Every day, 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 the Bayou City rank so high was a combination of two things: late departure times (9:03am – 30-plus minutes after I usually arrive at work) and short commutes (43 minutes). In both categories Houston ranked in the nation’s top 10.
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 |