The 10 Most Congested Cities in America
The average American driver lost 49 hours to congestion in 2025, up 6 hours from 2024. That works out to about $894 in wasted time per person, and roughly $85.8 billion drained from the economy nationwide.
Those numbers come from the 2025 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard, released December 1, 2025. INRIX measured congestion in 290 U.S. cities using anonymized GPS trip data, then ranked each metro by hours lost per driver during peak travel. Congestion rose in 254 of those 290 cities. Here are the ten worst, ranked by hours lost in 2025:
10. Seattle, Washington
In Seattle, drivers lost 68 hours in 2025, up 8% from 63 the year before. The cost came to $1,252 per driver, the lowest of the ten. Downtown speeds ran 14 mph.
9. Washington, D.C.
The nation's capital lost 70 hours per driver at a cost of $1,289. D.C. climbed fast, with delays up 13% from 62 hours the year before. Downtown speeds sat at 11 mph.
8. Houston, Texas
Houston tied D.C. at 70 hours lost, up 6% from 66. Trips into downtown surged as the return-to-office push gained steam. Each driver lost about $1,289. Downtown speeds held at 14 mph.
7. Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta drivers lost 75 hours, and the trend looked ugly. Delays climbed 15% in one year, up from 65 hours in 2024. As workers returned downtown, the highways filled right back up. The cost came to $1,381 per driver.
6. Miami, Florida
Miami tied Atlanta at 75 hours but stayed far steadier, with just a 1% rise from 74 the year before. The average driver lost $1,381. Downtown speeds ran 14 mph.
5. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston drivers lost 83 hours in 2025, up 5% from 79 the year before. That cost each commuter $1,529. Downtown speeds held at 10 mph.
4. Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles was one of the few metros where traffic eased. Delays fell 1%, dropping drivers from 88 hours to 87. The cost came to $1,602 per driver. L.A. also posted the fastest downtown speed in the top ten at 17 mph.
3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia saw the sharpest jump on the list. Delays rose 31% in a single year, pushing drivers from 77 hours lost in 2024 to 101 hours in 2025. The average cost hit $1,860 per driver. Downtown speeds sat at 10 mph.
2. New York City, New York
New York held flat. Drivers lost 102 hours, the same as 2024, with zero change year over year. The city's congestion pricing program is a likely reason delays stopped climbing. Even so, the average driver still lost $1,879, and the city as a whole absorbed $9.7 billion in lost time, the highest citywide cost in the country.
1. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago took the top spot for the first time. Drivers lost 112 hours to traffic in 2025, a 10% jump from the year before. That cost the average commuter $2,063. Downtown speeds crawled to just 9 mph, the slowest on this list. The Windy City passed New York to claim the crown.
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Why Traffic Keeps Getting Worse
Congestion is climbing because more people are driving again. Car commuting has nearly returned to 2019 levels, while public transit remains 22% below where it sat before the pandemic. Rising housing costs are pushing workers farther from job centers, stretching commutes longer. At the same time, aging infrastructure and stalled upgrades keep amplifying delays in fast-growing metros.