgh, PA MSA     -0.9% 46 11.9% 30
Portland--Salem, OR--WA CMSA (WA part)     1.4% 38 12.4% 28
Providence--Fall River--Warwick, RI--MA MSA (MA part)     7.1% 12 18.4% 7
Raleigh--Durham--Chapel Hill, NC MSA     3.7% 26 26.4% 1
Rochester, NY MSA     2.1% 35 7.1% 48
Sacramento--Yolo, CA CMSA     11.8% 5 17.4% 11
Salt Lake City--Ogden, UT MSA     -2.0% 48 13.1% 26
San Antonio, TX MSA     8.4% 7 11.9% 31
San Diego, CA MSA     13.8% 1 14.0% 21
San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA CMSA     7.1% 11 14.5% 17
Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA CMSA     6.6% 15 14.0% 20
St. Louis, MO--IL MSA (IIL part)     2.2% 34 10.4% 37
Tampa--St. Petersburg--Clearwater, FL MSA     7.9% 9 17.4% 11
Washington PMSA     8.5% 6 12.5% 27
Major Metropolitan Areas     4.0% 24 13.4% 25
National Average     3.2%   15.2%  
             
Data from US Census Bureau            
             
Cautions:            
This tabulation is intended to provide broad estimates of the decennial change in work trip travel times.        
Some metropolitan area geographical boundaries have changed            
The 2000 survey question was somewhat different than in previous Censuses, leading to a smalll increase of travel time estimates.  

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