Best commutes in North Carolina
Time is a valuable commodity; most people living in the United States can agree they spend way too much of it sitting in traffic. The average American spends nearly an hour in a single-occupancy vehicle getting to and from work each day.
Though congestion and long, complicated commutes are often accepted as an unavoidable part of life in places like New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C., some cities boast relatively quick and easy transits. Which cities in the country have the shortest and least complicated commutes?
Stacker has collected data from the U.S Census Bureau to determine the best commutes in eight different states, including North Carolina. Stacker ranked the cities by average commute, and any ties were broken by commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time. The most recent data from 2017 includes commuters 16 years of age or older, and it excludes people who work remotely.
Read on to find out the fastest and easiest routes to help you save time and energy. The data might even help you choose which city you move to next.
#20. Brunswick County
Average commute: 22.6 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 5.9%
Worker population 16 and older: 47,978
#19. Winston-Salem City (South)
Average commute: 22.5 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.8%
Worker population 16 and older: 57,828
#18. Pitt County—Greenville City
Average commute: 22.5 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 5%
Worker population 16 and older: 81,347
#17. Nash and Edgecombe Counties—Rocky Mount City
Average commute: 22.4 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 5.1%
Worker population 16 and older: 62,103
#16. Buncombe County (Northwest)
Average commute: 22.3 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 2.8%
Worker population 16 and older: 56,186
#15. Catawba County—Hickory City
Average commute: 22.3 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 6.1%
Worker population 16 and older: 70,305
#14. Charlotte City (Southwest)
Average commute: 22 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.6%
Worker population 16 and older: 62,140
#13. Burke and McDowell Counties
Average commute: 21.9 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 4.5%
Worker population 16 and older: 54,032
#12. Wayne County
Average commute: 21.9 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 6%
Worker population 16 and older: 52,954
#11. Wake County (West Central)—Cary Town
Average commute: 21.7 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.3%
Worker population 16 and older: 74,549
#10. Guilford County (South)—High Point City
Average commute: 21.5 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.4%
Worker population 16 and older: 61,568
#9. Greensboro City (North)
Average commute: 21.3 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.3%
Worker population 16 and older: 64,419
#8. Cumberland County (East)—Hope Mills and Spring Lake Towns
Average commute: 21.2 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.9%
Worker population 16 and older: 54,133
#7. Henderson and Transylvania Counties
Average commute: 20.9 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 4.2%
Worker population 16 and older: 62,228
#6. Greensboro City (South)
Average commute: 20.4 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.6%
Worker population 16 and older: 55,033
#5. Winston-Salem City (North)
Average commute: 20 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 4.3%
Worker population 16 and older: 43,540
#4. New Hanover County (South)—Wilmington City
Average commute: 19.9 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.6%
Worker population 16 and older: 79,224
#3. Cumberland County (Central)—Fayetteville City (Central and East)
Average commute: 19.8 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 3.2%
Worker population 16 and older: 49,608
#2. Onslow County (South)—Jacksonville City
Average commute: 19.5 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 4.4%
Worker population 16 and older: 78,765
#1. Buncombe County (Southeast)—Asheville City
Average commute: 18.9 minutes
Commuters with 60 minutes or more of one-way travel time: 2.6%
Worker population 16 and older: 64,885
