Prairie State Wire

Chicago ranked in the bottom 10 in a ranking by the personal finance website WalletHub that examined which of the 100 largest U.S. cities have the best and worst conditions for drivers.

Illinois’ largest city received a score of 40.69 out of a possible 100 in the analysis, with 100 representing the most car-friendly overall score. Chicago came in 81st in the category of costs associated with owning and operating a car; 99th on infrastructure and traffic; 41st in traffic safety; and 35th on access to cars and vehicle maintenance. 

The city also tied for 78th for its high parking rates and came in 95th in terms of availability of auto repair shops per capita. On hours spent annually in traffic congestion per car commuter, Chicago tied for 66th.

Nationally, Americans on average spend 310 hours – nearly 13 days – each year commuting, according to the WalletHub study. And the wasted time and gasoline costs resulting from congestion amounts to $1,400 per driver annually, the analysis states. 

The situation has only become worse during the coronavirus pandemic because of how fears of using public transportation have increased dependence on private vehicles, according to WalletHub.

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Best and Worst Cities for Drivers

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Cost of Ownership & Maintenance	Traffic & Infrastructure	Safety	Access to Vehicles & Maintenance
1	Raleigh, NC	67.52	4	38	6	46
2	Lincoln, NE	66.09	6	26	12	26
3	Greensboro, NC	66.01	1	34	47	39
4	Winston-Salem, NC	65.62	3	23	15	88
5	Corpus Christi, TX	64.31	13	5	28	81
6	Boise, ID	64.25	11	32	9	85
7	Jacksonville, FL	64.24	2	13	71	44
8	Scottsdale, AZ	63.03	39	4	25	27
9	Tampa, FL	62.5	20	24	54	3
10	Austin, TX	62.48	24	17	39	16
11	Plano, TX	62.1	42	33	4	34
12	Orlando, FL	61.49	34	2	90	1
13	Buffalo, NY	61.28	18	43	18	59
14	Charlotte, NC	60.62	7	57	45	30
15	Durham, NC	60.56	8	45	35	86
16	Birmingham, AL	60.48	5	1	97	54
17	Gilbert, AZ	60.29	57	19	7	96
18	El Paso, TX	59.98	61	21	3	76
19	Virginia Beach, VA	59.69	17	77	14	78
20	Laredo, TX	59.33	47	63	1	100
21	Mesa, AZ	59.31	55	27	13	68
22	Wichita, KS	59.14	12	22	59	83
23	Arlington, TX	59.04	43	50	27	17
24	San Antonio, TX	58.87	29	35	52	22
25	Lexington-Fayette, KY	58.85	16	62	29	93
26	St. Petersburg, FL	58.77	14	48	61	41
27	Toledo, OH	58.59	9	36	67	77
28	Chandler, AZ	58.33	59	7	26	94
29	Garland, TX	58.18	45	53	32	25
30	Omaha, NE	58.05	22	58	49	50
31	Tucson, AZ	58.01	21	11	85	52
32	Fort Worth, TX	57.99	49	49	30	21
33	Chesapeake, VA	57.87	28	75	17	92
34	Irvine, CA	57.69	84	6	2	28
35	Madison, WI	57.16	33	73	11	91
36	Atlanta, GA	57.13	30	10	95	4
37	Columbus, OH	56.87	10	66	76	40
38	Norfolk, VA	56.8	19	56	57	90
39	Fort Wayne, IN	56.13	26	64	55	64
40	Las Vegas, NV	56.12	76	3	60	8
41	Kansas City, MO	56.09	15	18	92	73
42	Lubbock, TX	55.98	37	9	83	84
43	Irving, TX	55.89	46	61	37	60
44	Nashville, TN	55.5	25	40	86	45
45	Oklahoma City, OK	54.99	53	60	46	47
46	Reno, NV	54.87	71	28	23	70
47	Cincinnati, OH	54.69	38	54	87	10
48	St. Paul, MN	54.42	40	78	44	61
49	Phoenix, AZ	54.31	56	31	68	69
50	Glendale, AZ	54	58	16	69	75
51	Indianapolis, IN	53.99	31	67	81	42
52	Tulsa, OK	53.95	62	52	63	33
53	Dallas, TX	53.83	41	69	73	19
54	Anchorage, AK	53.46	35	94	24	98
55	Anaheim, CA	53.37	82	37	21	6
56	Colorado Springs, CO	53.24	48	72	53	65
57	Pittsburgh, PA	53.1	54	82	48	15
58	Minneapolis, MN	53	52	80	42	49
59	Hialeah, FL	52.9	27	88	80	23
60	Baton Rouge, LA	52.67	63	42	84	20
61	Chula Vista, CA	52.55	98	12	5	36
62	Henderson, NV	52.24	91	8	16	89
63	Louisville, KY	52.22	50	65	78	56
64	St. Louis, MO	52.12	23	55	100	5
65	Miami, FL	51.83	60	74	89	2
66	Portland, OR	51.71	51	71	75	38
67	Riverside, CA	51.7	79	41	36	24
68	Albuquerque, NM	51.6	36	30	96	58
69	Fresno, CA	51.26	77	14	51	80
70	Bakersfield, CA	51.19	73	20	70	48
71	Houston, TX	50.94	66	79	62	14
72	Sacramento, CA	50.62	87	25	43	12
73	Santa Ana, CA	50.4	94	46	19	7
74	Milwaukee, WI	49.9	65	83	56	63
75	Long Beach, CA	49.89	86	44	34	11
76	Jersey City, NJ	49.8	68	98	22	37
77	Memphis, TN	49.5	32	47	98	57
78	Fremont, CA	49.08	93	59	10	31
79	San Diego, CA	49.02	97	29	20	13
80	Cleveland, OH	48.63	44	87	93	9
81	Aurora, CO	48.6	64	91	66	62
82	Boston, MA	47.84	67	92	33	97
83	North Las Vegas, NV	47.07	95	15	64	71
84	New Orleans, LA	46.64	69	76	77	95
85	Denver, CO	46.59	70	85	72	43
86	Honolulu, HI	45.8	88	81	31	29
87	Newark, NJ	45.44	75	97	50	18
88	Stockton, CA	45.44	83	51	74	82
89	Seattle, WA	45.05	78	86	58	79
90	San Jose, CA	44.81	89	68	38	87
91	San Bernardino, CA	44.23	90	39	82	99
92	Washington, DC	42.5	72	90	88	66
93	Baltimore, MD	42.03	74	84	94	67
94	Los Angeles, CA	41.35	96	89	40	32
95	Chicago, IL	40.69	81	99	41	35
96	New York, NY	40.69	92	100	8	53
97	Philadelphia, PA	37.88	85	96	79	74
98	San Francisco, CA	36.11	99	93	65	72
99	Detroit, MI	35.92	80	95	99	55
100	Oakland, CA	34.2	100	70	91	51

Source: WalletHub.com