Which US city has the highest Average Congestion?

Los Angeles, CA has the highest Average Congestion, at 59.8%, followed by Honolulu, HI (50.5%) and San Francisco, CA (49.7%).

Which US city has the lowest Average Congestion?

Council Bluffs, IA has the lowest Average Congestion, at 13.3%.

What is the median Average Congestion across US cities?

The median is 28.9% across the 87 US cities with data.

Where does this cities with the worst traffic data come from?

Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Traffic Index ranking - TomTom; Urban Mobility Report - Texas A&M Transportation Institute. Last updated 2026-10-28.

US City rankings

Cities with the Worst Traffic

Name: Cities with the Worst Traffic
Creator: Rankodex

Los Angeles, CA has the highest Average Congestion (59.8%), followed by Honolulu, HI (50.5%) and San Francisco, CA (49.7%). Council Bluffs, IA has the lowest (13.3%).

Travel87 cities · 5 metricsUpdated Oct 28, 2026Original page

2 sources

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87 of 477 cities

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Average Congestion

Green is better, red is worse (lower is better). Click a place to highlight it.

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Ranking

Best first: the first 15 and last 5 of 87 cities.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one city; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median

28.9%

Middle half 23.6% – 37.2%

Average

30.3%

87 cities

Lowest (best)

13.3%

Council Bluffs, IA

Highest (worst)

