The best and worst US cities for driving in 2020

Now that the pandemic has seriously limited our use of public transport, we are driving more than ever, and everyone is in competition for the “worst driver” designation. But our driving habits don’t always boil down to our personal ability or temperament — it’s also about the city itself, the quality of its roads, its traffic congestion, etc. To figure out which cities are the best and worst to drive in, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities in the US using a set of 31 criteria, including average gas prices, hours spent in traffic, the number of auto repair shops, cost of vehicle maintenance, and more.

According to the findings, Lincoln, Nebraska, is the best city in the country for driving, scoring highly on safety, traffic and infrastructure, cost of ownership and maintenance, and access to vehicle maintenance. Following closely behind are Raleigh, NC; Corpus Christi, CT; Greensboro, NC; Boise, ID; and Plano, TX.

Coming in last — and taking home the title of “worst driving city in the US in 2020” — is Oakland, California, which scored poorly across all areas. It’s joined at the bottom of the list by Philadelphia, PA; San Francisco, CA; Detroit, MI; New York, NY; Los Angeles, CA; and Chicago, IL.

The full chart with additional data is available online.