Residents of Contra Costa County, California have the longest commute times in the U.S.

If you feel like you spend your entire day in a vehicle to get where you need to go, you might not be the only one. However, there is a city in Contra Costa County, California who might be in a worse situation than you are.

Residents of Brentwood, California, in Contra Costa County, have the longest average commute time in the U.S.

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Brentwood: The Longest Commute in the U.S.

In 2023, according to the latest data from the United States Census Bureau, it took Brentwood residents an average of 46 minutes each day to commute to work, making it the longest commute of any city in the U.S. with at least 10,000 working residents.

This is more than three times longer than the shortest commute, found in Wichita Falls, Texas, at just 14 minutes.

Contributing factors to long commutes in Brentwood

Several factors contribute to these extended commute times, particularly the shift toward remote work and the migration to more affordable housing during the pandemic. Many Bay Area residents, including those in Brentwood, moved farther out to places like San Jose, Tracy, and Stockton in search of cheaper living costs while still maintaining their higher-paying jobs.

However, as in-office work resumes, long commutes are returning. A San Francisco Chronicle analysis found that while morning commutes in the Bay Area have improved compared to pre-pandemic times, evening commutes are often just as long, if not longer.

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A growing trend across California

Brentwood and other cities like Menifee in Riverside County and Palmdale in Los Angeles County are also part of a larger trend across California, where long commutes have become common due to the affordable housing migration.

These areas were attractive to workers during the pandemic when remote work became more common, but now that in-office work is making a comeback, residents are facing longer commutes once again.