59.8%

Los Angeles, CA

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

87 cities · # = rank by Average Congestion

#
1	Council Bluffs, IA	13.3%	41.26 mph	10.31 mi	12 hrs	61.4%
2	Tulsa, OK	13.6%	41.76 mph	10.44 mi	12 hrs	73.2%
2	Wichita, KS	13.6%	41.32 mph	10.31 mi	12 hrs	71.2%
4	Omaha, NE	14.0%	40.7 mph	10.19 mi	14 hrs	63.2%
5	Akron, OH	16.0%	36.6 mph	9.13 mi	15 hrs	66.1%
6	Dayton, OH	16.4%	35.73 mph	8.95 mi	16 hrs	58.0%
7	Little Rock, AR	16.5%	40.14 mph	10.07 mi	19 hrs	67.6%
8	Des Moines, IA	17.9%	31.63 mph	7.89 mi	17 hrs	47.3%
9	Oklahoma City, OK	18.2%	41.45 mph	10.38 mi	20 hrs	74.4%
10	Memphis, TN	19.4%	33.62 mph	8.39 mi	19 hrs	49.1%
11	Kansas City, MO	19.6%	32.99 mph	8.26 mi	21 hrs	60.7%
12	Buffalo, NY	19.7%	26.59 mph	6.65 mi	26 hrs	46.4%
13	Winston-Salem, NC	20.0%	35.85 mph	8.95 mi	21 hrs	68.6%
14	Fresno, CA	20.6%	42.25 mph	10.56 mi	19 hrs	70.3%
15	Mesa, AZ	20.7%	42.38 mph	10.63 mi	17 hrs	64.8%
16	Grand Rapids, MI	21.0%	34.98 mph	8.76 mi	24 hrs	61.8%
17	Cleveland, OH	21.2%	32.06 mph	8.02 mi	24 hrs	59.6%
18	Salt Lake City, UT	21.8%	40.51 mph	10.13 mi	24 hrs	67.6%
19	Rochester, NY	22.4%	27.15 mph	6.77 mi	25 hrs	49.1%
20	Knoxville, TN	22.5%	34.86 mph	8.7 mi	25 hrs	61.2%
21	High Point, NC	22.7%	34.67 mph	8.7 mi	20 hrs	35.1%
22	San Antonio, TX	23.5%	37.1 mph	9.26 mi	29 hrs	68.9%
23	Richmond, VA	23.6%	30.14 mph	7.52 mi	33 hrs	62.7%
24	Cincinnati, OH	23.8%	31.69 mph	7.95 mi	29 hrs	58.2%
25	Syracuse, NY	23.9%	26.1 mph	6.52 mi	30 hrs	50.5%
26	Birmingham, AL	24.2%	32.44 mph	8.14 mi	31 hrs	56.8%
27	Detroit, MI	24.5%	31.94 mph	8.02 mi	28 hrs	59.0%
28	Thousand Oaks, CA	24.7%	42.56 mph	10.63 mi	20 hrs	74.6%
29	Bakersfield, CA	25.0%	37.03 mph	9.26 mi	21 hrs	56.7%
30	St. Louis, MO	25.3%	30.51 mph	7.64 mi	30 hrs	62.5%
31	Columbus, OH	25.5%	31.5 mph	7.89 mi	31 hrs	59.4%
32	Albuquerque, NM	25.6%	35.73 mph	8.95 mi	29 hrs	62.5%
33	Raleigh, NC	25.7%	33.55 mph	8.39 mi	29 hrs	51.5%
34	Greensboro, NC	26.0%	28.27 mph	7.08 mi	28 hrs	36.6%
35	Indianapolis, IN	26.1%	28.96 mph	7.27 mi	40 hrs	61.1%
35	Virginia Beach, VA	26.1%	31.19 mph	7.83 mi	24 hrs	42.5%
37	Jacksonville, FL	26.3%	34.73 mph	8.7 mi	31 hrs	58.3%
38	Colorado Springs, CO	26.5%	31.19 mph	7.83 mi	26 hrs	46.1%
39	Milwaukee, WI	26.8%	28.21 mph	7.08 mi	37 hrs	53.9%
40	Orlando, FL	27.9%	33.99 mph	8.51 mi	29 hrs	62.5%
41	Fort Worth, TX	28.3%	37.03 mph	9.26 mi	30 hrs	65.3%
41	Tucson, AZ	28.3%	31.69 mph	7.95 mi	29 hrs	45.7%
41	Minneapolis, MN	28.3%	29.2 mph	7.33 mi	39 hrs	61.6%
44	Portland, ME	28.9%	23.49 mph	5.9 mi	37 hrs	38.8%
45	El Paso, TX	29.0%	29.27 mph	7.33 mi	30 hrs	55.2%
46	Phoenix, AZ	30.5%	40.02 mph	10 mi	34 hrs	72.4%
47	Anchorage, AK	30.6%	21.75 mph	5.47 mi	42 hrs	1.3%
48	Louisville, KY	30.7%	32.75 mph	8.2 mi	31 hrs	52.0%
49	New Orleans, LA	31.3%	20.69 mph	5.16 mi	54 hrs	41.0%
50	San Diego, CA	31.9%	33.62 mph	8.39 mi	38 hrs	61.8%
51	Allentown, PA	32.3%	20.51 mph	5.16 mi	49 hrs	25.3%
52	Sacramento, CA	32.8%	33.86 mph	8.45 mi	38 hrs	68.7%
53	New Haven, CT	33.4%	24.67 mph	6.15 mi	48 hrs	52.9%
54	Anaheim, CA	33.5%	36.91 mph	9.26 mi	37 hrs	69.4%
55	Las Vegas, NV	34.1%	26.41 mph	6.59 mi	43 hrs	47.4%
55	McAllen, TX	34.1%	25.1 mph	6.28 mi	40 hrs	29.0%
57	Charlotte, NC	34.8%	27.84 mph	6.96 mi	49 hrs	44.9%
58	Charleston, SC	35.5%	23.3 mph	5.84 mi	48 hrs	34.0%
59	Long Beach, CA	35.6%	33.86 mph	8.45 mi	39 hrs	65.1%
60	Greenville, SC	35.9%	24.42 mph	6.09 mi	44 hrs	29.0%
61	Fort Myers, FL	36.0%	30.01 mph	7.52 mi	39 hrs	26.2%
62	Providence, RI	36.2%	23.86 mph	5.97 mi	60 hrs	54.5%
63	Columbia, SC	36.6%	18.33 mph	4.6 mi	58 hrs	4.7%
64	Portland, OR	37.0%	27.71 mph	6.96 mi	51 hrs	58.9%
64	Cape Coral, FL	37.0%	26.59 mph	6.65 mi	42 hrs	—
66	Washington, DC	37.3%	19.14 mph	4.78 mi	72 hrs	41.8%
66	Pittsburgh, PA	37.3%	22.93 mph	5.72 mi	61 hrs	45.5%
68	Philadelphia, PA	37.5%	17.27 mph	4.35 mi	72 hrs	39.8%
69	Denver, CO	37.6%	27.78 mph	6.96 mi	51 hrs	55.2%
70	Baltimore, MD	37.7%	18.7 mph	4.66 mi	71 hrs	39.0%
71	Nashville, TN	38.1%	24.36 mph	6.09 mi	57 hrs	51.3%
72	Baton Rouge, LA	38.5%	29.76 mph	7.46 mi	47 hrs	55.7%
73	Riverside, CA	39.2%	36.91 mph	9.26 mi	39 hrs	72.5%
74	Austin, TX	40.5%	25.17 mph	6.28 mi	60 hrs	47.2%
74	Oxnard, CA	40.5%	23.61 mph	5.9 mi	47 hrs	34.3%
76	Dallas, TX	40.6%	27.71 mph	6.96 mi	56 hrs	58.3%
77	San Jose, CA	40.7%	29.95 mph	7.52 mi	52 hrs	61.3%
78	Houston, TX	40.8%	28.89 mph	7.21 mi	56 hrs	58.6%
79	Tampa, FL	41.5%	29.76 mph	7.46 mi	57 hrs	64.6%
80	Atlanta, GA	44.3%	27.9 mph	6.96 mi	61 hrs	64.7%
81	Seattle, WA	44.9%	21.81 mph	5.47 mi	69 hrs	53.2%
82	Chicago, IL	46.1%	19.64 mph	4.91 mi	79 hrs	51.7%
83	Miami, FL	46.8%	21 mph	5.28 mi	72 hrs	43.4%
84	New York, NY	48.8%	11.81 mph	2.98 mi	125 hrs	34.1%
85	San Francisco, CA	49.7%	12.55 mph	3.17 mi	116 hrs	30.3%
86	Honolulu, HI	50.5%	17.77 mph	4.47 mi	88 hrs	40.6%
87	Los Angeles, CA	59.8%	24.05 mph	6.03 mi	83 hrs	63.2%

