PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Drivers in Florida know that the roads seem to be getting more crowded every day, and a new study backs up that notion.
Among the top 20 cities with the worst commutes, seven are located in Florida with Port St. Lucie ranking as No. 6, according to data compiled by MoneyGeek.
The study analyzed metro areas with populations of 200,000 or more, examining average commute time, average rush hour speed driven, cost of gas and morning commute fatal crash rates.
MoneyGeek found that metro areas in Florida and California represented 8 of the 10 worst cities for commuting.
Traffic News
Residents make plea for traffic relief as Westlake grows
The Lakeland-Winter Haven area in Central Florida was the third worst commute in the U.S. and worst in the Sunshine State, the study found.
Researchers said Port St. Lucie drivers are spending an average of 31 minutes on a one-way commute, traveling 27 mph and spending $1,213 a year on gas.
Drivers in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area have the 14th worst commute in the country, also spending an average of 31 minutes on a one-way commute, according to the study.
Other locations in Florida that made the list of top 20 worst commutes included Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach at No. 7, Cape Coral-Fort Myers at No. 9, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford at No. 13 and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater at No. 15.
Taking the top spot for the worst commute in the U.S. was Stockton-Lodi in northern California.
If you are looking for a more relaxed drive, head to Des Moines, Iowa, or Anchorage, Alaska, which were No. 1 and No. 2 respectively for best commutes.
