The Worst Commute in Virginia? It's Not Even Close

Northern Virginia and D.C. metro drivers face some of the toughest commutes in the country, according to data released in a new U.S. Census survey.

The survey data on the average travel time to work found Virginia commuters are spending 28.2 minutes on the trip, up from 27.5 minutes five years ago. Nationally, Virginia ranked eighth on a list of longest commutes — identical to last year.

Commuters in the district are reporting a 29.8-minute commute, relatively unchanged over the past few years and ranked fourth in the state rankings nationwide.

Drivers in the D.C. metro area, including Northern Virginia, report an average 34.4 minute commute, one of the worst commutes of metro areas nationwide — not far behind New York and Oakland, California.

• See: State-by-state 'worst commute' rankings

The U.S. Census performs the American Community Survey each year, asking questions about housing, employment and other demographic information. The findings are released for states and major metro areas each September, and complete data on every community is released toward the end of the year.

Here are area commute times for metro areas in the state, according to the latest U.S. Census survey data:

• Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area: 34.4 minutes
• Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville: 34.5 minutes
• Winchester: 30.8 minutes
• Roanoke: 25.4 minutes
• Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News: 24.8
• Richmond: 24.5 minutes
• Charlottesville: 24 minutes
• Lynchburg: 23.9 minutes
• Staunton: 22.5 minutes
• Martinsville: 22.1 minutes
• Danville: 22 minutes
• Bluefield: 21.9 minutes
• Blacksburg: 21.6 minutes
• Harrisonburg: 19.6 minutes

A study across the pond this summer found workers in England and Wales were damaging their health with long commutes. Those surveyed estimated they added almost 800 calories to their weekly diet as a result of the trip to work, according to a CNN report.

It may not get you to work faster, but researchers suggest getting out of the car — even if only for a portion of your commute.

Walking to a train station or standing in a subway car are better for your health, researcher Ellen Flint told The Huffington Post in the spring. “These all add up to significantly more exertion than driving door-to-door,” she said.

Image via Shutterstock