WalletHub: ‘2019’s Best & Worst Cities to Drive in’
Source: WalletHub
By Adam McCann /
Some cities are better for those behind the wheel.
To determine those places, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 30 key indicators of driver-friendliness.
Our data set ranges from average gas prices to annual hours in traffic congestion per auto commuter to auto-repair shops per capita.
Read on for our findings, tips and insight from a panel of experts, and a full description of our methodology.
Now, drum roll, please!
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Best & Worst Cities to Drive in
Overall Rank (1 = Best) |
City | Total Score | ‘Cost of Ownership & Maintenance’ Rank | ‘Traffic & Infrastructure’ Rank | ‘Safety’ Rank | ‘Access to Vehicles & Maintenance’ Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Raleigh, NC | 69.09 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 62 |
2 | Orlando, FL | 66.26 | 7 | 4 | 93 | 4 |
3 | Lincoln, NE | 66.21 | 8 | 35 | 4 | 85 |
4 | Tampa, FL | 65.38 | 11 | 24 | 70 | 6 |
5 | Winston-Salem, NC | 65.02 | 3 | 13 | 32 | 89 |
6 | Birmingham, AL | 64.93 | 2 | 1 | 96 | 22 |
7 | Corpus Christi, TX | 64.78 | 14 | 7 | 27 | 84 |
8 | Boise, ID | 63.78 | 35 | 9 | 13 | 81 |
9 | Charlotte, NC | 63.52 | 4 | 64 | 43 | 29 |
10 | Greensboro, NC | 63.44 | 6 | 37 | 62 | 66 |
11 | El Paso, TX | 63.35 | 15 | 44 | 5 | 70 |
12 | Scottsdale, AZ | 63.35 | 51 | 2 | 17 | 54 |
13 | Plano, TX | 63.06 | 18 | 26 | 18 | 51 |
14 | Jacksonville, FL | 62.97 | 9 | 15 | 81 | 30 |
15 | Atlanta, GA | 62.90 | 10 | 23 | 88 | 8 |
16 | Austin, TX | 62.08 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 13 |
17 | St. Petersburg, FL | 61.66 | 5 | 28 | 80 | 69 |
18 | San Antonio, TX | 61.46 | 22 | 45 | 67 | 11 |
19 | Durham, NC | 61.33 | 13 | 38 | 28 | 90 |
20 | Laredo, TX | 60.95 | 21 | 58 | 7 | 99 |
21 | Virginia Beach, VA | 60.73 | 23 | 71 | 15 | 71 |
21 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 60.73 | 12 | 56 | 37 | 86 |
23 | Wichita, KS | 60.51 | 34 | 18 | 36 | 87 |
24 | Las Vegas, NV | 60.45 | 76 | 6 | 47 | 5 |
25 | Arlington, TX | 60.31 | 32 | 52 | 40 | 27 |
26 | Gilbert, AZ | 60.25 | 65 | 20 | 3 | 95 |
27 | Houston, TX | 60.15 | 31 | 73 | 66 | 2 |
28 | Mesa, AZ | 60.15 | 57 | 21 | 14 | 60 |
29 | Dallas, TX | 60.09 | 29 | 55 | 72 | 7 |
30 | Irving, TX | 60.04 | 26 | 53 | 29 | 65 |
31 | Chandler, AZ | 60.03 | 63 | 3 | 19 | 94 |
32 | Fort Worth, TX | 59.99 | 42 | 49 | 49 | 19 |
33 | Irvine, CA | 59.75 | 79 | 5 | 1 | 32 |
34 | Colorado Springs, CO | 59.66 | 24 | 70 | 24 | 64 |
35 | Chesapeake, VA | 59.62 | 36 | 68 | 11 | 96 |
36 | Omaha, NE | 59.46 | 19 | 61 | 45 | 48 |
37 | Oklahoma City, OK | 59.42 | 47 | 50 | 30 | 40 |
38 | Lubbock, TX | 59.36 | 33 | 8 | 65 | 83 |
39 | Garland, TX | 59.32 | 38 | 47 | 48 | 42 |
40 | Nashville, TN | 59.07 | 27 | 30 | 71 | 41 |
41 | Fort Wayne, IN | 58.53 | 19 | 51 | 56 | 80 |
