The Best States for Transportation (2026)
How people get around — and how long it takes — is a top factor in quality of life. Our transportation score combines mean commute time from Census ACS (35%, inverted — shorter commutes are better), percentage commuting by public transit (25%), vehicle miles traveled per capita from FHWA (20%, inverted — lower VMT indicates more walkable/transit-oriented areas), and work-from-home percentage (20%). Transportation carries a 7% weight in the composite. States with shorter commutes, higher transit usage, and more remote work flexibility score highest.
Transportation Score by State
| Rank | State | Grade | Transportation Score | Overall Score | Key Metrics | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | B | 58.6 | 60.0 | 19.8 min commute · 3% transit · 15% WFH | West |
| 2 | New York | B | 58.3 | 56.8 | 29.3 min commute · 23.4% transit · 11.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 3 | Utah | A+ | 56.6 | 81.5 | 18.8 min commute · 1.8% transit · 14.1% WFH | West |
| 4 | Washington | B | 56.4 | 63.2 | 23.1 min commute · 4.6% transit · 15.5% WFH | West |
| 5 | Massachusetts | B+ | 55.4 | 70.3 | 25.1 min commute · 7.6% transit · 14.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 6 | Colorado | B+ | 53.6 | 67.4 | 21.4 min commute · 2.1% transit · 16.5% WFH | West |
| 7 | Alaska | D | 52.6 | 39.3 | 17.7 min commute · 1.1% transit · 8.1% WFH | West |
| 8 | Minnesota | A+ | 51.7 | 77.1 | 20.1 min commute · 2.5% transit · 13.6% WFH | Midwest |
| 9 | Arizona | C | 50.7 | 44.3 | 21.9 min commute · 1.2% transit · 14.3% WFH | West |
| 10 | New Jersey | B | 50.6 | 65.1 | 27.1 min commute · 9% transit · 13.1% WFH | Northeast |
| 11 | Illinois | C+ | 50.1 | 50.5 | 25 min commute · 7% transit · 12.1% WFH | Midwest |
| 12 | South Dakota | A+ | 48.0 | 80.2 | 16 min commute · 0.4% transit · 8.5% WFH | Midwest |
| 13 | Montana | B+ | 47.7 | 70.8 | 16.8 min commute · 0.7% transit · 10.6% WFH | West |
| 14 | Connecticut | A | 47.2 | 73.5 | 23.1 min commute · 3.5% transit · 12.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | B | 47.2 | 58.2 | 23.6 min commute · 4.3% transit · 11.8% WFH | Northeast |
| 16 | Iowa | B+ | 47.1 | 68.7 | 17.8 min commute · 0.8% transit · 9.3% WFH | Midwest |
| 17 | Nebraska | A | 46.9 | 74.5 | 17.4 min commute · 0.5% transit · 8.9% WFH | Midwest |
| 18 | Vermont | A+ | 46.1 | 77.5 | 20.2 min commute · 0.9% transit · 13.2% WFH | Northeast |
| 19 | Idaho | B+ | 45.7 | 69.2 | 19.1 min commute · 0.6% transit · 10.8% WFH | West |
| 20 | California | C | 45.7 | 42.9 | 25.2 min commute · 3.6% transit · 13.6% WFH | West |
| 21 | Kansas | B | 45.5 | 59.5 | 17.8 min commute · 0.4% transit · 9.5% WFH | Midwest |
| 22 | Wisconsin | B | 44.2 | 63.7 | 19.9 min commute · 1.2% transit · 10.1% WFH | Midwest |
| 23 | Virginia | A | 44.1 | 74.3 | 24 min commute · 3% transit · 14% WFH | South |
| 24 | Rhode Island | B+ | 43.5 | 69.3 | 22.9 min commute · 1.9% transit · 9.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 25 | Nevada | D | 43.5 | 39.2 | 22.5 min commute · 2.5% transit · 9% WFH | West |
