The average American is traveling 26 minutes to their jobs—the longest commute time since the Census started tracking it in 1980, up 20 percent. Commutes longer than 45 minutes are up 12 percent in that time span, and 90-minute one-way commutes are 64 percent more common than in 1990.

In 2026, commuting patterns have stabilized following the post-pandemic shifts, with the average American driving roughly 41 miles per day round-trip (about 20.5 miles each way). According to recent census data, the average one-way commute time has climbed to approximately 27.6 minutes. While urban residents in cities like New York or London may have shorter physical distances (often under 10 miles), their commute times are frequently longer due to congestion. Conversely, workers in rural states like South Dakota or Wyoming often drive significantly further—sometimes 30 to 40 miles each way—but at higher speeds with less traffic. Globally, the trend in 2026 shows a slight increase in "super-commuting" (driving 90+ minutes) as people move further from city centers for affordable housing, balanced by the roughly 26% of the workforce that now has no commute due to permanent remote work arrangements.