Worst cities for owning a car

Los Angeles tops our list

Updated December 14, 2023

Reviewed By Ross Martin

Table of contents:

Cities 1 - 3
Cities 4 - 6
Cities 7 - 10
Methodology

Owning a car is convenient, but it's also expensive. From routine maintenance to unexpected repairs, car owners have to deal with ongoing costs. On top of that, owning a car takes up time, especially when it comes to your daily commute.

With all this in mind, The Zebra set out to find the worst cities for owning a car by analyzing the 50 most populous cities in the U.S. using four data points:

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: The amount of time spent sitting in traffic each weekday varies greatly by location.
Public transportation score: Cities that don't invest well in public transportation make owning a car essential, even if you'd rather travel in other ways. For reference, New York has the highest AllTransit score of 9.6, while Arlington, Texas holds the worst score of 0.1.
Average gas price (by state): The more you pay for gas, the more expensive it is to get around. The national average as of December 2023 was $3.185 per gallon.
Average car insurance costs: Location also impacts the price of car insurance. Nationally, annual premiums average $1,759.

Using these factors, we've discovered the ten worst cities for owning a car (and we doubt #1 will surprise you).

#1: Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles residents spend a lot of time in traffic, averaging 153 hours per year in rush hour alone. On top of that, the city doesn't rate well when it comes to public transportation, scoring just a 7.7 out of 10 (compared to NYC's 9.6). California is the most expensive state for gas, averaging $4.761 per gallon — that's more than $1.57 above the national average. Car insurance costs in Los Angeles are among the top ten most expensive cities, coming in at $2,688 per year.

LA by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 153 hours
Public transportation score: 7.7
Average gas price (state): $4.761 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: $2,688 per year

#2: Las Vegas, Nevada

Owning a car in Las Vegas is practically a must, because the city only earned a 5.1 rating for public transportation. But there are challenges that residents face in Sin City. Rush hour commutes average 110 hours per year, and Nevada gas is one of the most expensive states in the U.S. at $4.085 per gallon. Annual car insurance costs are also among the costliest in the nation at $2,856 per year.

Las Vegas by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 110 hours
Public transportation score: 5.1
Average gas price (state): $4.085 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: $2,856 per year

#3: Riverside, California

Rush hour traffic isn't as bad in Riverside as it is in Los Angeles. Residents only spend about 92 hours per year commuting during these peak hours. But the city's public transportation score is just 5.2, revealing that driving a car is the most convenient option. Drivers do, however, have to shell out quite a bit of cash for gas, which averages $4.761 per gallon in California.

Riverside by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 92 hours
Public transportation score: 5.2
Average gas price (state): $4.761 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: Not available

#4: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (tied)

Philadelphia may be one of the worst cities to own a car, but at least it has a high public transportation score in case you want another option. That may be worth looking into because although Pennsylvania has a lower gas price than California, Philadelphia drivers spend an average of $3,315 each year on car insurance. That's one of the highest premium amounts in the country. Plus, you'll spend about 143 hours in rush hour traffic each year.

Philly by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 143 hours
Public transportation score: 9
Average gas price (state): $3.55 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: $3,315 per year

#4: San Francisco, California (tied)

If you want to avoid rush hour traffic, San Francisco may not be the place for you. It has the second longest amount of time spent commuting, clocking in at 184 hours per year. While the city does rank well for public transportation, owning a car is costly here. Gas in California averages $4.761 per gallon, while annual car insurance premiums cost around $2,295.

San Francisco by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 184 hours
Public transportation score: 9.6
Average gas price (state): $4.761 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: $2,295 per year

#6: Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix is experiencing a population boom, which makes it increasingly difficult to own a car. Public transportation ranks a low 6.1, although gas prices are moderate compared to the rest of the country. Expect to pay more for car insurance than most other cities, with the average premium costing $2,210 per year.

Phoenix by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: Not available
Public transportation score: 6.1
Average gas price (state): $3.403
Average car insurance costs: $2,210

#7: Baltimore, Maryland

It costs both time and money to own a car in Baltimore. Expect to spend an average of 144 hours each year in rush hour. On top of that, annual car insurance premiums total just under $3,000. On the plus side, Charm City's public transportation score is average, as are gas prices in Maryland.

Baltimore by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 144 hours
Public transportation score: 8.4
Average gas price (state): $3.204 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: $2,971 per year

#8: Miami, Florida (tied)

Miami drivers have one of the highest car insurance costs in the country, costing just under $4,000 each year — nearly $2,200 over the national average. Public transportation may be a feasible alternative since the public transportation score is 8.5. Gas prices are average in Florida, but drivers do spend nearly 140 hours in rush hour traffic every year.

Miami by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 139 hours
Public transportation score: 8.5
Average gas price (state): $3.098 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: $3,938 per year

#8: Seattle, Washington (tied)

Seattle drivers spend around 135 hours in rush hour each year, one of the longest commute times in the country. The city scores a decent 8.5 for public transportation, but gas in Washington averages a whopping $4.314 per gallon. The good news is that car insurance isn't quite as high as it is in other cities on our list. At $2,157 per year, costs are a little more manageable in this category.

Seattle by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 135 hours
Public transportation score: 8.5
Average gas price (state): $4.314 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: $2,157 per year

#10: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh rounds out our list of worst cities for owning a car, largely in part due to the time spent in rush hour each year, which averages 131 hours. Its public transportation rating is 8.3, which is average compared to other cities we analyzed. Gas prices in Pennsylvania, however, are above average at $3.55 per gallon.

Pittsburgh by the numbers

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year: 131 hours
Public transportation score: 8.3
Average gas price (state): $3.55 per gallon
Average car insurance costs: $1,868 per year

Methodology

The Zebra pulled four data points to analyze the top 50 MSAs (by population) in the U.S. related to owning and driving a car:

Amount of time spent in rush hour each year (TomTom)^[1]
Public transportation score (AllTransit)^[2]
Average gas price by state (AAA)^[3]
Average car insurance costs (The Zebra)

MSA data was used where applicable, and we sometimes substituted city or state data as necessary.

Sources