Canetti // Shutterstock

Cities with the worst commute in Alabama

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 ‘+stateNameOg+’ 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.

You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Alabama

Stacker

#25. Alexander City

– Average time spent commuting to work: 23.1 minutes
– National rank: #1329

Stacker

#24. Hartselle

– Average time spent commuting to work: 23.5 minutes
– National rank: #1281

Stacker

#23. Irondale

– Average time spent commuting to work: 23.5 minutes
– National rank: #1276

Stacker

#22. Prichard

– Average time spent commuting to work: 23.6 minutes
– National rank: #1258

Stacker

#21. Oxford

– Average time spent commuting to work: 24 minutes
– National rank: #1189

You may also like: Alabama is the #7 state with the lowest Black homeownership gap

Stacker

#20. Jasper

– Average time spent commuting to work: 24.2 minutes
– National rank: #1149

Stacker

#19. Anniston

– Average time spent commuting to work: 24.4 minutes
– National rank: #1115

Stacker

#18. Saraland

– Average time spent commuting to work: 24.8 minutes
– National rank: #1052

Stacker

#17. Bessemer

– Average time spent commuting to work: 24.8 minutes
– National rank: #1046

Stacker

#16. Fairhope

– Average time spent commuting to work: 24.8 minutes
– National rank: #1040

You may also like: Most valuable crops grown in Alabama

Stacker

#15. Hoover

– Average time spent commuting to work: 24.9 minutes
– National rank: #1032

Stacker

#14. Athens

– Average time spent commuting to work: 25.3 minutes
– National rank: #963

Stacker

#13. Pell City

– Average time spent commuting to work: 25.6 minutes
– National rank: #921

Stacker

#12. Gardendale

– Average time spent commuting to work: 25.8 minutes
– National rank: #901

Stacker

#11. Daphne

– Average time spent commuting to work: 26 minutes
– National rank: #860

You may also like: Counties with the highest rate of food insecurity in Alabama

Stacker

#10. Leeds

– Average time spent commuting to work: 26.1 minutes
– National rank: #854

Stacker

#9. Moody

– Average time spent commuting to work: 26.1 minutes
– National rank: #853

Stacker

#8. Trussville

– Average time spent commuting to work: 27.1 minutes
– National rank: #733

Stacker

#7. Pelham

– Average time spent commuting to work: 27.4 minutes
– National rank: #695

Stacker

#6. Hueytown

– Average time spent commuting to work: 28.2 minutes
– National rank: #583

You may also like: Alabama is the #2 state with the lowest property taxes

Stacker

#5. Center Point

– Average time spent commuting to work: 29.4 minutes
– National rank: #464

Stacker

#4. Helena

– Average time spent commuting to work: 30.6 minutes
– National rank: #344

Stacker

#3. Alabaster

– Average time spent commuting to work: 31.3 minutes
– National rank: #289

Stacker

#2. Calera

– Average time spent commuting to work: 32.8 minutes
– National rank: #180

Stacker

#1. Chelsea

– Average time spent commuting to work: 35.4 minutes
– National rank: #86

You may also like: Highest-rated museums in Alabama