The fastest and slowest drivers in the U.S., mapped: See where your state ranks
Wyoming tops the list with the highest average driving speed. While traffic crawls in New Hampshire and Maryland.
If you're tired of traffic and love to drive fast, consider a move to Wyoming. According to new data from MoneySuperMarket, drivers in the Cowboy State cruise at an average of 71.8 mph on long-distance routes, making them the fastest drivers in the country.
The study, which used Google Route API data to track drive times between major cities in each state, analyzed various days and times to paint an accurate picture of how fast Americans really drive. Unsurprisingly, less populated states like New Mexico (71.0 mph) and Idaho (70.5 mph) also topped the list — thanks to open roads and lower traffic congestion.
Top 5 fastest states for long-distance driving
- Wyoming – 71.8 mph
- New Mexico – 71.0 mph
- Idaho – 70.5 mph
- Utah – 70.2 mph
- Nevada – 69.9 mph
But long-distance isn’t the only measure. The analysis also covered urban driving speeds, where Alaska leads with an average city speed of 30.3 mph, followed closely by Alabama (30.1 mph) and Nebraska (29.7 mph). These speeds, while modest, are relatively high by city standards — possibly due to wider roads and lower urban density.
The map shows the average speed for each state in the country. Photo: Mental Floss
The slowest drivers in the United States
Not all states are fast-lane-friendly. In New Hampshire, drivers average just 49.9 mph on long-distance trips — the slowest in the country. Vermont (52.8 mph) and Maryland (54.7 mph) round out the bottom three. Factors like snowy weather and heavy urban congestion (especially between Baltimore and D.C.) contribute to these sluggish paces.
Urban areas also show major slowdowns: Massachusetts, Maryland, and Michigan cities all struggle to surpass 25 mph in average metro driving speeds.
How the U.S. compares globally
Interestingly, the U.S. leads the world in average long-distance driving speed. American drivers clock in at 68.1 mph nationwide, making them the fastest drivers globally based on the international comparison in the report.
