These North Carolina Cities Among Best In US For Driving

CHARLOTTE, NC — For most Americans, sitting in a car for long stretches during the day is an unavoidable reality. In fact, 87 percent of daily trips in the U.S. are made in personal vehicles, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The impact of those trips on our daily lives, however, can easily vary depending upon the city. When it came to the best cities in the U.S. to drive in, four of the top 10 in the nation are in the Tar Heel State, according to a new WalletHub list published this week.

The personal finance website ranked 100 cities based on 29 metrics in four categories: cost of ownership and maintenance, traffic and infrastructure, safety, and access to vehicles and maintenance.

When it comes to quality of life, time spent in a car is a major line item. Drivers average almost 300 hours a year on the road with an average household bill of $1,700 when you factor in wasted time and fuel from traffic congestion, WalletHub said.

Drivers in North Carolina, however, are better off than most, WalletHub found. Raleigh, North Carolina ranked as the best city for driving in the U.S., right above Corpus Christi, Texas. Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Durham were all in the top 10. Charlotte wasn’t far off, coming in at No. 19 best city for driving in the nation.

It’s pretty cheap to own a car in North Carolina, according to the study. Raleigh scored as the best U.S. city when it came to the cost of ownership and maintenance, followed closely by Greensboro (No. 2), Durham (No. 4), Winston-Salem (No. 5) and Charlotte (No. 7).

Here are the Top 10 best overall cities for driving, according to WalletHub:

1. Raleigh, North Carolina
2. Corpus Christi, Texas
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Greensboro, North Carolina
5. Plano, Texas
6. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
7. Durham, North Carolina
8. El Paso, Texas
9. Jacksonville, Florida
10. Tampa, Florida

When it comes to commute times, Greensboro was the best city in the nation for lowest amount of hours spent in congestion. At the other end of the spectrum, commuters in Miami, New York, San Francisco, Atlanta and Los Angeles all rack up the highest number of hours spent in traffic congestion each year.

So, where’s the worst place to drive in the U.S.? According to the study, the worst place to find yourself behind the wheel is Detroit, Michigan.

See WalletHub's full ranking here.

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Photo via egd/Shutterstock