Everyday, millions of Americans in hundreds of cities across the country wake up and have to catch public transit – whether it be a bus or train. The experience is more pleasant for some than others. And in a new report from Trulia, the listing portal attempted to answer the question for homeowners: which cities are the best for public transit commuters?
In its research, Trulia compared commute departure times and durations, as well as the percentage of households dependent on public transportation, to determine the top 25 “transit-friendly” U.S. cities. Portland was No. 1 – (Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Miami) was (No. 17, No. 3, No. 7, No. 5, No. 13).
What helped Massachusetts’ capital and biggest metro rank so high was the city’s public transit commute duration, which averaged 41.5 minutes. It was the third lowest time in the country behind San Francisco and Minneapolis.
Check out the full rankings below:
| City | Avg. Departure Time for Public Transit Takers | Avg. Duration of Commute for Public Transit Takers | % of Households Taking Public Transit to Work 2014 | Transit-Friendly Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | 8:50 | 42.6 | 9.10% | 1 |
| St. Louis | 9:41 | 49.7 | 5.90% | 2 |
| Chicago | 8:36 | 44.3 | 23.70% | 3 |
| Minneapolis/St. Paul | 8:50 | 37.8 | 10.90% | 4 |
| Houston | 9:03 | 43 | 4.10% | T5 |
| New York | 8:36 | 46.3 | 52.20% | T5 |
| Boston | 8:27 | 41.5 | 28.20% | T7 |
| Philadelphia | 9:06 | 43.5 | 31% | T7 |
| San Diego | 9:01 | 50.8 | 3.70% | T7 |
| Washington, D.C. | 8:05 | 44.6 | 23.20% | T7 |
| Phoenix | 8:55 | 52.7 | 3.70% | 11 |
| Tampa | 8:15 | 48.1 | 2.50% | 12 |
| Denver | 8:40 | 44.9 | 6.60% | T13 |
| Miami | 8:18 | 50.4 | 6.50% | T13 |
| San Francisco | 8:28 | 38.7 | 29.50% | 15 |
| Dallas | 8:11 | 49.5 | 3.70% | 16 |
| Atlanta | 8:45 | 54.7 | 5.30% | T17 |
| Seattle | 8:27 | 43.7 | 16.00% | T17 |
| Anaheim, Calif. | 8:32 | 55.1 | 2.80% | 19 |
| Cambridge, Mass. | 8:02 | 42 | 15.30% | 20 |
| Newark, N.J. | 8:17 | 54.5 | 14.60% | 21 |
| Los Angeles | 8:04 | 49.8 | 9.10% | 22 |
| Riverside, Calif. | 8:06 | 60.4 | 1.60% | 23 |
| Oakland | 8:05 | 50.3 | 17% | 24 |
| Baltimore | 8:00 | 50.6 | 12.60% | 25 |