MD Second Only to NY in Commute Times Nationwide

Data from the Census Bureau now shows that Maryland is second only to New York in commute times, driven mainly by the end of remote and hybrid work options. 

Maryland now has the second-longest average commute in the nation, with workers spending approximately 31.5 minutes each way to get to work. Census data and recent survey work point to a key driver: fewer people are working remotely or on hybrid schedules, particularly among federal employees. Nearly three-quarters of Maryland workers are now fully in-person, adding more cars back onto already-busy roads.

Those impacts are felt most in counties like Frederick, Carroll, Harford, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s, where many residents travel into the Baltimore–Washington region and routinely exceed the statewide average. Congestion has also been worsened by major shocks like the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. State transportation officials point to several ongoing projects that could shave minutes off daily commutes, but those gains may be overshadowed as Maryland’s worsening fiscal outlook limits the state’s ability to sustain major transportation investments.

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Maryland’s transportation landscape will be front and center at the 2025 MACo Winter Conference. Three sessions will touch on some facet of this important issue:

  • “Highway User Revenues: The Lifeline of Local Roads” –This session unpacks the history and importance of HUR, its role in county budgets, and why maintaining local shares is critical to sustaining safe, reliable infrastructure across Maryland. 
  • “Scoring the Future: Understanding MDOT’s “Project Scorecard” – MDOT leaders will outline the proposed changes to how county projects are scored when deciding awards for state funding, discuss the reasoning behind these changes, and invite feedback from county officials on how to ensure the system remains equitable and effective across all communities.
  • “Pace with Growth: The Role of Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances” –This session will explore the history and continued relevance of APFOs, examining how they help counties manage the fiscal and logistical challenges of growth while promoting safe, sustainable, and well-timed development.

MACo’s Winter Conference, “Local Leadership, Lasting Impact: Shaping What’s Next,” will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Cambridge, MD, on December 10-12, 2024.

Learn more about MACo’s Winter Conference: