The Best States for Transportation (2026)
Alaska ranks #1 for transportation in 2026 with a score of 69.6/100, followed by Oregon (69.2), Utah (64.9), Washington (64.0), and Colorado (63.0). Scores combine commute time, public transit usage, vehicle miles traveled, and remote work rates from Census and FHWA data. Mississippi ranks last at 26.7.
Key Takeaways
- 1Alaska leads the nation in transportation with a score of 69.6, 0.4 points ahead of #2 Oregon. The top 3 is rounded out by Utah at 64.9.
- 2The West dominates: 6 of the top 10 states are in the West. Alaska, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Colorado, Montana lead the way for the region.
- 3The gap between #1 and #50 is 42.9 points — a moderate spread across states. The median score of 52.8 indicates a fairly even distribution with room for improvement in the lower half.
- 4The bottom 5 — South Carolina, Louisiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi — are concentrated in the South, with 5 of 5 from that region. Mississippi ranks last with a score of 26.7, signaling persistent challenges in transportation.
- 5Despite ranking #1 in transportation, Alaska sits at #41 overall — a notable divergence that shows category leadership doesn't always translate to top composite scores. This gap suggests Alaska has room to improve in other areas to climb the overall rankings.
| Rank | State | Grade | Transportation Score | Overall Score | Key Metrics | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | A+ | 69.6 | 42.1 | 17.7 min commute · 1.1% transit · 8.1% WFH | West |
| 2 | Oregon | A+ | 69.2 | 58.1 | 19.8 min commute · 3% transit · 15% WFH | West |
| 3 | Utah | A+ | 64.9 | 79.3 | 18.8 min commute · 1.8% transit · 14.1% WFH | West |
| 4 | Washington | A+ | 64.0 | 61.4 | 23.1 min commute · 4.6% transit · 15.5% WFH | West |
| 5 | Colorado | A+ | 63.0 | 66.2 | 21.4 min commute · 2.1% transit · 16.5% WFH | West |
| 6 | Massachusetts | A | 62.6 | 72.8 | 25.1 min commute · 7.6% transit · 14.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 7 | Minnesota | A | 61.1 | 76.7 | 20.1 min commute · 2.5% transit · 13.6% WFH | Midwest |
| 8 | Montana | A | 60.5 | 71.1 | 16.8 min commute · 0.7% transit · 10.6% WFH | West |
| 9 | New York | A | 60.5 | 58.4 | 29.3 min commute · 23.4% transit · 11.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 10 | Vermont | A | 59.4 | 79.6 | 20.2 min commute · 0.9% transit · 13.2% WFH | Northeast |
| 11 | Arizona | B+ | 59.4 | 44.7 | 21.9 min commute · 1.2% transit · 14.3% WFH | West |
| 12 | South Dakota | B+ | 56.7 | 81.8 | 16 min commute · 0.4% transit · 8.5% WFH | Midwest |
| 13 | Idaho | B+ | 56.5 | 70.7 | 19.1 min commute · 0.6% transit · 10.8% WFH | West |
| 14 | Illinois | B+ | 56.5 | 52.0 | 25 min commute · 7% transit · 12.1% WFH | Midwest |
| 15 | Iowa | B+ | 56.4 | 69.5 | 17.8 min commute · 0.8% transit · 9.3% WFH | Midwest |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | B+ | 56.0 | 60.3 | 23.6 min commute · 4.3% transit · 11.8% WFH | Northeast |
| 17 | Nebraska | B+ | 55.5 | 74.9 | 17.4 min commute · 0.5% transit · 8.9% WFH | Midwest |
| 18 | Hawaii | B+ | 54.9 | 63.2 | 24.4 min commute · 4.3% transit · 8% WFH | West |
| 19 | Connecticut | B | 54.8 | 73.5 | 23.1 min commute · 3.5% transit · 12.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 20 | Wisconsin | B | 54.5 | 65.2 | 19.9 min commute · 1.2% transit · 10.1% WFH | Midwest |
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| 21 | Kansas | B | 54.5 | 59.3 | 17.8 min commute · 0.4% transit · 9.5% WFH | Midwest |
| 22 | New Jersey | B | 54.4 | 65.9 | 27.1 min commute · 9% transit · 13.1% WFH | Northeast |
| 23 | Nevada | B | 53.3 | 40.3 | 22.5 min commute · 2.5% transit · 9% WFH | West |
| 24 | California | B | 53.0 | 42.9 | 25.2 min commute · 3.6% transit · 13.6% WFH | West |
| 25 | Maine | B | 52.8 | 77.3 | 21.4 min commute · 0.4% transit · 12.3% WFH | Northeast |
| 26 | Rhode Island | B | 52.8 | 69.8 | 22.9 min commute · 1.9% transit · 9.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 27 | Virginia | C+ | 52.1 | 74.9 | 24 min commute · 3% transit · 14% WFH | South |
| 28 | Wyoming | C+ | 52.0 | 69.4 | 16.6 min commute · 0.9% transit · 7.7% WFH | West |
| 29 | Ohio | C+ | 50.6 | 49.1 | 21.3 min commute · 1.2% transit · 9.8% WFH | Midwest |
| 30 | North Dakota | C+ | 50.3 | 76.6 | 16.8 min commute · 0.5% transit · 6.3% WFH | Midwest |
| 31 | North Carolina | C+ | 49.8 | 53.7 | 21.9 min commute · 0.8% transit · 12.4% WFH | South |
| 32 | Delaware | C+ | 49.6 | 52.3 | 22.8 min commute · 1.7% transit · 11.6% WFH | Northeast |
| 33 | Michigan | C+ | 49.2 | 47.7 | 22 min commute · 1.1% transit · 10.2% WFH | Midwest |
| 34 | Maryland | C+ | 48.5 | 67.7 | 27.3 min commute · 5.5% transit · 14.7% WFH | Northeast |
| 35 | New Mexico | C | 48.2 | 33.1 | 20.9 min commute · 0.7% transit · 9.6% WFH | West |
