Spoiler Alert: Moving Here Will Result In Less Driving and More Joy
Anyone who commutes regularly in our region knows we’ve got it pretty good. In fact, The Wall Street Journal backs it up—Southeast Wisconsin, and Greater Racine County in particular, rank among the top in the U.S. for short commute times.
The average one-way trip here is under 22 minutes, which is about five minutes shorter than the national average. According to the report, trimming just three minutes off each commute, three days a week, can save a worker 13 hours a year. That’s more time for the things that matter most.
It’s a different story for our neighbors in Chicago, where commuters face some of the highest delays in the country, right up there with New York and L.A.
| City | Average commute time (min.) | Traffic (mph) | Speed score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee (Greater Racine County) | 21.7 | 22.5 | 90.8 |
| Columbus, Ohio | 22 | 24.3 | 100 |
| Memphis, Tenn. | 22 | 27.1 | 99.8 |
| Fresno, Calif. | 22.9 | 26.2 | 97.6 |
| Detroit | 23.9 | 27.3 | 95 |
| Tucson, Ariz. | 24 | 23.5 | 89.7 |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | 24 | 26.8 | 89.3 |
| San Diego | 24.2 | 27.1 | 93.8 |
| El Paso, Texas | 24.4 | 27 | 95.1 |
| Las Vegas | 25.6 | 24.7 | 99.9 |
| Note: Average commute time (in minutes) is drawn from the 2022 Census. Traffic (mph) is the average speed from August 2023 to August 2024 for Lyft rides going to and from offices during commuting hours. Speed score is the sum of these measures plus the percent change in traffic during commuting hours. | |||
| Source: American Census Survey and Lyft | |||
