Cities with the most challenging commuting conditions in Illinois
As the COVID-19 crisis transformed millions of Americans into remote employees, it also swiftly concluded many of the travel routines that bracket the workday. With some of these employees gradually returning to their workplaces, discussions regarding the downsides of commuting have intensified. For a period, these individuals appreciated extra time in the mornings and evenings that was no longer consumed by the monotonous journey to and from their jobs—an unpaid segment of the day that drained time and resources. Moreover, it’s not a trivial amount of time: Pre-pandemic, the average commute in the U.S. was slightly over 27 minutes one way, based on Census Bureau information. It marked a historic peak. Collectively, 27 minutes each direction amounts to 54 minutes daily, or four-and-a-half hours weekly. That translates to 18 hours a month and 216 hours annually spent commuting.
Commuters recognize it’s not particularly picturesque. While a very minor fraction of employees inhabit the ideal situation—a brief, walkable distance from the workplace, along a path that is presumably consistently cleared of snow in the winter and where the temperature doesn’t lead to a sweaty arrival in the summertime—most contend with congested roadways, erratic public transport, and the irritations that come with both. Naturally, not all commuting experiences are equally unpleasant, and certain cities possess superior public transit systems and traffic conditions.
Stacker gathered a compilation of the cities with the toughest commuting conditions in Illinois using data from the Census Bureau. Cities that contain at least 5,000 working adults are ranked according to the longest average commute time based on the 2021 five-year estimate.
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#25. Park Ridge
– Average duration of commute to work: 29.3 minutes
– National positioning: #470
#24. Hickory Hills
– Average duration of commute to work: 29.4 minutes
– National positioning: #455
#23. Zion
– Average duration of commute to work: 29.6 minutes
– National positioning: #437
#22. Joliet
– Average duration of commute to work: 29.7 minutes
– National positioning: #421
#21. Des Plaines
– Average duration of commute to work: 29.8 minutes
– National positioning: #409
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#20. Highland Park
– Average duration of commute to work: 29.8 minutes
– National positioning: #405
#19. Evanston
– Average duration of commute to work: 30.2 minutes
– National positioning: #368
#18. St. Charles
– Average duration of commute to work: 30.3 minutes
– National positioning: #358
#17. Blue Island
– Average duration of commute to work: 30.4 minutes
– National positioning: #355
#16. Wood Dale
– Average duration of commute to work: 30.7 minutes
– National positioning: #330
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#15. Darien
– Average duration of commute to work: 30.8 minutes
– National positioning: #319
#14. Berwyn
– Average duration of commute to work: 30.9 minutes
– National positioning: #313
#13. Harvey
– Average duration of commute to work: 31.4 minutes
– National positioning: #282
#12. Plano
– Average duration of commute to work: 31.8 minutes
– National positioning: #248
#11. Oak Forest
– Average duration of commute to work: 32.1 minutes
– National positioning: #226
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#10. McHenry
– Average duration of commute to work: 32.2 minutes
– National positioning: #219
#9. Naperville
– Average duration of commute to work: 32.9 minutes
– National positioning: #177
#8. Palos Hills
– Average duration of commute to work: 33 minutes
– National positioning: #174
#7. Chicago
– Average duration of commute to work: 34.4 minutes
– National positioning: #119
#6. Lake Forest
– Average duration of commute to work: 34.4 minutes
– National positioning: #117
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#5. Country Club Hills
– Average duration of commute to work: 34.8 minutes
– National positioning: #98
#4. Yorkville
– Average duration of commute to work: 34.9 minutes
– National positioning: #95
#3. Burbank
– Average duration of commute to work: 35.3 minutes
– National positioning: #89
#2. Calumet City
– Average duration of commute to work: 37.2 minutes
– National positioning: #50
#1. Lockport
– Average duration of commute to work: 38.1 minutes
– National positioning: #42
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By Stacker