| 36 | Missouri | C | 46.3 | 49.3 | 21.4 min commute · 1% transit · 9.9% WFH | Midwest |
| 37 | Texas | C | 46.0 | 45.8 | 23.7 min commute · 1% transit · 11% WFH | South |
| 38 | New Hampshire | C | 45.1 | 87.8 | 23.4 min commute · 0.6% transit · 13.1% WFH | Northeast |
| 39 | Florida | C | 44.9 | 52.8 | 24.6 min commute · 1.3% transit · 11.9% WFH | South |
| 40 | Oklahoma | C | 43.6 | 41.5 | 20.7 min commute · 0.3% transit · 7.4% WFH | South |
| 41 | Indiana | C | 43.2 | 50.7 | 22 min commute · 0.7% transit · 8.2% WFH | Midwest |
| 42 | Kentucky | C | 42.3 | 38.4 | 22 min commute · 0.7% transit · 8% WFH | South |
| 43 | Tennessee | D | 41.6 | 46.8 | 23 min commute · 0.5% transit · 9.7% WFH | South |
| 44 | Arkansas | D | 40.6 | 30.9 | 20.7 min commute · 0.3% transit · 6.7% WFH | South |
| 45 | Georgia | D | 40.5 | 51.5 | 25 min commute · 1.5% transit · 12.3% WFH | South |
| 46 | South Carolina | D | 38.9 | 44.0 | 23.4 min commute · 0.5% transit · 8.5% WFH | South |
| 47 | Louisiana | D | 34.9 | 25.9 | 24.4 min commute · 1% transit · 6.2% WFH | South |
| 48 | West Virginia | D | 34.7 | 34.4 | 24.5 min commute · 0.7% transit · 6.9% WFH | South |
| 49 | Alabama | F | 31.5 | 38.9 | 23.7 min commute · 0.3% transit · 6.7% WFH | South |
| 50 | Mississippi | F | 26.7 | 31.5 | 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?
Alaska ranks #1 for transportation in 2026 with a score of 69.6/100, followed by Oregon (69.2) and Utah (64.9). Rankings combine mean commute time from Census ACS (35%, inverted — shorter commutes score better), public transit usage (25%), vehicle miles traveled per capita from FHWA (20%, inverted), and work-from-home percentage (20%). Alaska benefits from shorter commutes and/or higher rates of transit usage and remote work. Good transportation infrastructure means less time commuting and more time for everything else.
Which states have the worst transportation?
The states with the lowest transportation scores in 2026 are Mississippi (26.7/100), Alabama (31.5), and West Virginia (34.7). These states tend to have longer average commute times, lower public transit usage, higher vehicle miles traveled per capita, and fewer remote work opportunities. Long commutes reduce quality of life by eating into personal time and increasing stress, transportation costs, and carbon emissions. States with car-dependent development patterns where most residents drive long distances to work score lower in this category.
How is the transportation score calculated?
The transportation score combines four metrics: mean commute time from Census ACS (35% weight, inverted — shorter commutes score higher), percentage of workers commuting by public transit (25% weight), vehicle miles traveled per capita from the Federal Highway Administration (20% weight, inverted — lower VMT indicates more walkable and transit-oriented areas), and work-from-home percentage from Census ACS (20% weight). Each metric is normalized to a 0-100 scale. Transportation carries a 7% weight in the composite. This combination captures multiple dimensions of how people get around — not just car commuting, but also transit infrastructure and the growing shift toward remote work.
How does remote work affect transportation rankings?
Remote work accounts for 20% of the transportation score because it fundamentally changes the transportation equation. Workers who work from home have zero commute time, drive fewer miles, and don't need transit infrastructure. States with higher work-from-home percentages score better on this component. The remote work revolution has been especially beneficial for states that previously scored poorly due to car-dependent development — if enough workers can skip the commute entirely, the impact of long average commute times is partially offset. States with strong broadband infrastructure and knowledge-economy jobs tend to have higher remote work rates, which boosts their transportation scores.
Does commute time really affect quality of life?
Yes, substantially. Research consistently shows that commute time is one of the strongest predictors of life satisfaction. Every additional 10 minutes of commuting is associated with lower self-reported happiness, less physical activity, higher stress, and reduced time with family. The average American spends over 200 hours per year commuting — equivalent to five full work weeks. States with shorter mean commute times give residents that time back. Beyond personal well-being, long commutes increase household transportation costs (fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance), contribute to air pollution, and reduce community engagement. This is why commute time carries the largest weight (35%) in our transportation score.
How the Transportation Score Is Calculated
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.