See what the average commute is in Union County, NC

American commutes are getting longer, with a U.S. Census Bureau report released in 2021 revealing the average one-way commute in 2019 reached a record high of 27.6 minutes. Combined with high gas prices, workers' daily commutes are increasingly time-consuming and expensive—so much so that some are calling for commutes to count as part of the workday.

Even worse are travel times for "super commuters"—that unlucky 10% of Americans traveling more than one hour each way to punch a clock.

Stacker compiled statistics about the average commute in Union County using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Statistics are calculated based on 2020 5-year estimates. Union County has a longer commute than four out of five neighboring counties, with Chesterfield County, SC having the shortest commute at 25.2 minutes.

Union County commuting by the numbers
- Average commute: 29.9 minutes
--- 19.9% higher than state average
--- #14 worst commute in the state
- Workers with 1+ hour commute: 10.0%
- Workers who drive to work: 87.7%
--- Workers who carpool to work: 9.0%
- Workers who take public transport to work: 0.4%
- Workers who work from home: 10.2%
- Left for work between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.: 11.7%
- Worked outside county of residence: 41.9%

Commutes in neighboring counties
#1. Chesterfield County, SC: 25.2 minutes
#2. Mecklenburg County, NC: 26.2 minutes
#3. Stanly County, NC: 27.4 minutes
#4. Cabarrus County, NC: 28.2 minutes
#5. Union County, NC: 29.9 minutes
#6. Lancaster County, SC: 31.0 minutes

Counties with the best commute in North Carolina
#1. Swain County: 19.0 minutes
#2. Hyde County: 19.6 minutes
#2. Jackson County: 19.6 minutes

Counties with the worst commute in North Carolina
#1. Gates County: 36.9 minutes
#2. Currituck County: 35.1 minutes
#3. Perquimans County: 34.4 minutes