What correlates with Average Congestion?

Pearson r against 52 other city metrics sharing at least 53 cities. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Average Congestion tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

Average Commute (Minutes)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)
r = +0.71 · very strong · n = 86
Plot
Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)
r = +0.66 · strong · n = 87
Plot
Price Level (Housing Rents)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)
r = +0.63 · strong · n = 87
Plot
Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)
r = +0.60 · strong · n = 86
Plot
Median Home Value (Capped at $2M)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)
r = +0.59 · strong · n = 86
Plot
Price Level (Goods)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)
r = +0.59 · strong · n = 87
Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Average Congestion tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

Economics RankBest Cities for Single MenA rank: rank 1 is the best
r = +0.59 · strong · n = 77
Plot
Crime RateMost Dangerous Cities in the United States
r = −0.45 · moderate · n = 55
Plot
Aggravated AssaultMost Violent Cities in America
r = −0.36 · moderate · n = 70
Plot
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by City (FBI)
r = −0.32 · moderate · n = 77
Plot
RapeMost Violent Cities in America
r = −0.30 · moderate · n = 70
Plot
Burglary Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by City (FBI)
r = −0.28 · weak · n = 77
Plot

Quick answers

Which US city has the highest Average Congestion?: Los Angeles, CA has the highest Average Congestion, at 59.8%, followed by Honolulu, HI (50.5%) and San Francisco, CA (49.7%).
Which US city has the lowest Average Congestion?: Council Bluffs, IA has the lowest Average Congestion, at 13.3%.
What is the median Average Congestion across US cities?: The median is 28.9% across the 87 US cities with data.
Where does this cities with the worst traffic data come from?: Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Traffic Index ranking - TomTom; Urban Mobility Report - Texas A&M Transportation Institute. Last updated 2026-10-28.

Higher together

Opposite directions

Quick answers

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