Wichita drivers spend less time commuting, Census says; how it compares to US average

According to the most recent five-year estimate survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, the average time it takes a U.S. worker to drive to work every day is 26.8 minutes.

As the commute adds up, the average American worker spends 53.6 minutes in the car every day to drive to and from work, which is more than four hours in a five-day workweek.

So, how does Kansas compare? Statewide data show the state average for work commute time sits just below 20 minutes, at 19.6 minutes.

There are about 1.4 million workers over the age of 16 in Kansas statewide, according to the latest data. About 117,000 of those work from home, leaving about 1.28 million workers traveling to work daily.

What about areas around Wichita?

The average time a worker 16 years or older takes to commute to work in Sedgwick County is 19.4 minutes, according to data from the Census Bureau. This means the average worker in Sedgwick County spends more than 38 minutes in the car daily and more than three hours in the car during an average workweek.

Sedgwick County has 248,415 workers over the age of 16, according to Census data. About 13,000 of those work from home.

Five-year estimates in 2011 show 6,818 people in Sedgwick County worked from home, and the average work commute time for the county was 18 minutes.

In comparison, Wichita has an average commute time of 18.7 minutes with a total of 188,476 workers over the age of 16. Almost 10,000 of those people work from home. With this data, average worker in Wichita spends about 37 minutes every day driving to and from work and more than three hours weekly.

Five-year estimates from 2011 show the average commute time in Wichita was 17.3 minutes, and at the time only 4,888 people worked from home.

How to enjoy your commute to work

Here are some tips for make the most of your commute to work, from Indeed.com:

• Listen to music, a podcast or an audio book
• Make a phone call, using hands-free technology if you’re behind the wheel
• Create a mental check-list for the work day ahead

It’s important to avoid tasks that could take your attention off the road.

Of course, leave enough travel time to make up for traffic, don’t speed and always wear a seat belt.

This story was originally published March 16, 2023 at 10:22 AM.

Lindsay Smith

The Wichita Eagle

Lindsay Smith is a suburban news reporter for the Wichita Eagle, covering the communities of Andover, Bel Aire, Derby, Haysville and Kechi. She has been on The Eagle staff since 2022 and was the service journalism reporter for three years. She has a degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from Wichita State, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Sunflower, for two years. You can reach her via email at lsmith@wichitaeagle.com.