Media post: Car-Friendliest Cities in the United States and Around the World
Living in a city can be exciting and stressing at the same time; and drivers are probably the ones that are most aware of the good and bad things that come with urban life. You are close to everything, it’s hard to get bored and you have the chance to meet new people around the corner almost every day.
Whether you own a car or rent one to move around, not all cities are equally car-friendly. In some of them, filling up the tank at the pump can cost quite a fortune while in others insurance costs are much more affordable. A good or poor urban planning as well as the presence or lack of civil education and rudeness can also affect how comfortable and confident drivers feel.
Maybe it’s time for change of scenery… or maybe it’s time to realize that where you live driving is not as bad as it seems. Go on reading to discover the car-friendliest cities in the United States and in the world!
With A Global Perspective
When thinking globally, Germany and Switzerland can feel really proud: 3 and 2 of their cities have made it to the top 10 considering the congestion level and the average speed from the airport to downtown. According to a study by kfzteile24, these are the friendliest urban developments for cars and drivers:
- Dusseldorf, Germany: With only 20% congestion and 21.20mph average speed, it is the car-friendliest city in the world!
- Dubai, UAE: 26% congestion, 31.70 mph average speed
- Zurich, Switzerland: 26% congestion, 30.50 mph average speed
- Tokyo, Japan: 31% congestion, 25.50 mph average speed
- Basel, Switzerland: 27% congestion, 17.50 mph average speed
- Singapore, Singapore: 38% congestion, 32.40 mph average speed
- Dortmund, Germany: 23% congestion, 19.90 mph average speed
- Vienna, Austria: 31% congestion, 28 mph average speed
- Munich, Germany: 30% congestion, 27.40 mph average speed
- Calgary, Canada: 20% congestion, 26.80 mph average speed
And What About Driving In The US?
Not all US drivers are equally happy with their driving conditions. Traffic delays, the cost of gas and insurance and the likelihood of having an accident all sum up to the rank of the American car-friendliest cities. Is your city on the list? Or isn’t even mentioned? Do you find the cities in the ranking surprising? According to data available from late 2016, these are the US cities where driving is far from being a nightmare!
1- Raleigh, NC: Gas prices are around 7% lower than the national average and insurance rates are 35% below average. Besides, Raleigh’s relatively low population density makes for shorter commute times and more available street parking spots.
2- Charlotte, NC: Gas prices and insurance premiums are just as low as they are in Raleigh. However, drivers have a slightly longer commute. Worried about finding parking spaces? Its population density is even lower than in Raleigh so parking your car is really not a problem at all.
3- Cincinnati, OH: Annual car insurance expenses are higher than in Raleigh and Charlotte but they are still lower than the national average. To compensate, repair and maintenance costs are amongst the cheapest in the States. In addition, commute time is only 24.3 minutes on average.
4- Cleveland, OH: With maintenance and repair costs amongst the lowest nationally and affordable insurance costs on average and a quick commute time, Cleveland is one of the car-friendliest cities in the United States.
5- Kansas City, MO: Those living in K.C. are privileged with a shorter commute time (22.8 minutes) than residents of other important metropolitan areas. In addition, gas prices are around 7% under national average. Despite annual insurance premiums being higher than other cities in this list ($1200), they are still below national average. There’s plenty of open space as well and a very low population density, which also contribute to the car-friendliness of the city.
6- St Louis, MO: With maintenance and gas prices 7% below national average just as in Kansas City, St Louis has a much higher population density, what takes the commute time to 25 minutes on average.
7- Denver, CO: Insurance premiums and gas prices are below the US norm and the average commute time is under 27 minutes. Maintenance costs are similar to the two cities mentioned before… good reasons to own a car in Colorado’s capital city.
8- Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee is a great US city where to own a car. FYI, it has one of the shortest average commute times amongst the major cities (only 23 minutes!) and maintenance and repair costs are also under the national average. Worried about insurance? It’s 11% below norm!
9- Birmingham, AL: Gas prices in Alabama are considered the lowest nationally. Parking is not a nightmare as the low population density is matched with plenty of free space available. Commute time is 26 minutes, which is quite quick for a big city!
10- Richmond, Virginia: Owning a car in Richmond is quite affordable: gas prices and annual insurance premiums are still below national average and commute time is only over 24.5 minutes.