42 | Norfolk, VA | 58.22 | 17 | 65 | 50 | 88 |
43 | Tucson, AZ | 58.11 | 44 | 16 | 79 | 39 |
44 | Toledo, OH | 57.93 | 16 | 34 | 73 | 82 |
45 | Henderson, NV | 56.67 | 87 | 10 | 6 | 75 |
46 | Louisville, KY | 56.57 | 40 | 60 | 68 | 46 |
47 | Columbus, OH | 56.51 | 25 | 69 | 76 | 31 |
48 | Reno, NV | 56.38 | 69 | 32 | 23 | 79 |
49 | Phoenix, AZ | 56.21 | 55 | 29 | 74 | 24 |
50 | Kansas City, MO | 56.06 | 28 | 22 | 91 | 72 |
51 | Tulsa, OK | 55.44 | 67 | 39 | 57 | 36 |
52 | Buffalo, NY | 55.11 | 49 | 76 | 33 | 76 |
53 | Indianapolis, IN | 54.92 | 48 | 63 | 78 | 28 |
54 | Madison, WI | 54.86 | 52 | 78 | 10 | 92 |
55 | Cincinnati, OH | 54.51 | 50 | 54 | 89 | 15 |
56 | St. Louis, MO | 54.37 | 30 | 66 | 98 | 10 |
57 | St. Paul, MN | 53.80 | 59 | 77 | 42 | 67 |
58 | Bakersfield, CA | 53.50 | 75 | 14 | 63 | 61 |
59 | Aurora, CO | 53.47 | 43 | 88 | 54 | 73 |
60 | Chula Vista, CA | 53.46 | 98 | 12 | 2 | 59 |
61 | Pittsburgh, PA | 52.92 | 58 | 85 | 46 | 20 |
62 | Anaheim, CA | 52.73 | 78 | 57 | 31 | 18 |
63 | Miami, FL | 52.68 | 64 | 74 | 95 | 1 |
64 | Memphis, TN | 52.68 | 41 | 42 | 97 | 58 |
65 | Sacramento, CA | 52.66 | 84 | 41 | 38 | 17 |
66 | San Diego, CA | 52.63 | 100 | 25 | 9 | 9 |
67 | Anchorage, AK | 52.59 | 45 | 93 | 34 | 100 |
68 | Glendale, AZ | 52.49 | 70 | 17 | 75 | 91 |
69 | Riverside, CA | 52.41 | 83 | 31 | 21 | 50 |
70 | Denver, CO | 52.39 | 53 | 86 | 59 | 33 |
71 | Baton Rouge, LA | 52.30 | 60 | 43 | 87 | 49 |
72 | Santa Ana, CA | 52.18 | 92 | 46 | 20 | 16 |
73 | Minneapolis, MN | 52.16 | 68 | 79 | 39 | 57 |
74 | Hialeah, FL | 52.03 | 39 | 81 | 92 | 38 |
75 | Fremont, CA | 51.77 | 86 | 59 | 12 | 47 |
76 | Albuquerque, NM | 51.59 | 46 | 40 | 99 | 44 |
77 | Long Beach, CA | 51.33 | 88 | 62 | 22 | 23 |
78 | North Las Vegas, NV | 51.25 | 89 | 11 | 44 | 93 |
79 | Portland, OR | 51.05 | 61 | 72 | 83 | 25 |
80 | Boston, MA | 49.95 | 54 | 92 | 51 | 78 |
81 | Jersey City, NJ | 49.94 | 56 | 98 | 53 | 37 |
82 | Fresno, CA | 49.60 | 82 | 27 | 60 | 74 |
83 | New Orleans, LA | 49.35 | 77 | 67 | 61 | 77 |
84 | Stockton, CA | 48.59 | 80 | 33 | 55 | 98 |
85 | Cleveland, OH | 47.68 | 66 | 87 | 90 | 21 |
86 | San Jose, CA | 47.54 | 90 | 75 | 25 | 68 |
87 | Milwaukee, WI | 47.37 | 72 | 84 | 77 | 52 |
88 | Baltimore, MD | 47.17 | 62 | 80 | 94 | 63 |
89 | Chicago, IL | 46.05 | 74 | 99 | 52 | 14 |
90 | San Bernardino, CA | 45.82 | 99 | 48 | 58 | 97 |
91 | Honolulu, HI | 45.38 | 96 | 82 | 26 | 35 |
92 | New York, NY | 45.35 | 93 | 100 | 16 | 3 |
93 | Los Angeles, CA | 45.22 | 94 | 89 | 41 | 12 |
94 | Seattle, WA | 44.04 | 85 | 91 | 64 | 43 |
95 | Washington, DC | 43.87 | 71 | 95 | 86 | 55 |
96 | Newark, NJ | 43.72 | 73 | 97 | 84 | 26 |
97 | San Francisco, CA | 40.24 | 97 | 90 | 69 | 56 |
98 | Philadelphia, PA | 40.00 | 91 | 96 | 82 | 34 |
99 | Oakland, CA | 39.73 | 95 | 83 | 85 | 53 |
100 | Detroit, MI | 37.40 | 81 | 94 | 100 | 45 |