Los Angeles Commute Time Map & Patterns
HelpChat with AI about Los Angeles commute.
Commute from My AddressCommute Time Burden in Los Angeles: Annual Hours and Cost
Commuters in Los Angeles spend about 61 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 253 hours, about 10.5 full days, spent commuting.
That is 28% more time on the road than the California average of 23.6 minutes each way, a difference of 6.7 minutes.
Los Angeles holds about 9.9% of California's population but accounts for roughly 12.7% of its total commuting time.
Working from home just 2 days a week in Los Angeles would save about 101 hours of drive time a year, worth roughly $3,133 at the same national wage assumption used above.
| Area | One-Way Commute | Daily Round-Trip | Yearly Time Spent | Estimated Yearly Cost | Local Road Traffic (VPD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 30.3 min | 60.6 min | 253 hrs/yr | $7,832 | 4,652 |
| California | 23.6 min | 47.2 min | 197 hrs/yr | $6,099 | 2,449 |
| United States | 22.5 min | 44.9 min | 187 hrs/yr | $5,803 | 1,355 |
The estimated yearly cost applies a single national rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area - treat it as a rough estimate, not a paycheck figure. Local road traffic counts, vehicles per day on non-highway roads, come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Los Angeles Commute Map
On average, it takes 30.3 minutes to get to work in Los Angeles. That's 35% longer than the 22.5-minute U.S. average.
The most common departure window is 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM , followed by 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM .
Most people travel to work by Car , followed by Worked at Home . About 17.3% work from home.
Commute mode distribution
- Car: 70.2%
- Worked at Home: 17.3%
- Public Transportation: 6.7%
- Walked: 3.1%
- Other: 1.4%
- Bicycle: 0.7%
- Taxi: 0.4%
- Motorcycle: 0.2%
How does Los Angeles's commute time compare?
| Metric | Los Angeles | California | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Commute Time | 30.3 min | 23.6 min | 22.5 min |
| Departure Window | 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM |
| Secondary Departure Window | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM |
| Work From Home | 17.3% | 15.5% | 13.4% |
| Walked | 3.1% | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| Public Transit | 6.7% | 3.2% | 3.5% |
The average commute time in Los Angeles is 30.3 minutes, longer than the 23.6 minutes in California.
6.7% commute by public transit, higher than the 3.2% in California. 3.1% commute by walking, higher than the 2.4% in California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about commuting in Los Angeles, California.
How much does the average commute cost workers in Los Angeles, California?
Commuters here spend an estimated 253 hours a year on the road, worth roughly $7,832 at a typical national wage. That's 28% more than the typical California commuter spends.
When is rush hour worst in Los Angeles, California?
Traffic peaks between 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM in Los Angeles, California. Leaving before or after this window is the single easiest way to avoid the heaviest local congestion, though 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM also sees a secondary bump.