Cities with the worst commute in Illinois

Written by:
April 24, 2023
Canetti // Shutterstock

Cities with the worst commute in Illinois

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 Illinois 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.

1 / 25
Stacker

#25. Park Ridge

- Average time spent commuting to work: 29.3 minutes
- National rank: #470
2 / 25
Stacker

#24. Hickory Hills

- Average time spent commuting to work: 29.4 minutes
- National rank: #455
3 / 25
Stacker

#23. Zion

- Average time spent commuting to work: 29.6 minutes
- National rank: #437
4 / 25
Stacker

#22. Joliet

- Average time spent commuting to work: 29.7 minutes
- National rank: #421
5 / 25
Stacker

#21. Des Plaines

- Average time spent commuting to work: 29.8 minutes
- National rank: #409
6 / 25
Stacker

#20. Highland Park

- Average time spent commuting to work: 29.8 minutes
- National rank: #405
7 / 25
Stacker

#19. Evanston

- Average time spent commuting to work: 30.2 minutes
- National rank: #368
8 / 25
Stacker

#18. St. Charles

- Average time spent commuting to work: 30.3 minutes
- National rank: #358
9 / 25
Stacker

#17. Blue Island

- Average time spent commuting to work: 30.4 minutes
- National rank: #355
10 / 25
Stacker

#16. Wood Dale

- Average time spent commuting to work: 30.7 minutes
- National rank: #330
11 / 25
Stacker

#15. Darien

- Average time spent commuting to work: 30.8 minutes
- National rank: #319
12 / 25
Stacker

#14. Berwyn

- Average time spent commuting to work: 30.9 minutes
- National rank: #313
13 / 25
Stacker

#13. Harvey

- Average time spent commuting to work: 31.4 minutes
- National rank: #282
14 / 25
Stacker

#12. Plano

- Average time spent commuting to work: 31.8 minutes
- National rank: #248
15 / 25
Stacker

#11. Oak Forest

- Average time spent commuting to work: 32.1 minutes
- National rank: #226
16 / 25
Stacker

#10. McHenry

- Average time spent commuting to work: 32.2 minutes
- National rank: #219
17 / 25
Stacker

#9. Naperville

- Average time spent commuting to work: 32.9 minutes
- National rank: #177
18 / 25
Stacker

#8. Palos Hills

- Average time spent commuting to work: 33 minutes
- National rank: #174
19 / 25
Stacker

#7. Chicago

- Average time spent commuting to work: 34.4 minutes
- National rank: #119
20 / 25
Stacker

#6. Lake Forest

- Average time spent commuting to work: 34.4 minutes
- National rank: #117
21 / 25
Stacker

#5. Country Club Hills

- Average time spent commuting to work: 34.8 minutes
- National rank: #98
22 / 25
Stacker

#4. Yorkville

- Average time spent commuting to work: 34.9 minutes
- National rank: #95
23 / 25
Stacker

#3. Burbank

- Average time spent commuting to work: 35.3 minutes
- National rank: #89
24 / 25
Stacker

#2. Calumet City

- Average time spent commuting to work: 37.2 minutes
- National rank: #50
25 / 25
Stacker

#1. Lockport

- Average time spent commuting to work: 38.1 minutes
- National rank: #42

Trending Now