Why Philly was just ranked the worst big U.S. city for drivers
The WalletHub report compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities “across 30 key indicators of driver-friendliness.” Philly ranked 100 out of 100.
In news that surprises no one, Philadelphia was recently named the worst city for drivers.
That’s according to a WalletHub survey released last week that compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities “across 30 key indicators of driver-friendliness.”
The metrics did not take into account the actual friendliness of the drivers. Instead, they centered on more objective measures such as gas prices, time spent in traffic, and likelihood of getting into a crash.
Philadelphia ranked 100 out of 100, just below Washington, D.C., and a few spots under New York (97) and Baltimore (92).
Philly was weighed down by particularly poor rankings in WalletHub’s “traffic and infrastructure” category — which includes hours spent in traffic, average commute time, and quality of roads and bridges — and in the “safety” category, which includes the likelihood of accidents, traffic fatality rate, and seat belt use. The city fared slightly better when it came to “cost of ownership and maintenance” and “access to vehicles and maintenance.”
The top three cities for drivers were Scottsdale, Ariz., where the cost of buying and parking a car are relatively cheap; Boise, Idaho, where drivers are least likely to have an accident; and Fort Wayne, Ind., which is inexpensive compared to other cities, according to the survey.
“Living in one of the best cities to drive in can make owning and maintaining a car much cheaper,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in a statement. “The best cities for drivers also minimize commute times and traffic congestion, have accident rates well below the national average, and keep their roads in good condition.”
Most U.S. consumers rely on cars to get around. Nationwide, drivers on average spend more than 360 hours, or the equivalent of 15 days, on the road each year, according to AAA.
Philly drivers lose more time than others sitting in traffic. The region’s roads were the nation’s third most congested last year, according to the annual global traffic scorecard by transportation analytics firm INRIX.
In 2025, Philly motorists lost 101 hours to traffic jams on average, an increase of 31% from 2024, according to the report. Only drivers in Chicago and New York fared worse.
Here are some other data points that contributed to the city’s last-place finish in WalletHub's recent survey:
- Quality of bridges: 98th worst of the country’s top 100 cities
- Accident likelihood compared to the national average: 67% (95th highest)
- Number of alternative-fuel stations per capita: 11.9 (94th lowest)
- Rates of car theft and larceny: 91st and 93rd highest
- Average commute time by car: 32 minutes (88th longest)
- Average rate to park at five garages near City Hall from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.: $20.60 (78th most expensive)
- Average price for a mechanic to spin balance one front wheel: $71.29 (73rd most expensive)
- Average monthly car insurance premium: $263 (52nd highest)
Source: WalletHub, citing Sept. 8, 2026 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Council for Community and Economic Research, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, INRIX, National Centers for Environmental Information, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Automobile Association, The Road Information Program, Federal Highway Administration, Waze Mobile, Allstate Insurance Company
