Cities with the worst commute in Idaho
Canetti // Shutterstock
Cities with the worst commute in Idaho
When the COVID-19 pandemic made millions of Americans remote workers, it also abruptly ended many of the commutes that bookend the workday. As some of those workers return to the office, conversations around the drawbacks of commutes have become more intense. For a while, those workers enjoyed more time in the morning and evening that wasn’t spent simply traveling to and from work—an unpaid portion of the day that ate up time and energy. And it’s not a small amount of time, either: Pre-pandemic, the average commute in the U.S. was a hair over 27 minutes one way, according to Census Bureau data. It was a record high. Cumulatively, 27 minutes each way translates to 54 minutes a day, or four-and-a-half hours per week. That’s 18 hours a month and 216 hours a year spent commuting.
Those who commute know it’s not particularly idyllic. While a very small portion of workers live in the ideal scenario—a short, walkable distance from the office, along a sidewalk that is presumably regularly shoveled in the winter and where the temperature doesn’t result in a sweaty arrival in the summer—most endure clogged roads, unpredictable public transit, and the frustrations that come with both. Of course, not all commutes are as bad as others, and some cities have better public transit and traffic flow.
Stacker compiled a list of the cities with the worst commutes in Idaho using data from the Census Bureau. Cities with at least 5,000 working adults are ranked by the longest average commute time as of the 2021 5-year estimate.
Stacker
#20. Burley
– Average time spent commuting to work: 12.8 minutes
– National rank: #2320
Stacker
#19. Rexburg
– Average time spent commuting to work: 12.9 minutes
– National rank: #2316
Stacker
#18. Moscow
– Average time spent commuting to work: 15.7 minutes
– National rank: #2206
Stacker
#17. Lewiston
– Average time spent commuting to work: 15.9 minutes
– National rank: #2192
Stacker
#16. Pocatello
– Average time spent commuting to work: 16.1 minutes
– National rank: #2170
Stacker
#15. Twin Falls
– Average time spent commuting to work: 16.4 minutes
– National rank: #2154
Stacker
#14. Chubbuck
– Average time spent commuting to work: 17 minutes
– National rank: #2090
Stacker
#13. Coeur d’Alene
– Average time spent commuting to work: 18.2 minutes
– National rank: #1981
Stacker
#12. Jerome
– Average time spent commuting to work: 18.9 minutes
– National rank: #1904
Stacker
#11. Boise City
– Average time spent commuting to work: 19 minutes
– National rank: #1894
Stacker
#10. Mountain Home
– Average time spent commuting to work: 20.7 minutes
– National rank: #1654
Stacker
#9. Hayden
– Average time spent commuting to work: 20.9 minutes
– National rank: #1636
Stacker
#8. Post Falls
– Average time spent commuting to work: 21.2 minutes
– National rank: #1600
Stacker
#7. Eagle
– Average time spent commuting to work: 21.9 minutes
– National rank: #1498
Stacker
#6. Meridian
– Average time spent commuting to work: 22.3 minutes
– National rank: #1454
Stacker
#5. Nampa
– Average time spent commuting to work: 23.7 minutes
– National rank: #1241
Stacker
#4. Caldwell
– Average time spent commuting to work: 24.6 minutes
– National rank: #1089
Stacker
#3. Ammon
– Average time spent commuting to work: 26.7 minutes
– National rank: #764
Stacker
#2. Kuna
– Average time spent commuting to work: 29.7 minutes
– National rank: #430
Stacker
#1. Idaho Falls
– Average time spent commuting to work: 45.8 minutes
– National rank: #6
