Pierce County Commute Time Map & Patterns
HelpCompare commute patterns and ask AI Map about Pierce County.
Commute from My AddressCommute Time Burden in Pierce County: Annual Hours and Cost
Commuters in Pierce County spend about 54 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 226 hours, about 9.4 full days, spent commuting.
That is 20% more time on the road than the Washington average of 22.6 minutes each way, a difference of 4.5 minutes.
Pierce County holds about 11.9% of Washington's population but accounts for roughly 14.3% of its total commuting time.
Working from home just 2 days a week in Pierce County would save about 91 hours of drive time a year, worth roughly $2,806 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce County | 27.2 min | 54.3 min | 226 hrs/yr | $7,016 | 2,240 |
| Washington | 22.6 min | 45.2 min | 188 hrs/yr | $5,842 | 1,525 |
| 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: Washington Counties
- Columbia County (11.6 min)
- Walla Walla County (12.0 min)
- San Juan County (12.7 min)
- Mason County (32.4 min)
- Wahkiakum County (30.7 min)
- Snohomish County (28.7 min)
Compare commute times among different counties
On average, it takes 27.2 minutes to get to work in Pierce County. That's 21% longer than the 22.5-minute U.S. average.
Among the 5 slowest counties in Washington
The most common departure window is 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM , followed by 06:00 AM – 06:29 AM .
Most people travel to work by Car , followed by Worked at Home . About 12.3% work from home.
Commute mode distribution
- Car: 81.6%
- Worked at Home: 12.3%
- Public Transportation: 2.5%
- Walked: 2.3%
- Other: 0.8%
- Bicycle: 0.2%
- Motorcycle: 0.2%
- Taxi: < 0.1%
How does Pierce County's commute time compare?
| Metric | Pierce County | Washington | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Commute Time | 27.2 min | 22.6 min | 22.5 min |
| Departure Window | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM |
| Secondary Departure Window | 06:00 AM – 06:29 AM | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM |
| Work From Home | 12.3% | 17.7% | 13.4% |
| Walked | 2.3% | 3.1% | 2.4% |
| Public Transit | 2.5% | 4.0% | 3.5% |
The average commute time in Pierce County is 27.2 minutes, longer than the 22.6 minutes in Washington.
2.5% commute by public transit, lower than the 4.0% in Washington. 2.3% commute by walking, lower than the 3.1% in Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about commuting in Pierce County, Washington.
Is living in Pierce County, Washington good for avoiding long commute costs?
Commuters here spend an estimated 226 hours a year on the road, worth roughly $7,016 at a typical national wage. That's 20% more than the typical Washington commuter spends.
When is peak congestion during the morning commute in Pierce County, Washington?
Traffic peaks between 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM in Pierce County, Washington. Leaving before or after this window is the single easiest way to avoid the heaviest local congestion, though 06:00 AM – 06:29 AM also sees a secondary bump.
Which counties in Washington have the fastest and slowest commutes?
Among counties in Washington, the shortest average commutes are in Columbia County (11.6 min), Walla Walla County (12.0 min), San Juan County (12.7 min). The longest are in Mason County (32.4 min), Wahkiakum County (30.7 min), Snohomish County (28.7 min).