2 California cities have the worst traffic in US — and here’s why

Angelenos are spending more than a full workday –– 8 hours and 27 minutes –– in traffic every week, making it the city with the worst traffic in the US.

“It may be the City of Angels, but traffic in Los Angeles can be downright devilish,” reads the latest report by Consumer Affairs that ranked America’s 50 most populous cities on commute times, traffic congestion and fatal crash rates. LA climbed up from last year’s No. 2 rank on the list.

Angelenos are spending 36 minutes more per week than last year stuck in traffic, with an average daily commute time of around 30 minutes –– the sixth highest daily commute in the US.

However, LA’s traffic-choked streets are getting a desperate lifeline. The city is betting on the May 2026 Metro D Line subway extension to finally cut the soul-crushing commute between DTLA and the Westside — a mad dash to get traffic under control ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Washington, DC is ranked at No. 2, with commuters spending 6 hours and 27 minutes weekly in traffic, followed by New York City, San Francisco and Houston, according to the report.

In the nation’s capital, commuters face an average travel time of 33 minutes to reach their destination. Despite people opting to look at alternatives to cars for travel, the capital city continues to battle frustrating traffic conditIons.

For the Big Apple, experts estimated that the total distance logged by cars across the five boroughs — a metric signaling the density of gridlock — has increased by roughly 16% from 2005 to 2023, the report said.

Rochester in New York, Missouri’s St. Louis and Oklahoma City are noted as having the least crowded roads in the USA.

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