Cities with the worst commute in Idaho

When the COVID-19 pandemic made millions of Americans remote workers, it also abruptly ended many of the commutes that bookend the workday. As some of those workers return to the office, conversations around the drawbacks of commutes have become more intense. For a while, those workers enjoyed more time in the morning and evening that wasn't spent simply traveling to and from work—an unpaid portion of the day that ate up time and energy. And it's not a small amount of time, either: Pre-pandemic, the average commute in the U.S. was a hair over 27 minutes one way, according to Census Bureau data. It was a record high. Cumulatively, 27 minutes each way translates to 54 minutes a day, or four-and-a-half hours per week. That's 18 hours a month and 216 hours a year spent commuting.

Those who commute know it's not particularly idyllic. While a very small portion of workers live in the ideal scenario—a short, walkable distance from the office, along a sidewalk that is presumably regularly shoveled in the winter and where the temperature doesn't result in a sweaty arrival in the summer—most endure clogged roads, unpredictable public transit, and the frustrations that come with both. Of course, not all commutes are as bad as others, and some cities have better public transit and traffic flow.

Stacker compiled a list of the cities with the worst commutes in Idaho using data from the Census Bureau. Cities with at least 5,000 working adults are ranked by the longest average commute time as of the 2021 5-year estimate.

You may also like: Breweries with the most highly ranked beers in Idaho

Stacker

1 / 20

#20. Burley

- Average time spent commuting to work: 12.8 minutes
- National rank: #2320

Stacker

2 / 20

#19. Rexburg

- Average time spent commuting to work: 12.9 minutes
- National rank: #2316

Stacker

3 / 20

#18. Moscow

- Average time spent commuting to work: 15.7 minutes
- National rank: #2206

Stacker

4 / 20

#17. Lewiston

- Average time spent commuting to work: 15.9 minutes
- National rank: #2192

Stacker

5 / 20

#16. Pocatello

- Average time spent commuting to work: 16.1 minutes
- National rank: #2170

You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Idaho

Stacker

6 / 20

#15. Twin Falls

- Average time spent commuting to work: 16.4 minutes
- National rank: #2154

Stacker

7 / 20

#14. Chubbuck

- Average time spent commuting to work: 17 minutes
- National rank: #2090

Stacker

8 / 20

#13. Coeur d'Alene

- Average time spent commuting to work: 18.2 minutes
- National rank: #1981

Stacker

9 / 20

#12. Jerome

- Average time spent commuting to work: 18.9 minutes
- National rank: #1904

Stacker

10 / 20

#11. Boise City

- Average time spent commuting to work: 19 minutes
- National rank: #1894

You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Idaho

Stacker

11 / 20

#10. Mountain Home

- Average time spent commuting to work: 20.7 minutes
- National rank: #1654

Stacker

12 / 20

#9. Hayden

- Average time spent commuting to work: 20.9 minutes
- National rank: #1636

Stacker

13 / 20

#8. Post Falls

- Average time spent commuting to work: 21.2 minutes
- National rank: #1600

Stacker

14 / 20

#7. Eagle

- Average time spent commuting to work: 21.9 minutes
- National rank: #1498

Stacker

15 / 20

#6. Meridian

- Average time spent commuting to work: 22.3 minutes
- National rank: #1454

You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Idaho

Stacker

16 / 20

#5. Nampa

- Average time spent commuting to work: 23.7 minutes
- National rank: #1241

Stacker

17 / 20

#4. Caldwell

- Average time spent commuting to work: 24.6 minutes
- National rank: #1089

Stacker

18 / 20

#3. Ammon

- Average time spent commuting to work: 26.7 minutes
- National rank: #764

Stacker

19 / 20

#2. Kuna

- Average time spent commuting to work: 29.7 minutes
- National rank: #430

Stacker

20 / 20

#1. Idaho Falls

- Average time spent commuting to work: 45.8 minutes
- National rank: #6

You may also like: Counties with the coldest winters in Idaho