5 North Carolina Cities Make List For Best Places To Drive In The U.S.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 31: Traffic moves through midtown Manhattan on August 31, 2022 in New York City. A proposed congestion pricing plan in New York City to reduce traffic has attracted hundreds of New Yorkers to a series of public hearings on the matter. The plan, which would toll drivers in Manhattan south of 60th Street as much as $23 during rush hour, was designed to lessen traffic congestion by as much as 20%, according to an MTA analysis. If approved, the plan could go into effect by late 2023.

(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

WalletHub's list of 2023's Best and Worst Cities to Drive in just came out and 5 North Carolina cities made the list.

Driving is a way of life for most Americans, as the Bureau of Transportation and Statistics reports that “87% of daily trips take place in personal vehicles.” But that also means U.S. drivers spend more than 373 hours on the road every year, on average, which comes out to 15.5 days. That can be a dreaded experience, but some cities are better for those behind the wheel, and a new report tells us which ones those are.

They compared the 100 biggest U.S. cities on 30 key indicators of driver-friendliness in the main areas of cost of ownership and maintenance, traffic and infrastructure, safety, and access to vehicles and maintenance.
The cities were rated on factors including average gas prices, annual hours in traffic congestion, and average commute time.
This year’s best city to drive in is Corpus Christi, Texas, which comes in fourth for cost of ownership and maintenance and seventh for traffic and infrastructure.
Another Texas city, Laredo, is first for safety; Greensboro, North Carolina is number one for cost of ownership and maintenance; Scottsdale, Arizona, is first for traffic and infrastructure; and Miami, Florida, is number one for access to vehicles and maintenance.
On the flip side, the worst city to drive in is Oakland, California, which is dead last for the cost of ownership and maintenance.
New York City lands at the bottom for traffic and infrastructure, while St. Louis, Missouri, is the worst for safety.

Top 10 Best Cities to Drive In

(Check out the full list here)