| 26 | Maryland | B+ | 43.2 | 66.9 | 27.3 min commute · 5.5% transit · 14.7% WFH | Northeast |
| 27 | Hawaii | B | 41.8 | 64.8 | 24.4 min commute · 4.3% transit · 8% WFH | West |
| 28 | Maine | A | 40.8 | 76.8 | 21.4 min commute · 0.4% transit · 12.3% WFH | Northeast |
| 29 | Ohio | C+ | 40.8 | 49.1 | 21.3 min commute · 1.2% transit · 9.8% WFH | Midwest |
| 30 | Delaware | C+ | 40.6 | 52.4 | 22.8 min commute · 1.7% transit · 11.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 31 | North Carolina | C+ | 40.4 | 53.5 | 21.9 min commute · 0.8% transit · 12.4% WFH | South |
| 32 | North Dakota | A | 39.9 | 77.1 | 16.8 min commute · 0.5% transit · 6.3% WFH | Midwest |
| 33 | Wyoming | B+ | 39.9 | 68.2 | 16.6 min commute · 0.9% transit · 7.7% WFH | West |
| 34 | Michigan | C | 39.2 | 45.0 | 22 min commute · 1.1% transit · 10.2% WFH | Midwest |
| 35 | New Mexico | D | 37.7 | 32.6 | 20.9 min commute · 0.7% transit · 9.6% WFH | West |
| 36 | Texas | C | 36.8 | 45.9 | 23.7 min commute · 1% transit · 11% WFH | South |
| 37 | New Hampshire | A+ | 35.9 | 86.6 | 23.4 min commute · 0.6% transit · 13.1% WFH | Northeast |
| 38 | Missouri | C+ | 35.6 | 48.7 | 21.4 min commute · 1% transit · 9.9% WFH | Midwest |
| 39 | Florida | C+ | 35.0 | 51.7 | 24.6 min commute · 1.3% transit · 11.9% WFH | South |
| 40 | Oklahoma | C | 32.3 | 41.8 | 20.7 min commute · 0.3% transit · 7.4% WFH | South |
| 41 | Indiana | C+ | 31.7 | 49.6 | 22 min commute · 0.7% transit · 8.2% WFH | Midwest |
| 42 | Tennessee | C | 31.7 | 45.3 | 23 min commute · 0.5% transit · 9.7% WFH | South |
| 43 | Georgia | C+ | 31.4 | 51.3 | 25 min commute · 1.5% transit · 12.3% WFH | South |
| 44 | Kentucky | D | 31.0 | 38.0 | 22 min commute · 0.7% transit · 8% WFH | South |
| 45 | Arkansas | F | 29.5 | 29.9 | 20.7 min commute · 0.3% transit · 6.7% WFH | South |
| 46 | South Carolina | C | 27.1 | 43.2 | 23.4 min commute · 0.5% transit · 8.5% WFH | South |
| 47 | West Virginia | D | 23.9 | 32.5 | 24.5 min commute · 0.7% transit · 6.9% WFH | South |
| 48 | Louisiana | F | 23.5 | 25.2 | 24.4 min commute · 1% transit · 6.2% WFH | South |
| 49 | Alabama | C | 20.1 | 39.4 | 23.7 min commute · 0.3% transit · 6.7% WFH | South |
| 50 | Mississippi | D | 14.3 | 31.4 | 24.3 min commute · 0.3% transit · 4.5% WFH | South |
Top 10 States for Transportation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best state for transportation in 2026?
Oregon ranks #1 for transportation in 2026, followed by New York and Utah, based on commute time, transit ridership, VMT, and remote work rates.
Which states have the worst transportation?
The states with the lowest transportation scores in 2026 are Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, due to longer commutes, lower transit usage, and less remote work flexibility.
How is the transportation score calculated?
The transportation score combines Census ACS mean commute time (35%, inverted), transit commuting percentage (25%), FHWA vehicle miles traveled per capita (20%, inverted), and work-from-home percentage (20%). It carries a 7% weight.