Los Angeles County Commute Time Map & Patterns
HelpCompare commute patterns and ask AI Map about Los Angeles County.
Commute from My AddressCommute Time Burden in Los Angeles County: Annual Hours and Cost
Commuters in Los Angeles County spend about 57 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 237 hours, about 9.9 full days, spent commuting.
That is 20% more time on the road than the California average of 23.6 minutes each way, a difference of 4.8 minutes.
Los Angeles County holds about 24.9% of California's population but accounts for roughly 30.0% of its total commuting time.
Working from home just 2 days a week in Los Angeles County would save about 95 hours of drive time a year, worth roughly $2,938 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 County | 28.4 min | 56.9 min | 237 hrs/yr | $7,346 | 3,747 |
| 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.
Commute Time Map: California Counties
- Inyo County (11.2 min)
- Del Norte County (11.7 min)
- Modoc County (11.8 min)
- Contra Costa County (31.2 min)
- San Benito County (31.0 min)
- Alpine County (30.4 min)
Compare commute times among different counties
On average, it takes 28.4 minutes to get to work in Los Angeles County. That's 27% longer than the 22.5-minute U.S. average.
Slower than 89% of counties in California
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 15.2% work from home.
Commute mode distribution
- Car: 75.7%
- Worked at Home: 15.2%
- Public Transportation: 4.3%
- Walked: 2.4%
- Other: 1.4%
- Bicycle: 0.6%
- Taxi: 0.3%
- Motorcycle: 0.2%
How does Los Angeles County's commute time compare?
| Metric | Los Angeles County | California | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Commute Time | 28.4 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 | 15.2% | 15.5% | 13.4% |
| Walked | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| Public Transit | 4.3% | 3.2% | 3.5% |
The average commute time in Los Angeles County is 28.4 minutes, longer than the 23.6 minutes in California.
4.3% commute by public transit, higher than the 3.2% in California. The share of commuters using walking is about the same as California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about commuting in Los Angeles County, California.
How much does the average commute cost workers in Los Angeles County, California?
Commuters here spend an estimated 237 hours a year on the road, worth roughly $7,346 at a typical national wage. That's 20% more than the typical California commuter spends.
When is rush hour worst in Los Angeles County, California?
Traffic peaks between 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM in Los Angeles County, 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.
How do commute times compare across counties in California?
Among counties in California, the shortest average commutes are in Inyo County (11.2 min), Del Norte County (11.7 min), Modoc County (11.8 min). The longest are in Contra Costa County (31.2 min), San Benito County (31.0 min), Alpine County (30.4 min).