The 10 Most Congested Cities in America
The average American driver lost 49 hours to congestion in 2025, six more hours than in 2024. That lost time cost each driver about $894 on average and roughly $85.8 billion nationwide.
The 2025 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard 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:
1. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago drivers lost 112 hours to traffic in 2025, the most in the country and a 10% jump from 2024. That cost the average commuter $2,063. Downtown speeds ran just 9 mph, the slowest on this list. Chicago passed New York for the top spot for the first time.
2. New York City, New York
New York drivers lost 102 hours, unchanged from 2024. The average driver lost $1,879, and the city absorbed $9.7 billion in lost time, the highest citywide cost in the country.
3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia drivers lost 101 hours in 2025, up from 77 in 2024. The 31% jump was the sharpest on the list. The average cost hit $1,860 per driver. Downtown speeds ran 10 mph.
4. Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles drivers lost 87 hours, down from 88 in 2024, a 1% drop. The cost came to $1,602 per driver. L.A. posted the fastest downtown speed in the top ten at 17 mph.
5. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston drivers lost 83 hours in 2025, up 5% from 79 the year before. Traffic congestion cost each commuter $1,529. Downtown speeds ran 10 mph.
6. Miami, Florida
Miami drivers lost 75 hours, up 1% from 74 in 2024. The average driver lost $1,381. Downtown speeds ran 14 mph.
7. Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta drivers lost 75 hours, up 15% from 65 in 2024. The cost came to $1,381 per driver. Downtown speeds ran 14 mph.
8. Houston, Texas
Houston drivers lost 70 hours, up 6% from 66 in 2024. Each driver lost about $1,289. Downtown speeds ran 14 mph.
9. Washington, D.C.
Washington drivers lost 70 hours, up 13% from 62 in 2024. The cost came to $1,289 per driver. Downtown speeds ran 11 mph.
10. Seattle, Washington
Seattle drivers lost 68 hours, up 8% from 63 in 2024. The cost came to $1,252 per driver, the lowest of the ten. Downtown speeds ran 14 mph.
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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.