See what the average commute is in Pierce County, WA

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 Pierce County using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Statistics are calculated based on 2020 5-year estimates. Pierce County has a longer commute than five out of six neighboring counties, with Yakima County, WA having the shortest commute at 19.2 minutes.

Pierce County commuting by the numbers
- Average commute: 33.0 minutes
--- 17.8% higher than state average
--- #4 worst commute in the state
- Workers with 1+ hour commute: 15.6%
- Workers who drive to work: 86.4%
--- Workers who carpool to work: 10.4%
- Workers who take public transport to work: 3.7%
- Workers who work from home: 6.4%
- Left for work between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.: 24.1%
- Worked outside county of residence: 29.1%

Commutes in neighboring counties
#1. Yakima County, WA: 19.2 minutes
#2. Kittitas County, WA: 21.3 minutes
#3. Thurston County, WA: 26.8 minutes
#4. Lewis County, WA: 28.2 minutes
#5. Kitsap County, WA: 30.0 minutes
#6. Pierce County, WA: 33.0 minutes
#7. Mason County, WA: 35.2 minutes

Counties with the best commute in Washington
#1. Walla Walla County: 15.8 minutes
#2. Asotin County: 16.3 minutes
#3. San Juan County: 16.5 minutes

Counties with the worst commute in Washington
#1. Wahkiakum County: 40.8 minutes
#2. Mason County: 35.2 minutes
#3. Pend Oreille County: 34.0 minutes