Friday, September 12, 2025
Oklahoma City drivers spend less time on the road than most major metros, according to a new analysis by Yardi Kube. The study, featured in Mental Floss, ranked the 10 U.S. cities with the longest and shortest one-way commutes.
OKC placed No. 8 on the shortest list with an average commute of 22.1 minutes. That is 4.7 minutes shorter than the national average of 26.8 minutes. Tulsa also made the list, taking the No. 1 spot with a 19.1-minute average.
The data shows commuting patterns shifting after the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, more than 27 million Americans worked from home, cutting the average commute to 25.6 minutes—the shortest in over a decade. But as remote work declined, commutes grew longer. By 2023, only 13.8 percent of workers remained remote, and the national average commute had risen again.
For OKC, the relatively short drive times remain a competitive advantage for quality of life and workforce productivity. In comparison, workers in New York City face the longest commutes in the nation, averaging 40.1 minutes one way.
To view the full rankings, visit The 10 Cities With the Longest Commutes.
