Worst commutes in Illinois
The average American spends nearly an hour every day in a single-occupancy vehicle getting to and from work. For those who live in big, dense cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, the time wasted sitting in traffic increases substantially, but which cities have the worst commutes?
Stacker has collected data from the U.S Census Bureau to determine which Illinois residents spend the most time traveling to work. The data, from 2017 (the most recent available) includes commuters 16 years of age or older and only people who do not work remotely.
Cities were ranked by average commute, and any ties were broken by commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time. Whether driving or taking public transport, train delays, bumper-to-bumper traffic congestion, and unexpected construction all contribute to endless frustration and bouts of road rage all over the country.
Read on to find out the worst Illinois cities to live in if you are especially susceptible to traffic-induced anger.
RELATED: Best commutes in Illinois
#25. Chicago (North)—Lake View and Lincoln Park
- Average one-way commute time to work: 33.2 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 10.8%
- Workers 16 years and over: 115,511
#24. Kane County (West)
- Average one-way commute time to work: 33.3 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 16.6%
- Workers 16 years and over: 59,406
#23. Will County (South)
- Average one-way commute time to work: 33.5 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 17.1%
- Workers 16 years and over: 53,566
#22. Cook County (South Central)—Worth and Calumet Townships
- Average one-way commute time to work: 33.7 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 16.7%
- Workers 16 years and over: 78,183
#21. Chicago (Northwest)—Logan Square, Avondale, and Hermosa
- Average one-way commute time to work: 33.9 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 13.6%
- Workers 16 years and over: 75,704
#20. Will County (Northwest Central)—Plainfield and Lockport Townships
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.1 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 17.3%
- Workers 16 years and over: 69,114
#19. Cook County (Southwest)—Orland (West and Central), Palos and Lemont Townships
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.1 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 17.8%
- Workers 16 years and over: 84,796
#18. Cook County (Southeast)—Thornton Township
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.1 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 19.1%
- Workers 16 years and over: 67,477
#17. Lake County (Southwest)—Ela, Freemont, Wauconda, and Cuba Townships
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.2 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 16%
- Workers 16 years and over: 58,419
#16. Lake County (Northwest)—Avon, Lake Villa, Antioch, and Grant Townships
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.3 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 15%
- Workers 16 years and over: 80,975
#15. Chicago (Southwest)—Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, and West Lawn
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.3 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 16.5%
- Workers 16 years and over: 66,248
#14. Will County (Northeast)—Frankfort, Homer, and New Lenox (North) Townships
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.3 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 17.9%
- Workers 16 years and over: 64,045
#13. Will County (Northwest)—DuPage and Wheatland Townships
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.3 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 18.1%
- Workers 16 years and over: 87,997
#12. McHenry County (North, West, and Central)
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.3 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 19.2%
- Workers 16 years and over: 67,187
#11. Chicago (South)—South Shore, Hyde Park, Woodlawn, Grand Boulevard, and Douglas
- Average one-way commute time to work: 34.9 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 17.7%
- Workers 16 years and over: 69,890
#10. Chicago (North)—West Ridge, Lincoln Square, and North Center
- Average one-way commute time to work: 35 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 15.2%
- Workers 16 years and over: 80,715
#9. Chicago (Northwest)—Irving Park, Albany Park, Forest Glen, and North Park
- Average one-way commute time to work: 35.4 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 16.2%
- Workers 16 years and over: 73,083
#8. Chicago (West)—North and South Lawndale, Humboldt Park, and East and West Garfield Park
- Average one-way commute time to work: 36.5 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 21.2%
- Workers 16 years and over: 68,579
#7. Chicago (South)—Ashburn, Washington Heights, Morgan Park, and Beverly
- Average one-way commute time to work: 36.7 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 18.2%
- Workers 16 years and over: 57,611
#6. Chicago (Northwest)—Portage Park, Dunning, and Jefferson Park
- Average one-way commute time to work: 36.9 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 19.1%
- Workers 16 years and over: 69,269
#5. Chicago (North)—Edgewater, Uptown, and Rogers Park
- Average one-way commute time to work: 37 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 15.9%
- Workers 16 years and over: 95,425
#4. Chicago (West)—Austin, Belmont Cragin, and Montclare
- Average one-way commute time to work: 38.1 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 21%
- Workers 16 years and over: 76,431
#3. Chicago (South)—South Chicago, Pullman, West Pullman, East Side, and South Deering
- Average one-way commute time to work: 38.9 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 25.3%
- Workers 16 years and over: 47,365
#2. Chicago (South)—Chicago Lawn, Englewood/West Englewood, and Greater Grand Crossing
- Average one-way commute time to work: 39.7 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 24.3%
- Workers 16 years and over: 44,078
#1. Chicago (South)—Auburn Gresham, Roseland, Chatham, Avalon Park, and Burnside
- Average one-way commute time to work: 40.7 minutes
- Workers with one-way commutes over 60 minutes: 25.2%
- Workers 16 years and over: 46,120
