RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Shortest commutes, US states · 2000

US states with the shortest mean travel time to work (2000 ACS). North Dakota leads at 11.4. 51 states qualify in total.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPAVERAGE COMMUTEVS 1990

USUnited States281,421,90617.6–

01North Dakota, NDND784,84111.4−42%

02South Dakota, SDSD907,42811.7−47%

03Nebraska, NENE1,978,70711.9−38%

04Montana, MTMT1,116,87512.4−36%

05Iowa, IAIA3,210,50712.5−40%

06Kansas, KSKS2,947,19712.7−33%

07Alaska, AKAK735,70613.1−30%

08Wyoming, WYWY582,39713.3−25%

09Idaho, IDID1,934,26213.6−30%

10Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87213.8−32%

11Utah, UTUT3,392,33114.2−27%

12Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44514.5−33%

13Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63414.6−25%

14Nevada, NVNV3,184,61214.8−20%

15Vermont, VTVT647,10614.8−32%

16Oregon, OROR4,254,29314.9−29%

17Ohio, OHOH11,810,29314.9−26%

18New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24614.9−25%

19Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39115.0−21%

20Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80115.0−18%

21Indiana, ININ6,851,07315.2−24%

22Maine, MEME1,387,81715.7−24%

23Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82415.8−24%

24Delaware, DEDE1,021,19115.8−18%

25North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40415.9−16%

26Missouri, MOMO6,191,81416.0−27%

27South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22516.1−17%

28Michigan, MIMI10,077,76116.2−21%

29Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38316.3−21%

30Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77916.4−15%

31Colorado, COCO5,862,18916.4−24%

32Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50816.5−20%

33Alabama, ALAL5,086,76816.6−17%

34Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83816.8−21%

35Louisiana, LALA4,611,96117.2−18%

36Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63917.3−18%

37Washington, WAWA7,816,11617.5−22%

38Texas, TXTX30,188,42417.5−18%

39Florida, FLFL22,416,07717.8−15%

40New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86818.2−19%

41West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37318.2−11%

42Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23518.5−22%

43Virginia, VAVA8,705,17018.6−21%

44Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05619.1−13%

45District of Columbia, DCDC681,29419.4−26%

46Georgia, GAGA10,940,40719.6−9%

47California, CACA39,287,37719.7−18%

48Illinois, ILIL12,694,79820.3−16%

49New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80921.8−8%

50Maryland, MDMD6,206,01122.7−12%

51New York, NYNY19,852,36622.7−15%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest average commute?

North Dakota ranks #1 with 11.4 (2000 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by average commute?

North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Iowa.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 Decennial Census data.

How is average commute measured?

Mean travel time to work, one way, in minutes. Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census.